Chantel UK, said it - "jobsworths" - but don't blame this particular government even if you despise it(as I do). Blame the countless little creeps securing their public service index-linked pensions by producing important directives; I had understood that the civil service was going to be trimmed down - what a hope!
Watch out all you people, they're coming for you even if you're not a social Pariah like me (a smoker).
To government vets, I say unite and tell them you'll all resign, and to present non-government vets, tell them you're not interested under the new ruling.
We could run a contest now to predict what is going to be banned next - last year two glasses of red wine a day were good for your heart, this week your heart may be OK but you are going to die of cancer instead.
Dogs have been described as "man's best friend" rightly - they notice things we are unable to, even maybe the smell of a disease - the Civil Service.

Mike Medina, St. Albans, England

This ban is very sensible. Surely vets, of all people, should be setting an example to the large number of people who seem to believe it fine to take pets to work and then leave them in the car all day, except for the odd walk. One would very rarely take a child to work, making alternative arangements for them. Therefore, owners should do the same for their pets. Many people do not appear to think about whether they have a suitable lifestyle, for looking after a pet, before obtaining one.

Michael, Templecombe, UK

Children spread a lot more germs than dogs. Should they be left at home too?

Tina, read 'The Machine Stops' by E. M. Forster. In it he predicts the hideous state of societies taken over by the state in a prophetic work which I notice coming to pass more and more in Britain and the US.

A Fairfax, Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria

What's next? I thought the UK really had a love of their animals... this is absurd. To much government means less of your freedoms, Wake up!
caw Sarasota, Fl

Catherine, Sarasota, Florida

I cant take my cat to work with me so why should they be allowed to take their dogs? Having said that I work in a Chinese Restaurant so I've always preferred to leave him at home.

Rod Munch, Northampton, UK

Yet more lunacy. In the end, no-one will be allowed out of their own homes, nor will they be allowed to do anything more than press government-approved buttons so that sterilised food will appear out of a chute in their residential cube. Mustn't move - you might have an accident. Mustn't have anything like a living organism near you - might get ill.

To me, it sounds like something Ray Bradbury might have written.

Tina, Düsseldorf, Germany

What are they going to do if the vets simply ignore the new rule? Sack them? What would a tribunal say to that? Is it a human right to keep a dog in your car? Prepare for expensive litigation and another pay day for the lawyers. This can only apply to vets in the public service, and most vets are self-employed, so one rule for some and another for the others. Rules which are silly and unenforceable simply bring the whole system into disrepute.

Alexandria, Sheffield, UK

Absolute stupidity. If for no other reason than that the recent right to roam legislation allows anybody to take one dog wherever they walk, including over most farms.

Peter, Newbury, UK

Is there a secret government department that looks for subjects to make stupid rulings about? As one of the quotes says, if you can't trust the vets, who can you trust?

And what about tradesmen visisting farms and other farmers? Rural life is full of people who are accompanied by their dogs.

Duncan, London,

Well well,
how much more craziness can a country take from meddling half wits?
Our hospitals are being choked with immigrants flooding into this country with a whole host of deseases (recent survey showed 7 out of 10 new AIDS cases are immigrants), but it seems to be more important to stop vets taking their dogs to work because of "Bio Security"!!!!!!
Lets start getting our priorities right please, and stop infringing the few freedoms the indiginous population has please.

Pete, St Albans,

It's how this ludicrous government works. and, to be fair, it fools people into voting for them. Someone was cruel to a doggy. The govenrment has done something. Let us all bow dowen to , and vote for, such a caring governemt.

The reaality is that they have achieved nothing but have diverted attention from all the things they haven't done (fixed the NHS and flood defences to name but two).

Morons will vote for them because they have looked after our dumb friends.

Roger Tilbury, Worthing, England

The French ignore laws they disagree with. Our vets should do likewise.

Sophie, norwich, norfolk

As usual, our Nanny-State Government gives thoughtless edicts from above; they feel any reaction is better than none when some bureaucrat does a risk assessment from their insulated little office in Whitehall!

I sincerely hope that Vets ignore this stupid ban and send the message that bureaucrats do not have the right to erode our way of life for no good reason.

John Robinson, Thetford, UK

How typical of jobsworths in the UK: Simply because they lack common sense and the ability to think and reason, they think the rest of us do!

A bit like the female council worker that was trying to tell Buddhists they should be offended by a restaurant called: The Fat Buddha (opened by a Buddhist). Did she hand her brain in at the door...? Surely, Buddhists know enough about their own religion to know what should offend them and surely VETS know enough about dogs to know how to care for them?

Chantel, UK,

Yet another example of the over zealous political correctness that is becoming more common in the UK.
Rural life seems to becoming more and more under attack from politicians and civil servants in London who have no idea how rural life works...vets without dogs just doesn't make sense!
Please someone have some common sense and stop this nonsense!

Jason Marr, Basingstoke,

Boo-hoo sentimentalising paper-pushers should be sent down to do some pro bono work. for a week with a country vet to see how the real carers for animals go about their work. This ruling comes from the government who abolished the motorway foot and mouth inspectors, torched thousands of sheep and cattle, and destroyed unique lines. Splash their hands with red paint this time.

rsb, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China

This does seem rather like an over-the-top, knee-jerk reaction to a complaint, which was in fact nothing to do with the veterinary service. Immediate withdrawal of the order and thorough consultation with vets and their representatives is surely called for.

akai ringo, Tokyo,