When people talk about responsible dog ownership, they often mean day-to-day care: food, exercise, training, and affection. All of that matters. But after many years working in dog welfare and public life, I’ve learned that responsibility doesn’t stop at the individual level. Responsible ownership exists within a wider system. The choices owners make are shaped by access to information, social norms, and the policies that govern breeding, training, and control. When those sys
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