Regulating consumption with bite : building a contemporary framework for urban dog management

Australian urban animal management legislation prescribes the conditions for owning and living with dogs. UAM follows from the perceived need to provide community members access to public places without dog aggression or other nuisance behaviors. The literature reveals substantial positive aspects related to dog-keeping (e.g., health, happiness, companionship, the pet economy) that are ignored in the traditional approach to urban animal management. Indeed, a paradox exists with the current approach to UAM, as rules that inhibit dogs exercising and socializing likely contribute to dog-problem behaviors. To resolve this paradox, this article proposes an alternative paradigm for the management of dogs. The paradigm suggests initiating social marketing programs to better manage all of the issues involving urban animal management.