David Miller Online. The Dog Laws Must Be Tightened.
This is one of those occasions when I agree with John Banks.
Banning vicious dogs, even in the wake of the horrific attack on the young girl in Auckland over the weekend, is not the
answer to preventing people being attacked. If the politicians are to deal with this problem seriously and effectively
then it is the owners and breeders of these animals who must be held accountable and they must face harsh penalties if
found guilty of breeding dogs in a manner that makes them maim and potentially kill. To simply try and ban all breeds of
dogs that can be considered potentially dangerous is not practical. After all, a dog does not have to be a breed such as
Rottweiller in order to turn vicious. Any decent sized animal with the right amount of mistreatment and training can
become a lethal weapon.
The dog involved in the weekend’s attack was an example of this. It has been described as a cross between a Bull Mastiff
and a Rottweiller. Both breeds are known for their strength and aggressiveness and I suspect that this is the reason why
people are calling for these breeds to be outlawed. However this should not be the case. I have a friend who recently
bought a Rottweiller pup not because it will one day make a good guard dog and tear the limbs off anyone who comes
through the front gate but because of the animal’s appearance and strength. My friend is a keen mountain biker and
runner and there is no doubt that his pet will one day make a suitable and welcome companion on such endeavours. To ban
this kind of dog because of the actions of a handful of idiots and cruel people would be to deprive sensible and
responsible owners and breeders of much satisfaction.
Hence I agree with Mr. Banks that it is the ‘two-legged’ animals that must suffer the consequences. Not only that but
the SPCA and other animal welfare agencies must be given the tools and resources to make sure they can police this issue
effectively. It is no good if the SPCA is allowed to track down those who breed dogs for fighting or in a manner that
makes them attack people if the legislation and judicial system does not support them with harsh penalties. Dog fighting
is alive and well in this country and considered a favourite past time by some very sick and cruel people and only if
there is the possibility that these people will go to jail, be heavily fined and prohibited from owning dogs in the
future might they cease their appalling activities.
I hope that the owner of the dog that attacked the young girl is prosecuted with the maximum force of the law. If
reports in the media are correct then this man also gave false information to the girl’s father and left the scene as
though nothing had happened. If this man is caught then the judiciary must make him an example to others who mistreat
animals in this manner that the owners are responsible for their dog’s behaviour. Only then can the two -legged animals
that Mr. Banks talks about, be neutered themselves.