The City of San Francisco is expected to pass a new law setting standards of treatment for dog guardians. The city already has a law stating that nobody owns dogs, but that they are their "guardians".

The new law requires water to be exchanged at regular intervals, and that only non-tippable water bowls be used. It says that if a dog is to be tethered to a leash, it must be the kind that allows the dog to move freely (kind of an oxymoron). Dog houses must be raised off the floor and contain bedding appropriate for the weather. Dog food must be of the nutritional variety. There cannot be any dog-poop laying around. These are some of the requirements.

According to Animal Care and Control Lt. Michael Scott, this new law won't have control officers checking everyone's backyards. It will instead be used as a tool to seize people's dogs. For example, if your neighbor decides that he or she doesn't like your dog for whatever reason, they now have an array of ticky-tacky reasons to get rid of it.

If they find some debris in the water bowl, they can take your dog away. If they see a piece of poop hiding under some weeds, they can take your dog away. If your dog food doesn't have the right amount of Vitamin E, they can take your dog away.