Dogs in Yellow Day

PetMD's veterinary guidance states that a yellow ribbon does not necessarily mean a dog is aggressive, and that it is more often useful for fearful dogs, shelter dogs who have not mastered their cues, dogs in pain from a health condition, or service dogs in training. Jones makes the same point about her own dog, who she says wears yellow because she needs space, not because she is dangerous.

The Royal Kennel Club's advisory for its licensed events states that identifying equipment such as nervous harnesses, coats or lead slips can raise awareness but does not transfer responsibility for managing a dog's behaviour to others, or excuse poor behaviour. Its key message is that every handler is accountable for their own dog and that equipment does not override that.

The Royal Kennel Club puts the instruction the other way round, asking the public to respect handlers and give all dogs space, and to avoid touching or handling an unknown dog without full permission from that dog's handler. Its wording covers every dog, not only the ones carrying a signal.

Both the Swedish and Australian yellow programmes rule that out in almost identical words, stating that the scheme is not about or for aggressive dogs and that you cannot replace a muzzle for a yellow sign on a dog that bites. Yellow Dog Australia adds that the signal is not an excuse to avoid proper training and not a waiver of responsibility.