Madam –
It is with mixed feelings that I read the article, “ER issues safety tips to prevent attacks by dogs” in the Newcastle Sun.
According to the article, a certain Mrs Walpole urged people to purchase only from “reputable breeders” to minimise the risk of being bitten.
In other news: The pros of microchipping your pet
In my opinion, Mrs Walpole does not have the slightest idea about why dogs bite. Do not blame the breed or dog…BLAME THE IRRESPONSIBLE OWNER! (Here I exclude working dogs such as guard/police dogs)
Too often a breed or a “vicious dog type” gets the blame. Dogs become vicious for a reason. Keep a dog confined to a small space or very short leash or giving it no attention will MAKE it vicious.
Abuse a dog and it will get aggressive. There are many other reasons and 99 per cent of the time it will not be the dog’s fault.
People should be taught not to go near a dog when it is eating, a bitch with pups or a bitch in heat when there are male dogs nearby. Old dogs are also prone to biting children wanting to play too rough.
Some parents think it is too cute when little Pietie or Sipho gets on top of a dog or grab a handful of hair. This is plain stupid. The dog might have an “off day” like any other human and snap at them.
I know of a family who had their “beloved” pet put down just because he snapped (and missed) when their daughter interacted with him when he was eating.
Another example is a well-known family in Newcastle who had a poor dog put down because the animal jumped up to greet their little granddaughter, and by accident, scratched her face badly. WHY PUT THE DOG DOWN?
A very important cause of being bitten, not mentioned in the article, is the teasing of dogs. There is a crèche cum after-school care cum school nearby where I live, and almost every day I catch the children outside my gate teasing our dogs.
I have caught little six- to eight-year-olds sticking their arms through the palisade fencing, teasing our dogs. When I shout at them, they run away laughing. Children waiting for their bus or parents to pick them up stand at the driveway gate with their arms hanging through the slats. I have had two “beware of the dog” notices on my wall, but they have been ripped off by vandals. WHO is to blame when the dogs bite children who tease them? I have spoken to the principal about this, but he can do only so much.
I know for a fact that other people in Newcastle have the same problem with people teasing their dogs. Maybe this newspaper should do an article on this problem.
Responsible dog owners like myself ensure that we keep our animals safe inside our property but when children AND adults deliberately tease the animals and stick their arms through when walking past, WHO is to blame for an incident? When this happens (not IF) the dog or breed gets the blame and the animal has to be put down and the owner has to foot the bill.
Marius Calitz
