dangerous dogs? or stupid people?

Sometimes, it's hard to tell.

The Alton, Ill. paper (The Telegraph) has published an article so riddled with typos one can't be sure they got their facts straight. Assuming that it is true, the owner of these borzoi (notice the CORRECT plural form) is an idiot. As is anyone that assumes what's apparently true of these borzoi is true of the breed as a whole. A quick read of the comments posted by readers is a mish-mash of breed-bashing and ignorance. No doubt the Telegraph reflects its readership; one is lacking proper grammar, the other common sense.

Then there is Chicago, Ill. (What is it about Illinois this week??) There is a proposal before City Council to change the animal control ordinance, with assorted provisions that make criminals out of responsible dog owners. As usual, the lack of enforcement of current regulations and a few truly horrific owners are generating a gross overreaction by elected officials. Thanks heavens for John Yeats and his level-headed editorials. There's a similar proposal in my county under public comment; it's an uphill battle, my friends.

Sometimes the data help, sometimes they don't. Remember "lies, damn lies, and statistics" ? Well, recent media reports on the top-ten biting breeds pick and choose how the numbers are added up and presented. I went to the raw data (the page sometimes moves, search July 08 for the table) and came up with a different list: Dachshund, Chihuahua, Jack (Parson) Russell Terrier, Pit Bull, Australian Cattle Dog, Beagle, English Springer Spaniel, Border Collie, German Shepherd, Boxer. Now it just so happens that I own two of those breeds, and I'm not so shocked to see them on this list. The big lie here is in calling these breeds "aggressive" - I have no doubt that people reported bites from these dogs, and the data are based on reported bites. But the REASON for the bites is not clear; there is an assumption that bite = aggression. No, it doesn't. I'm not saying it's OK for dogs to bite people - it's not. BUT we have to understand that some dogs are more prone to be defensive about food, be space defensive, or apt for one reason or another to be inclined to react badly to being knocked about by a rambunctious child. Dogs are PREDATORS, and if we allow children to act like prey animals or any person to provoke one, well here's a shocker - dogs react like dogs. Duh. Some dogs are in fact aggressive; call a behaviorist if you think you have one.

The next thing you know, breed ban laws will be back - with a vengeance. BSL doesn't work.

So, what are we to do? I'm a fan of the "I'm a taxpayer & voter" route, and so is Barbara at My Dog Votes. Started in response to anti-breed laws in her area, Barbara's grass-roots campaign to identify and support dog owner-friendly and dog-friendly legislation and government representatives is to be applauded. Buy her stuff, show up at your government's public meetings, and speak out. 'Cause they are coming for us.

And sometimes it's just plain fun to poke at the establishment. Links to two sites made their way to me this week, and I've enjoyed forwarding them to my like-minded friends and family and getting their amused replies. Enjoy One Horse Shy and Stylin Online.