The big issue in London over the past few weeks has been the possibility of a ban on pit bull dogs. A spate of attacks in recent weeks has once again got everyone's fur standing on end. Seeing as I'm never afraid to add my two cents worth to a rabid public debate, my latest column, Dog owners must be held accountable, appears in today's London Free Press.
But you are making the right point, in my opinion. By banning a breed or focusing on the dog, we are not addressing the root cause: the owners' responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteAccountabitity? Not here in the US, so why in Canada?
ReplyDeleteI was bitten once by a dog. I was 12, and walked over to the neighbor's house, I forget why. Their dog, an amazing and lovable Old English Sheepdog, growled, jumped, and bit my face. I was shocked and cried, but I also bled.
I didn't need stiches, but the owners, who were friends of my family, didn't do anything to change the way the dog was kept. No leash, no chain, no fence. He ran free before he got me, and after. Their attitude was, "He didn't mean to do it. It won't happen again." Except with dogs, you never know.