Legal obligation to report excessive aggressive behavior in dogs
Since 1.9.2008 there is a legal obligation for veterinarians to report incidents related to excessive aggressive behavior of dogs to the competent cantonal offices. If they do not comply with this reporting obligation, they become liable to prosecution. Therefore, if such a situation is reported to the canton, it is not some malicious report, but only the fulfillment of this duty.
The veterinarian does not report the dog owner, but merely notifies the canton of a situation that appears to be dangerous for him/her. The responsible experts of the cantonal office examine the case and, if necessary, order the necessary measures. The obligation to report is thus intended to contribute to the safety of humans and dogs without immediately branding the animal owner as a villain.
Experience has shown that the responsible authorities deal prudently with situations that are not always easy to assess and know how to give advice or consult other specialists (behavioral physicians and proven dog trainers). In particularly dangerous cases, the cantonal office is also authorized to impose drastic measures, such as the relocation of a dog or a stopping ban for selected dog owners. In the worst case, the killing of the dangerous dog can also be ordered.
Often, however, this message is rather for the protection of the dog owners themselves or their families. By far the most accidents with dogs happen in the own family and often children are affected. Even small dogs can seriously injure children! Unfortunately, this circumstance is paid far too little attention! We veterinarians often experience tragic accidents in our daily practice. The stressful situation "vet visit" often also brings out the worse sides of the dogs, which may never show in everyday life, until the special day, which then changes everything. We therefore appeal to dog owners not to see such a report as an "attack" against your dog, but as a precautionary measure for the protection of all. Of course, we always seek the conversation with the dog owners and keepers in everyday life! We try to classify the situation correctly in the context of the stress situation. In case of doubt, however, a report should always be made. We thank you for your understanding.
The legal basis of the obligation to report: Animal Protection Ordinance Art.78: Incident Reporting:
Veterinarians, doctors, people in charge of animal shelters, dog trainers and customs bodies are obliged to report incidents involving a dog to the competent cantonal authority:
a. Has caused substantial injury to humans or animals; or
b. shows excessive aggressive behavior.
2 The cantons may extend the obligation to report to other groups of persons.
Fighting dog, what does it mean?
Most dog breeds were not only bred for their appearance, but have or had a task in the past. For example, there are breeds that are particularly suitable as guard and herding dogs, as shown by the various shepherd dog breeds. Others have a particularly good nose and therefore find truffles in the ground, like the "truffle dog" Lagotto for example. Others are suitable for hunting small animals that live in burrows, such as the Cairn Terrier, or rather large game, such as the various running dog breeds. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are also breeds of dogs that have been bred with a special tendency to aggression in order to be used against other dogs or even humans. It is therefore necessary that dog owners of such breeds have a good knowledge of the genetic background of their dogs and carry out the education particularly consistently and prudently. This requires special expertise and this may be expected from these dog owners.
In Switzerland, there are already cantons (for example, the cantons of Zurich and St. Gallen) that prohibit the keeping of selected dog breeds. If visitors from other cantons come to visit with their dogs, it is compulsory that they are kept on a leash and equipped with a muzzle, otherwise high fines (several hundred francs) may be imposed. In the canton of Schwyz, the keeping of dogs of special breeds is not prohibited, but the general leash requirement applies to all dogs on public property. Unfortunately, this regulation has forgotten that dogs actually have the right to suitable exercise according to the Animal Protection Act. Now not all dog owners are marathon runners, so the dogs just come in other cantons to their run: An absurd situation.
All dogs, regardless of breed, are welcome in our practice. The prerequisite is that the dog owner can keep his dog under control and the dog does not show excessive aggression. Otherwise, the obligation to register aggressive dogs comes into play. However, this applies equally to all dogs, regardless of breed. We may say from experience that a report must fortunately rarely succeed, and fighting dogs with us so far not more often negatively noticed than other breeds. Many owners of fighting dogs are often more aware of their responsibilities than owners of other dog breeds.
Deutsch 
English