Should Minnesota Legally Require You to Take Your Dog For a Walk?
If you have a dog, getting some exercise with them is often something fun to do. But should there be a law requiring you to walk your dog in Minnesota?
A lot of new pets were adopted in 2020
Pet ownership exploded during our stay-at-home year that was 2020, with many furry friends finding new homes not only here in Minnesota but across the country. Of course, with a new pet, though, comes the responsibility of caring for it-- which, depending upon the type of pet you adopted, can be a lot of work.
But should pet exercise be legally required?
But should it be a law in Minnesota that you HAVE to take your dog for a walk? According to this new survey from MyPetNeedsThat, 1 in 5 Minnesotans (20%) said they would support such a law. (That's actually LOWER than the national average of 28%) And, while there isn't any pending legislation here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes that would mandate daily walks for our pet dogs, a law in Germany passed last year that did just that. (Actually, the German law requires pet owners to take their dog for a walk TWICE each day, for a minimum of an hour total!)
Now, our dog, Asher, is an Australian Cattle Dog, who we adopted from Paws and Claws Humane Society in Rochester. But because the Cattle Dog is a working breed-- literally bred to help keep those herds of cattle or sheep in line-- he needs a lot of exercise every day. That's why my wife takes him on a 3-mile walk/run every morning and I get in some exercise with him in the afternoon, as well. It IS a lot of work, but we enjoy doing it-- because it allows us to get some exercise, as well.
Minnesotans care about their pets
Overall, Minnesotans ARE pretty concerned about pets' wellbeing, according to the survey. The MyPetNeedsThat survey said that 43% of people believe dog owners who don’t walk their pets should receive a life ban from owning pets. And, it also noted that more than a third (34%) of Minnesotans said if they noticed a neighbor who never allowed their dog to exercise, they would report them to authorities.
Speaking of dogs, did you have your dog when they were just a pup? If, like us, they joined your family after they were grown, keep scrolling to check out what your dog's breed looks like when they're puppies!
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