Puppy yoga does what it says on the tin: group yoga sessions, with some extra canine guests. Customers are promised both a workout and theoretically lowered anxiety levels, thanks to the fluffy companions (and some Instagram content to boot).
In Amsterdam, classes are available in the city and in places you can sign up for a session for €45, roughly double the price of your regular, humans-only slot. For some, you can select a breed; others don’t clarify until the “last minute” due to dog health and availability reasons.
However, some have raised concerns about the impact of the craze on the participating animals. An ITV investigation in the U.K. reported puppies only six weeks old were sometimes deprived of sleep and water in the classes.
“I want to say to people who signed up for these kinds of crazy practices: think again. Do you really want this?” Adema added.
And if the Dutch ban comes to pass, the Netherlands won’t be the first to prohibit puppy yoga over animal welfare concerns. Italy’s Ministry of Health banned classes last month over concerns that engagement is “physically and mentally stressful” for the animals involved.
“Banning it for puppies also means banning it for other animals,” Dutch minister Adema said.
