Eastern Switzerland St. Gallen government does not want a new dog law

Following two incidents in the cantonal capital, the St. Gallen Cantonal Council has called for a review of the St. Gallen Dog Law. The government sees no reason for a revision. There are over 31,000 dogs in the canton.

Margit Benz, cantonal councillor for the Green Party, was prompted by two incidents involving dogs in the city of St. Gallen. She wrote that it was time to think about the effectiveness of the St. Gallen approach. The cantonal dog law, which has been in force since 2000, is based primarily on personal responsibility.

In its response, the government rejects a revision. There is already "a sufficiently effective instrument to take effective action against conspicuous and dangerous dogs". When the law was revised, the issue of "dangerous dogs" was taken into account. Breed-specific permits or bans were deliberately avoided.

Different rules depending on the canton

Since 2010, the number of dogs in the canton of St. Gallen has increased from 27,087 to 31,241 animals. In 2023 alone, 1000 new dogs were added. In 2014, 232 incidents involving dogs were registered, rising to 376 in 2023. However, many incidents are not even reported, the government noted.

There is a cantonal confusion in Switzerland when it comes to the regulations for keeping dogs. A national dog law was last scuttled by the National Council and Council of States in 2010.

In contrast to the canton of St. Gallen, there is a training obligation in Thurgau: "Anyone who keeps a dog must attend a course on recognized practical dog training within one year of acquiring the animal," the law has stated there since 2023.

SDA