DELAWARE - State lawmakers are being asked to consider a first-of-its-kind proposal from PETA that would require dog owners to give their pets at least three walks per day, with one lasting a minimum of one hour. The organization sent the request to several state legislators this week, including Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, urging Delaware to become the first state in the nation to adopt such a law.
PETA says the proposal is rooted in both animal health and basic humane treatment. Regular walks, the group notes, give dogs necessary bathroom breaks, "their bladders aren’t made of steel," PETA writes, and help prevent health issues such as urinary tract infections, kidney stones, obesity, and heart disease. The organization also stresses that daily outings provide mental stimulation that can reduce anxiety, boredom, and depression.
One person CoastTV spoke with says that the idea is insane.
"I think it just makes life harder for dogs to stay at home, to be adopted. People feel like they have to make more of a commitment," Bethryn Jones, who lives in Lewes, said. "Sometimes I take my dog for six walks a day, sometimes he gets two walks a day You know, we just do what we have to do."
The proposal mandates that dogowners have to walk their dogs three times a day.
"For most dogs, a walk is a real relief—pun intended," said PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk. "It’s a chance to sniff the neighborhood news, stretch their legs, and see something other than four walls. Allowing that at least three times a day isn’t asking much."
In a formal letter to Townsend, Newkirk praised Delaware’s animal welfare track record—citing the state’s designation of the rescue dog as the official state dog and the creation of an animal abuse offender list—before urging lawmakers to go further.
For Marc Zubrow, who is from around the area of Lewes, says this feels like an overreach.
"Some days you don't want to walk your dog an hour, and then there's certain dogs that are older or infirm and can't walk for an hour. It's not realistic to put anything like that in effect," said Zubrow.
Newkirk also pointed to international examples, noting that in Turin, Italy, dog guardians can be fined for failing to walk their dogs three times daily.
"Healthy adult dogs need to urinate at least three to five times a day," Newkirk wrote. "Imagine trying to ‘hold it’ all day, as some dogs are being forced to do."
State lawmakers have not yet publicly responded to the proposal.
PETA says the proposal would help ensure dogs receive the physical exercise, mental enrichment, and basic bathroom breaks they require. The organization is hopeful Delaware will "lead the pack" once again, this time in canine care.
The letter concludes with Newkirk expressing optimism for legislative action: "We hope you’ll agree it’s time to run with our suggestion … I look forward to hearing some good news from you."
State lawmakers have not yet publicly responded to the proposal.
