One of the episodes of the cult Polish tv series "Rancho" featured a funny, though ironic communicative about dropping off dogs "Americans" to then, under the influence of rumors about EU subsidies for quadrupeds, thieves began stealing dogs that sold for respective euros to the inhabitants of Wilkowa. The script, although repatriated, turns out to be highly up-to-date in the context of fresh actions of the City of Brussels, which announced plans to grant a bonus for dog education.
Dog training premium – fresh Brussels idea
The city of Brussels decided to “go this way” and announced the introduction of a bonus of €50 per dog, which refers to the humorous situation of the series “Rancho”. Each household can receive a bonus for up to 3 dogs. However, as indicated in the announcement, this bonus is not available to any dog owner without gathering certain conditions.
What conditions must be fulfilled?
A bonus of EUR 50 will only be paid for dogs who have received appropriate training. The programme assumes that the owners of four-legged people surviving in Brussels, Laeken, Neder-over-Hembeek and Haren can apply for backing if their dogs complete at least 3 training sessions – both individual and group sessions. These trainings must concern socialisation or management of behavioural and educational problems.
The dog must live in the region of Brussels, where about 90 000 dogs are registered according to data. Interestingly, the training aims not only to improve the dog's behaviour, but besides to guarantee its welfare. Zoubida Jellab, the head of animal welfare, explains that "working on dog education allows us to avoid possible safety problems, but also, above all, gives us a chance to improve their welfare."
Boom on “the nursery dog”
The question arises as to whether, like in the "Rancho" series, there will abruptly be quite a few "dog nurseries" in Brussels, which will rapidly issue certificates entitled to the bonus. Due to the announced financial assistance, dog owners are expected to invest more in the education of their pupili, and training centres may see an increase in interest in their services.
Summary
A premium of €50 per dog is an interesting initiative that aims to improve the behaviour and well-being of four-legged people in Brussels. Although at first glance it may seem that this is simply a series-based solution, the program has a solid foundation and will surely aid many animal owners in a liable approach to dog care.
However, the question remains as to how rapidly this thought will be utilized by little honest entrepreneurs, and how many of these “trainings” will actually contribute to improving the situation of animals, alternatively than simply a formality for obtaining grants.
Daniel Głogowski
Expert in his field – Publicist, author and social activist. The first articles were published in 1999 for global publishers. For more than 30 years, he has gained his experience through cooperation with the largest editorial offices. In his articles, he seeks to address controversial topics and present first viewpoints that allowed for a deeper knowing of the issues discussed.
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