Biting incidents Zurich government bans new Rottweilers from 2025
The Zurich cantonal government has decided to ban the purchase of new Rottweilers from January 1, 2025. This decision was taken to protect the population following two recent tragic bite incidents involving Rottweilers, it announced on Thursday.
19.12.2024, 09:10
19.12.2024, 09:29
SDA
The ban on Rottweilers serves as a preventative measure following serious incidents, particularly involving children, according to a press release issued on Thursday by Natalie Rickli (SVP), President of the Cantonal Government of Zurich. The veterinary office's inspection of current Rottweiler owners will provide additional security.
According to the press release, around 350 Rottweilers are currently registered in the canton of Zurich, which corresponds to around 0.5 percent of the dog population.
Current owners of these Rottweilers have the option of applying for a license to keep them, the statement continues. A corresponding application must be submitted to the veterinary office within six months of the new regulation coming into force. Mixed breeds with more than 10 percent Rottweiler blood are also subject to the permit requirement.
Attack in Adlikon ZH
At the end of October, a one-year-old Rottweiler escaped from an apartment in Adlikon near Regensdorf in the canton of Zurich. It attacked and bit two children who were playing. A five-year-old boy suffered serious injuries to his arms and a seven-year-old girl was injured in one arm and one leg.
The dog also bit two women who rushed over and a policewoman who had been alerted. The animal was euthanized by order of the veterinary office. The owner had only picked up the dog in Germany a few days earlier. According to the senior public prosecutor's office, various criminal charges have been filed against the owner of the Rottweiler.
