Dear Editor:
Re: Fighting for dog rights, The Record, June 15.
In principle I agree with the article that not all dogs on the specific breed list are vicious and that any dog can turn given the right circumstances.
But, on the other hand, who has to pay the price if certain breeds are known historically to be vicious and do turn and attack another animal or person unprovoked?
Is it really worth the high risk involved?
How many times have we read that the neighbour's dog, or even the owner's dog, has turned and ripped the face off an innocent child? That same dog had been in the family for years causing no problems, and then wham!
And, yes, any dog could do that, but generally there is something that has provoked them.
I am not condoning those actions at all - if any dog attacks for any reason, be it unprovoked or provoked, actions need to be taken.
I am a dog lover, but I have also been on the other end of the stick, having been attacked by a dog that had been deemed vicious.
My dog was minding her own business at 7 a.m. on an August morning three years ago, and we were attacked by a bull mastiff who had gotten away from its owner.
Now this dog had already attacked once, and the owner had been ordered to have the dog on a muzzle. No muzzle was present when we were attacked.
Fortunately we were both lucky and survived said attack.
It was the most horrific thing to be a part of, watching one dog try to rip out another dog's stomach for no reason, other than the fact that that breed of dog was bred as a fighter, more specifically to rip the stomachs out of the subject they were attacking.
The one standard for all dogs cannot apply when there are dogs on this earth that unfortunately have been bred specifically to fight.
It is instinct with them - one never knows when that will kick in but it is there all the same.
I realize by writing this I will upset a lot of dog owners who will be owners of specific dogs that are listed on the list and have never had any problems.
To them I say, I am sorry if I have offended you. But have you ever been attacked by a 150-pound bull mastiff on your morning walk with your 11-year-old terrier at 7 a.m.? If you had, your opinion would be very different.
Council needs to give a lot of thought to this bylaw.
Just as people don't like to be painted with one brush, neither do dogs.
But unfortunately there are certain breeds that need to be painted with the same brush, regardless of age or upbringing.
Diane McQuade (and Mitzi), New Westminster
