"Crazy Act"... Netherlands Considering Complete Ban on Yoga with Dogs Allowed

Agriculture Minister Strongly Criticizes in Local Interview
Earlier, Italy Decided to Fully Ban Dog Yoga

The Dutch government is reportedly considering a ban on dog-accompanied yoga, which has recently gained popularity.

On the 1st (local time), Politico reported that Pieter Adema, the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, mentioned in an interview with local media that a complete ban on yoga classes with dogs is necessary.

Minister Adema strongly criticized the trend of yoga classes with dogs, saying, "Puppies in their early growth stages need a lot of sleep," and added, "I want to ask those who enroll in these classes if they really want to do such crazy things."

In Amsterdam, Netherlands, centers offering dog yoga classes charge 45 euros per session, which is about twice the price of regular yoga classes. They also offer options to choose the breed of dog to join the class or promote that they provide the cutest puppies through professional breeders.

The scene of a dog-accompanied yoga class called 'dog yoga' or 'doga' (doga, dog+yoga) [Image source=Yonhap News]

If the Netherlands decides to implement a complete ban, it would be the second case within the European Union (EU). The Italian Ministry of Health issued an authoritative interpretation earlier last month stating that bringing dogs to exercise classes like yoga falls under the jurisdiction of the "Animal Assisted Intervention Law." It was subsequently decided that only fully grown adult dogs are allowed to accompany such activities.

Earlier in March, the Italian TV program "Striscia la Notizia" on Canal5 reported that in dog-accompanied yoga classes called "dog yoga" or "doga" (dog + yoga), young dogs, including puppies only about 40 days old, were being exploited by being mobilized for long hours.

Following the report, the National League for the Defense of Dogs (LNDC), an animal protection organization, sent a protest letter to the Ministry of Health, stating that yoga centers conducting dog-accompanied classes mobilize puppies for long hours and do not properly provide water and food to prevent them from relieving themselves during classes.

The organization emphasized, "The puppies used in yoga classes are treated like exercise equipment," adding, "They are confined in cages during breaks and are sometimes transported in boxes or plastic bags, which constitutes abuse." They further noted, "Considering the age of the dogs accompanying the classes, it is highly likely that they have not even completed their vaccinations."