Careless Pet Owners Beware: Rome

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The city of Rome is cracking down on careless pet owners by introducing fines for those who fail to take their dog out on regular walks.

Docking pets' tails and ears has also been made illegal, and can cost owners anything up to 500 euros.

Round fish bowls, believed to make fish blind, are deemed cruel, too, and banned under the new set of rules.

The by-law aims at protecting hundreds of thousands of cats, dogs and other species living in the Italian capital.

Other new rules include:
Pets must not be left locked inside cars in the hot season
Animals cannot be kept in shop windows
Trimming cats' claws for aesthetic purposes is forbidden
Electric and pointed dog collars are banned
On new construction sites, cat colonies must be taken care of
Animals cannot be offered as prizes at fairs