In order to perhaps avoid a Johnny Depp vs Barnaby Joyce type scenario, the Dutch government has advised that all Dutch dogs will require a passport by 2020.
At least this dog has the passport photo sorted. No smiling, please!
The documents will contain information about each dog’s origin, former owners and medical needs. And if breeders do not produce these, they may face fines, DutchNews.nl reported, quoting Dutch daily AD.
“Someone who buys a puppy should be able to know exactly where the animal comes from,” environment minister Carola Schouten told the AD.
“A passport will help.”
The move was welcomed by Dik Nagtegaal of animal protection society De Dierenbescherming.
“This makes it harder for people with bad motives to commit fraud with dogs,” he said.
“If there’s no passport, then you know for sure that something’s up. Don’t buy!”
Some 150,000 dogs are bought in the Netherlands each year, a third of them from abroad.
What isn’t clear is what’s required for the passport photo.
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