By Stephen Peter
Anyone who does not register their four-legged friend in the dog register faces a fine of up to 10,000 euros. However, this is usually just an empty threat – hardly any district controls the registration.
Registration has been compulsory since January 1st, but only every third dog is registered. No wonder: there are hardly any sanctions.
The district offices would be responsible – but, absurdly, they can hardly get to the register! Manuela Anders-Granitzki (44, CDU), City Councilor of Pankowto the BZ: “Since we still do not have access to the dog register, which the Senate Department for the Environment, Mobility and Consumers would have to set up, we cannot take action either.”
Pankow is not an isolated case: “Since the district veterinary supervision has so far had no direct access to the dog register, it is technically not possible for the department to check dog owners for proper registration,” said a spokesman for the district office Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg.
Similar to the information from the district office Treptow-Köpenick: “The veterinary and food inspection department has so far only had access to a test system and no access to the physical Berlin dog register.”
In Neukoelln there are only checks when registering “list dogs” (breeds that have been classified as dangerous) or when animal welfare operations are carried out. That’s how it’s handled Reinickendorf: Employees have the dog owner confirm the registration by presenting the registration.
How many violations have already been identified? There are no statistics about this, according to the district office.
Ursula with her dog Rani from Prenzlauer Berg: “I think a lot about the new dog registry. My dog is already registered there. There are simply certain obligations that dog owners have to comply with.” Photo: Ralf Guenther
In center On the other hand, defaulting dog owners do not have to worry about being fined: “Since the regulatory office in the middle does not yet have access rights to the dog register (only the test version can be opened), there are no controls in this regard,” says the district office.
Also in Spandau the authorities are very tame: “We have not yet been able to check any dog owners because we have not yet had access to the country’s register,” says the BZ regulatory office.
The authority responsible for the dog register, Senator for the Environment Bettina Jarasch (54, Greens) knows about the cumbersome process. And wants to give the district offices direct access to the dog register “to simplify the process,” said a spokeswoman for the BZ
However, when that will happen remains unclear.