Green Daily

You know that joke about dressing up your dog being punishment for the dog? Well, the RSPCA isn't laughing. In fact, they announced that they will prosecute people who "over-dress" their dogs!

While the RSPCA acknowledges the utility of coats in wet weather, they say that tight, restricting or overly embellished clothes can actually harm animals.

This is terrible news for the over-the-top pet costume industry. There are dozens of stores that sell canine hats, dresses, and shoes, not to mention entire outfits from designers like Vivienne Westwood and Paris Hilton.

The RSPCA is mainly concerned that increasing numbers of people are getting "handbag dogs" as a fashion statement, perhaps inspired by Paris Hilton and her chihuahua Tinkerbell. People who pick a dog as an accessory tend to underestimate the amount of attention a dog requires, and those pets are more likely to be neglected.

For now, costumes aren't illegal, although there are plenty out there that are ill-considered. But if you're planning on taking Mr. Barkerston with you on your next trip to the U.K., you may want to leave his tux at home.