Dog owners required to provide neighbour consent, pet identification for ownership license

AMMAN — Dog owners are required to provide neighbours’ consent, as well as a collar or another way to identify the dog, when applying for a dog ownership license, according to a recently issued by-law. 

The Legislation and Opinion Bureau (LOB) issued a by-law on Thursday, March 31, aiming to control the licensing and supervision of dogs in Amman. 

The by-law shall be effective as soon as it is published in the Official Gazette and will be applied within the boundaries of the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), according to the LOB’s website. 

The recent by-law states that anyone who wishes to own a dog in the GAM has to fill out an application to get an ownership licence and submit a letter of consent from their neighbours, as well as a vaccination certificate for the dog.

A statement published on the LOB’s website on the new by-law adds that dog owners are required to pay a non-refundable annual licensing fee of JD20 to regulate the licensing process.

The by-law, according to the statement, allows households and individuals to own pets under the condition that the pet has a collar and a card identifying the owner and the licence number.

The new by-law also stipulates that a dog owner on a “temporary visit” to the GAM is allowed to keep the dog for a period that does not exceed 15 days without a licence, provided the dog is properly restrained when in public places.

The statement added that proper shelter has to also be provided for dogs under the new by-law.

“Despite the numerous local laws surrounding pet ownership, there are surprisingly few animal protection laws in Jordan,” Abdallah Daoud, a dog owner, told The Jordan Times. 

Daoud agreed that in order to have a pet, caregivers must acquire dog registration documents and licences, proof of vaccinations, as well as full liability for any injuries or accidents.

“We need a more successful deterrent to encourage dog owners to act responsibly,” Ayah Wael, another dog owner. 

She added that dogs should not be punished for their owner’s negligence. “Protecting animals from neglect and cruelty is very important,” she said.  

Wael also stated that “we need to protect the community from animals becoming a nuisance or danger”.