By Kimberly Spykerman & Amresh Gunasingham

OWNERS of rottweilers may soon have to buy insurance, place a surety and send their dogs for obedience training.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) is looking at making such changes to its licensing requirements for those owning what the authority terms 'potentially dangerous dogs'.

If the new rules are approved, owning a rottweiler could become more costly.

Proposed rules for dangerous dogs

Dogs banned here:

• Perro De Presa Canario, Cane Corso and Dogue De Bourdeaux to be added to the list that now includes the pit bull, Akita, Neapolitan mastiff, Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Boerboel and all their crosses.

Dogs that must be leashed and muzzled:

• Bull terrier, rottweiler, Doberman Pinscher, German shepherd (with its related breeds such as the Belgian shepherd), mastiffs and all their crosses

New category for rottweilers and all its crosses

In addition to leashing and muzzling the dogs, owners must also:

• Implant a microchip in the animal
• Take up an insurance policy of at least $100,000
• Put up a banker's guarantee of $2,000, which will be forfeited if the dog strays, bites a person or is reported lost
• Send their dogs for obedience training

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