There's good news coming out of Germany for humanity's best friends, dogs. The German government is currently drafting up a new set of laws to ensure that more canines enjoy fulfilling lives. At the top of that agenda is their new dog-walking initiative. If the bill passes, Germans dog-owners will be required to take Fido on no fewer than two walks a day, collectively totaling no less than an hour of activity. Furthermore, chaining dogs up for long periods of time will be outlawed, as will leaving dogs alone for an entire day. Other details of the bill include ways of eliminating inhumane "puppy farms." Breeders will also be barred from tending to more than three litters of puppies. There will also be repercussions regarding dog shows, too, with more details forthcoming. How these new laws will be enforced will largely be up to Germany's respective states. Currently, in the U.S., there are laws that protect animals from various forms of explicit cruelty, but little to curb commonplace neglect—for now. I see that changing in the near future, as it's hard to refute that dogs, being the lovable, loyal oafs they are, deserve the best. The sentiment of Germany's new agenda is best summed up by Julia Klöckner, Germany's Agriculture Minister, who argued, "Pets are not cuddly toys, their needs have to be taken into account." Well-spoken, Klöckner!

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Reuters: "New dog walking rule in Germany leaves owners scratching their heads"