When a person takes on the ownership of a dog there should be an immediate acceptance of
responsibility for that dog, and for any offspring it may produce, for the duration of its life or until a
subsequent owner is found. The owner must ensure that the welfare of the dog, including behavioural
needs, are respected and the dog is protected, as far as possible, from infectious diseases (e.g. through
vaccination and parasite control) and from unwanted reproduction (e.g. through contraception or
sterilisation). Owners should ensure that the dog’s ownership is clearly identified (preferably with
permanent identification such as a tattoo or microchip) and, where required by legislation, registered on
a centralised database. All reasonable steps should be taken to ensure that the dog does not roam out of
control in a manner that would pose a problem to the community and/or the environment.