How to entertain your pet: barmy advice from the British!
Published 06 November, 2008, 08:14
The British government is rich in advice for its residents. And if dietary and safety advice is understandable and not unusual, some new aspects are beginning to cause surprise. RT has a look at some of the most brilliant masterpieces of bureaucratic minds.
Under a new government-issued code of practice, British cat and dog owners are now obliged to provide “entertainment” and “mental stimulation” for their pets.
The 26 page document on cat welfare begins with a warning to owners: “It is your responsibility to read the complete Code of Practice to fully understand your cat's welfare needs and what the law requires you to do.”
“You should ensure that your cat has enough mental stimulation from you and from its environment to avoid boredom and frustration,” the document proceeds to point out.
Meanwhile, parents in Britain are advised to encourage their children to play conkers. In this age-old game, the participants each have a horse chestnut (known as a “conker”) on a string and take it in turns to strike their opponent's conker with their own.
The game, which has been banned in a number of schools for being too dangerous and violent, promotes, according to the British government, “active childhood exploration”.
Office workers are being told to assign a “tea monitor” from their group who would keep an eye on how much water is used. According to the British government, when making a round of hot drinks, workers should use a tea pot, in order to use less water.
Envirowise, which is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, estimates that more than 30 billion cups of water are unnecessarily boiled each year. A simple measure such as the use of a tea pot would, according to them, improve the situation.
Tea appears to be an important issue for the British. The Royal Society of Chemistry has developed a formula of making the perfect cup of tea, based on George Orwell’s musings on the subject. They describe, for example, that it is better to put chilled milk in the cup first, and then fill it with tea.
However, it is not only Britain that is rich in outlandish government advice.
For example, in Brazil, the Labour Ministry website issued a collection of tips for sex workers, giving prostitutes official advice on how to please their customers.
According to the government, they should be prepared, amongst everything else, to perform sexual fantasies, seduce with affectionate nicknames and “demonstrate a capacity to communicate in a foreign language”.
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