Dog in a cage

Dog in a cage

Is it okay to have a dog in a cage at night? Or to leave the dog in a cage when it is alone at home? Many people ask this. In this article, we will consider if its okay to leave a dog in a cage.

In 2020, a new law came into force in Sweden that prohibits dog owners from keeping their dog confined in a cage when you are at work.

The ban came with the Swedish Agricultural Agency's regulations and general advice (SJVFS 2020:8) on keeping dogs and cats in 2020.

Not as strict around dogs in cages here in Norway

Unfortunately, it is a fact, also in Norway and the rest of the world, that some dog-owners choose to put their dog in a cage at night or while their are away, for example at work. This means that some dogs are locked in cages for between 5-10 hours every single working day. This is not okay.

Today, there is no law that explicitly states that this is prohibited in Norway, although the Norwegian Food Safety Authority says that they do not accept that dogs are confined in dog cages for an entire working day.

- Adult dogs that are used to being alone at home should be allowed to roam freely when the owner is away, says advisor Maria Været Veggeland, animal welfare section at the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, to Aftenposten.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority specifies that the dog must have enough space for natural movement and behaviour. But it says nothing that it is forbidden to place the dog in a closed cage for hours.

The following is stated on the Norwegian Food Safety Authority's website:

"The Norwegian Food Safety Authority defines that the dog with good clearance must have space to stand upright, turn around, lie in a natural position, stretch, change lying position and regulate body temperature by lying down on different surfaces (e.g. carpet and bare floor). There must also be space for a water bowl in the cage."

Notice the words "lay down on different surfaces". Most dog cages you buy in the store are not large enough for the dog to choose to lie down on another surface. Therefore, it is also not allowed to have your dog confined in such cages, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority believes.

This is something that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority also confirms when they write that "In practice, this means that cages are too small for many dog breeds."

Nevertheless, this is not an explicit ban on having the dog confined in a cage. It is not clearly stated in a law, even if the Norwegian Food Safety Authority interprets the law as meaning that this is not a law.

"But my dog likes to be in a cage"

Some dog owners will argue that their dog actually likes being caged. But that does not make it any better to have the dog confined for a long time, writes the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

If the dog likes to lie in its cage, it is welcome to lie there, but then the door must be open at all times.