leading a dog´s life?!

A fairly common sight on British high streets is kids that are strapped in a sort of harness with a lead attached at the back so they can walk on their own but not run away.
Well, I´m not sure what to think about this...
When I was a toddler we had a thing just like that in Germany, there are pictures of me wearing it. Then they disappeared, I vaguely remember that they got banished and degraded as inhuman by the parenting world.

This development influenced me. When I see them passing by I never know what to think. The German in me shouts "Oh no, those evil Brits...it´s a child not a dog!"...the Brit in me secretly adds "What a good idea!" before the pert and dominant German shuts him up again.