Puppy yoga could soon be banned in the Netherlands, says Cabinet minister

Outgoing Agriculture Minister Piet Adema wants to ban business of yoga sessions that also involve puppies. Puppy yoga has been offered in Amsterdam for months now. These types of lessons involve young dogs running around that the participants can cuddle after the lesson.

Adema said he does not believe it is healthy for the young animals. "I don't think that is suitable. Puppies need to sleep. They are at a very early stage of their development," he stated after the regular weekly Cabinet meeting.

"It serves no purpose at all and makes no sense. It really has to stop." He is preparing a draft proposal of the ban so that his replacement in the next Cabinet can implement it.

In the meantime, he is calling on people who sign up for "these types of stupid practices" to think twice. "Do you really want that, or would you rather not do it? We have a responsibility towards the animals," Adema said.

He pointed out that animals should be able to grow and develop naturally, which is essential for the rest of their lives. "And this does not help with that. Puppies are pulled away from their sleep. It is a bit comparable to baby's. You can't carry a baby around all day and have it do all kinds of things. They also need their sleep and rest. This is how a baby develops," the minister added.

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) responded to the commotion over puppy yoga and its growing popularity by carrying out inspections at the an Amsterdam business, and issuing administrative fines, said Adema.

But he wants a complete ban on these practices, which should also include these types of practices which involve other young animals to prevent, for example, kittens. He added that implementing the new law properly will take time. Therefore, he could not say when a ban would come into effect.