Berlin police dogs trained to attack perpetrators have been put on an enforced break, along with their handlers, over contradictions between the methods used to control them and a new law to prevent cruelty to dogs.

The use of pulling collars to channel a police dog’s aggression towards an agitator or potential criminal contravenes the law, introduced by the former agriculture minister, which came into force on 1 January.

The training of “Schutzhunde”, or protection dogs, involves being able to control when a dog ends an attack, by tugging briefly on a “pulling collar” to restricts the animal’s airway. The logic is that if a dog’s aggression, considered necessary for the apprehension, is not controlled, it could cause serious injury or death to the perpetrator.

Come early January, it will be illegal for Texas dog owners to chain up their pets outside. Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law in October to help ensure more humane care for companion animals. Violations are considered a Class C misdemeanours punishable by a fine up to $500, according to the bill.

On 8 January 2021, a pigeon was found dead, having been trapped in green netting installed by the Hong Kong Government, in order to deter birds from gathering under the cover of the Star Ferry Bus Terminus.

The green nets, along with bird spikes were installed several years ago to act as a deterrent, but the Hong Kong Pigeon and Dove Rescue (HKPDR), has urged authorities to remove the nets as pigeons have been injured or strangled to death by them. HKPDR said it had seen pigeons previously trapped by bird spikes and had contacted the relevant departments for response, but to no avail.

HKPDR said wildlife management should adopt a humane, animal-based, adding that it had earlier proposed more humane measures including setting up pigeon boxes. But all suggestions had been turned down by authorities.

Courtesy of HKALPO

On 7 January 2022, thirty-seven pedigree kittens and puppies were confiscated along with HK$4.1 million (US$525,600) worth of bull penis and deer tails in a Hong Kong anti-smuggling operation, the year’s first major contraband seizure.

The 30 cats and seven dogs were smuggled into the city from Shekou by speedboat, according to local officials, who also found 48 boxes of frozen bull penis and deer tails– bound for mainland China, where it is prized for its supposed health properties – during the joint police and customs operation.

Courtesy of HKALPO

A ban on selling most ivory products in Hong Kong has recently come into force, the culmination of a three-year process to eliminate the once rampant trade in the city. The new rules ban the “import, re-export, and commercial possession of elephant ivory”, but make an exception for antique pieces dating from before 1925. Offenders could face a maximum fine of HK$10 million (US$1.3 million) and 10 years’ imprisonment.

WildAid Hong Kong has been advocating for a complete ban for many years and has worked closely with partners and legislators on the ivory law. WildAid has also tracked over 100 ivory stores in Hong Kong, with 80% of those shops now closed or changed to another business.

The onus now falls on the Government, to ensure that those traders that continue to sell mammoth ivory, which is still legal, are strictly regulated and controlled. A simple mechanism needs to be developed to identify ivory and to conduct regular inspections, otherwise the ban is powerless.

Courtesy of Kat Mak.

A BBC investigation has found networks of dog breeders are offering to mutilate puppies to follow a social media trend.

Cutting or "cropping" ears involves removing part of the ear flap for cosmetic reasons. The procedure is illegal in the UK, but breeders are offering fraudulent pet passports to imply it was done abroad.

The UK government has said the proposed Kept Animals Bill would restrict the importation of dogs with cropped ears and puppies under six months old. A Welsh government spokesman said it had a five year Animal Welfare Plan for Wales to tackle illegal dog breeding, including new regulation and was monitoring developments closely.

Courtesy of HKALPO

Pet food is estimated to be responsible for a quarter of the environmental impacts of meat production in terms of the use of land, water, fossil fuels, phosphates and pesticides. However, with pet parents becoming more aware of the environmental impacts of pet food, the sales of eco-friendly pet food in the UK have soared.

Courtesy of Michelle Cheung

France has recently approved a bill to “fight animal abuse”, which prohibits the sale of young dogs and cats in pet shops and banning the presence of wild animals in circuses. As of 1 January 2024, sales of dogs and cats in pet stores will be prohibited.

Shifting attitudes towards animal captivity in France have also resulted in plans to discontinue circuses with wild animals all together. There are also plans to end the display of marine mammals in French aquariums.

Courtesy of Arial Ng.

The UK government is set to introduce new rules saying that all pet cats in the UK must be microchipped by the time they are 20 weeks old - the equivalent of five months. It will mean lost or stray pet cats are more likely to be reunited with their owners and returned home safely.

The change comes after people were invited to give evidence and discuss the matter, with 99% of people giving their support for the measure. Owners found not to have microchipped their cat will have 21 days to have one implanted, or could face a fine of up to £500.

Courtesy of Kat Mak.

A Spanish court has handed down what's being hailed as a pioneering ruling, in a case looking at how a couple should share custody of their dog after they got divorced. A judge in Spain has granted joint custody of a dog to a separated couple who went to court to determine who the pet should live with.

The Judge considered both owners to be co-caretakers, rather than co-owners and were thus jointly responsible for the dog. The Court ruled that the dog would alternate between the two partners for a month at a time.

Courtesy of HKALPO

An Auckland couple who have campaigned to change the law in an effort to save their condemned husky, Aspen, have now argued their case before the New Zealand High Court as well.

In April, a district court judge found Alexandra and Graham Johnston guilty of owning a dog that killed a chicken and a pet guinea pig named Bert while not on a lead. They were ordered to pay reparations to the other animal owners and a fine. But the Dog Control Act also requires that Aspen, who was rescued by the couple and their son four years ago, be destroyed.

Justice Edwin Wylie - who heard the couple's appeal against conviction, sentence and dog destruction via an audio-video feed at the High Court at Auckland - said he will issue his decision at a later date.

Courtesy of Kt Dallison

A 27-year-old Mainland man, who claimed to be from a wealthy family and operating billions’ worth of business has been remanded in custody having been found guilty of cruelty to animals contrary to section 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, Cap 169.

The Defendant, Lan Tianqi, had thrown his 4-month-old kitten against the wall causing multiple injuries, because the kitten had not been using its toilet properly. The kitten suffered from injuries including but not limited to vigorously blinking, different sizes of pupils and swelling of its body and neck.

Courtesy of Karen Leung.

A New Zealand animal welfare organisation, Helping You Help Animals (HUHA) has refused to return 24 dogs to an alleged puppy mill, where they lived in cages or a barn and were suffering from chronic conditions including dislocated knees, periodontal disease, hydrocephalus and dwarfism, despite the New Zealand Police requiring them to.

Courtesy of Kt Dallison.

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With the passing of the Housing Legislation Amendment Bill, Queensland landlords will no longer be able to reject tenants for having pets in the rental properties without a reason deemed valid by the state government.

The Queensland Government recognises that pets provide companionship and security, and contribute to many people’s health and wellbeing and said that the changes would modernise the laws for 34% of the Queenslanders living in rental properties.

Courtesy of Arial Ng.

The UK government has confirmed that that the scope of the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill will be extended to all decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs.

This move follows the findings of a government-commissioned independent review led by Dr Jonathan Birch, Associate Professor at The London School of Economics’s Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science and Principal Investigator on the Foundations of Animal Sentience Project. The review drew on over 300 existing scientific studies to evaluate evidence of sentience in cephalopods (including octopuses, squid and cuttlefish) and decapods (including crabs, lobsters and crayfish).

Courtesy of Kt Dallison