Dog "driving licence" is a way of easing conflict

The Province
Published: Wednesday, March 29, 2006

The city of Vienna, currently celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of Mozart, is now intent on making music of quite another kind -- by improving the harmony between dogs and humans.

Dog owners there are being encouraged to obtain a "driving licence" for their pets, exempting them from their dog tax for a year.

To get the licence, they will have to undergo a two-hour exam, testing both their practical and written skills.

According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, they'll have to answer such questions as what it means when a dog yawns -- and prove they can put on a muzzle.

The licensing initiative follows a survey that found 85 per cent of Viennese feel the behaviour of the city's canines and their owners to be poor.

The question for Province readers is simple: Do you favour having such a dog driving licence here?

- What do you think? Leave a brief comment, name and town at: 604-605-2029, fax: 604-605-2099 or e-mail: provletters@png.canwest.com
© The Vancouver Province 2006