Yes, mandatory dog insurance. Okay, not here, but in Austria. Here is the story, courtesy of Newsmax:
Ouch! Viennese city authorities are putting the bite on the Austrian capital city’s new dog owners starting next week.
From Jan. 1, liability insurance will be mandatory for Vienna’s dog owners for pets born after that date under new city laws.
Policies must have minimum coverage of euro725,000 (US$864,000.) They are meant to pay for legal, hospital or other costs arising from damage or injury caused by the animals.
Those caught without insurance could be forced to pay fines up to euro3,500 – more than US$4,000.
This really is a good idea. I have had about 6 dog bite cases in the last year where the dog owners did not have insurance. My clients get stuck with the medical bills, and in one case, it is over $100,000. Since my client does not have medical insurance, the bill gets paid by Medi-Cal and we all end up paying for it.
As a dog owner, I like this idea a lot!