Politically Incorrect Dog Stuff
A piece in the ChicTrib says breed bans don’t work:
There’s an adage that says, “When a dog bites a man, it’s not news, but when a man bites a dog, it is news.” These days, dog bites don’t just lead to news, they lead to fights between neighbors, lawsuits and controversial legislation. Unfortunately, laws that ban certain breeds of dog from a community provide nothing more than the illusion of safety.
Many communities struggle with issues related to dangerous dogs. Some have responded with breed bans, yet time and again such laws have failed to solve dangerous-dog problems. Lawmakers who educate themselves and understand this issue quickly recognize that a truly effective law must address all dangerous dogs, regardless of breed.
There are many factors that contribute to a dog’s temperament, but breed bans only address one of those factors. If elected officials are comfortable with regulation of such a limited scope, then the one factor to be targeted should be the most common.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 70 percent of dogs involved in biting incidents are intact (not neutered) males. No other single factor is so highly represented in dog attacks. Mandatory pet sterilization is certainly a viable option, but this can also be easily addressed without legislation, through government-subsidized spay/neuter programs and community education about proper pet care.
Yeah, we know. Meanwhile(via Tom), this week’s evil dog is the pit bull. Next week’s will be the Presa Canario:
Authorities said she was giving Xeno a bath Friday in the back yard of the upscale Coral Springs home she shared with Rivero, when the 120-pound dog attacked the 120-pound woman.
It ripped open Willey’s jugular, punctured her trachea and tore into her arms, back and side. One law enforcement official called it a “surreal scene.”
Sadly, this woman had not been a model dog owner:
In 2000, she was charged with having a dog-at-large, court records show. In 2002, she was charged with having a vicious animal without current rabies vaccination and an animal registration, records show. The next year, she was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
And I called this a while back. Expect more.
August 23rd, 2006 at 8:30 am
She paid 8 grand to have her jugular ripped out. What a deal!
August 23rd, 2006 at 10:57 am
“My $OBJECT couldn’t have possibly done that, it’s so loving and innocent”
It’s a form of blindness, I think. Could be a dog, a child, a husband, a political party…