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U.K. to Muzzle Dangerous Dogs With Microchips and Pet Insurance

by Caleb Johnson on March 10, 2010 at 08:29 AM

Dog owners in Britain might soon have extra incentive to keep their canines on a short leash. According to an Associated Press report posted on Huffington Post, government officials want a microchip installed in every dog in the U.K. In addition, the owners of the dogs would be required to purchase insurance on the animals.

The argument being that cheap microchips, costing between $15 and $52 to install, would make it easier for authorities to track the pet's owner, since the rice-grain sized chip can be scanned for personal information in the event of an attack. Insurance, on the other hand, which could cost around $34 a month, would ensure that dog-attack victims are financially compensated.

Home Office Secretary Alan Johnson says that the proposals could curb a disturbing trend in which people use dogs to intimidate and attack other citizens. "It is this sort of behavior that we will not tolerate; it is this sort of behavior that we are determined to stop," he told the AP. But privacy advocates say the British government is sticking its nose where it doesn't belong. "This is yet more surveillance and continuous data-grabbing by a government who want to have as much information on us as it can possibly have," Dylan Sharpe, a member of Big Brother Watch, said to the AP. Nick Herbert also pointed out that the insurance proposal essentially taxes only honest dog owners, because those who breed and keep attack dogs won't pay it.

It's too soon to tell how this will turn out. (The AP doesn't expect the proposals to reach Parliament before the June 3rd elections.) Although it's not our affair here across the pond, we're not sure this is the proper way to create change. It's possible that starting at the ground level with stricter laws on breeders and adoption agencies would be more effective -- not to mention save some honest U.K. citizens a little money. [From: AP/Huffington Post]

Tags: computers, controversy, dogs, government, insurance, microchip, pets, privacy, top, trends

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