Dogs are beloved members of the family in many homes around the world. But did you know that dogs are banned from an entire continent? Read on to find out more. We’ll also give you some interesting trivia about dogs from around the world.
Dogs are banned from Antarctica, also called the Seventh Continent, the White Continent, or simply “The Ice.” It’s the coldest, driest, windiest continent on planet Earth.
Dogs were banned from Antarctica as a consequence of the environmental protocol clause in the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora Treaty that required non-native species to be removed from the white continent. As a result, the last sledge dogs were removed from Antarctica in April 1994.
This rule was introduced because of the fear that dogs might introduce diseases like canine distemper to the native wildlife of Antarctica. There was also a concern that dogs might attack or disturb the wildlife. The goal was to preserve the continent in its natural state as much as possible. People living and working in Antarctic research stations had strongly resisted the move to ban dogs from Antarctica quoting quality of life issues, but all dogs were removed from the seventh continent in 1994 nevertheless.
Other than Antarctica, dogs live on every continent in the world. However, certain breeds of dogs are banned in certain countries.
For example, American Pitbull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and English Bull Terriers are banned in Germany.
The United Kingdom has banned the American Pitbull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Tosa Inu, and Fila Brasileiro.
In Canada, the provinces of Manitoba and Ontario have banned Pitbulls.
In the United States, there is no federal law banning dangerous breeds of dogs. However, there are limitations on housing certain breeds of large dogs in U.S. Army cantonments. Some states have limitations on dog ownership, such as the owner must be at least 21 years of age, prohibition on sale of dangerous dogs, mandatory liability insurance of $100,000, and requiring private homes to hang warning signs.
Some of the most banned dog breeds include the Pitbull Terrier, American Bulldog, Dogo Argentino, Neapolitan Mastiff, Akita, and Japanese Tosa.
Around 1 million dogs are imported into the US each year. Imported dogs can be denied entry into the United States if they are from the countries identified as being high-risk for dog rabies.
The United States has the maximum number of pet dogs. There are an estimated 76 million domestic dogs living in American households. Many families in the US have opened their homes to multiple dogs, one of the most notable being the pop singer Ariana Grande who owns several dogs.
Other top countries for dog ownership include Italy, New Zealand, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Spain, and Sweden.
The Labrador Retriever is a solid favorite around the world. This breed has held the No. 1 position on the American Kennel Club’s annual ranking of most popular dog breeds since the 1990s.
Dogs are traditionally perceived as impure in Islamic culture. The Prophet Muhammed is believed to have said that dogs should be kept outside the home and only for purposes like farming, herding, etc. On the other hand, cats are viewed as holy animals in Islam. They are encouraged to enter homes and even mosques on account of their ritualistic cleanliness. So, that’s one point in favor of cat lovers versus dog lovers. But dogs are adored in many cultures and countries besides the US, notably South Korea and the Philippines.