Unmuzzled dogs banned from Hanoi’s pedestrian zone

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Dogs without muzzles are now forbidden from the pedestrian zone around the Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake) in Hanoi as the city said it needs to protect locals and tourists in the area.

Pham Tuan Long, a senior official of Hoan Kiem District, told news website Dan Tri that the ban was introduced late last week after local authorities received complaints about a large number of dogs on the walking streets.

The pedestrian zone, which is opened from 7 p.m. on Friday through Sunday midnight, has become a new favorite destination for locals and tourists alike. But many parents say they don't feel safe bringing small children to a place with so many dogs around.

Nguyen Thi Hoa from Dong Da District said that her family always has to keep an eye on her two kids when they walk through the zone.

“Even adults can’t avoid a dog attack, not to mention young children,” she said.

“I also saw many dogs defecate on the streets but their owners didn’t clean after them,” Hoa added.

Even though some owners have argued that their dogs are friendly, the district insists there's no exception to the ban.

A government decree introduced from 2007 also stipulated that in public places or densely populated areas, dogs must be kept in cages or muzzled.

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