Illegal in Italy And Paris

Dear Dog Lady,

Somebody told me there’s a town in Italy where they fine you if you don’t walk your dog. What’s next? Kitty litter laws?

Harold, Memphis, TN

Harold, don’t know about the kitty code, but Turin, Italy recently passed an ordinance requiring dog owners to walk their dogs three times a day or be fined the Euro equivalent of $650. Seems dog responsibility has become the stuff of spaghetti westerns.

The Turin law also bans the dyeing of a dog’s hair, calling it “animal mutilation.” On this, Dog Lady couldn’t agree more. A primetime example of such an abuser is Kelly Osbourne, the Ozzy-Sharon spawn. She should be jailed immediately for dyeing her poor pooch Piglet pink with human hair dye, which can severely damage canine skin.

However, the legislation of walking the dog seems over-the-top. Such government interference is scary – even if you agree with the premise. On the bright side, maybe this is the only way to stop people like Paris Hilton from toting her dog around like a toy.

Posted by Dog Lady at May 14, 2005 10:43 AM