Our View: Dog appearances deceiving Oct. 29, 2013 There’s an old saying that goes every dog gets one bite. However, in the field of statistical analysis, it would appear some dog breeds bite more than others. We say “appear” because many times, a dog’s breed is determined simply by appearance, and often by people not trained to make such a determination. This becomes especially problematic when the lineage of a dog is unknown. Why does this matter? Because some homeowners are required to pay more for insurance, or pay for an additional policy, if a “dangerous” dog is found to be living in the home. Often, that means a pitbull, shepherd or Rottweiler breed. The determination is based not on a specific animal’s past history, but because of its outward appearance. The result is some people are paying more, if they can find a policy at all, or they are forced to lie about their dog. Here’s what Victoria L. Voth, a professor of animal behavior in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences, had this to say from her 2009 study: “The discrepancy between breed identifications based on opinion and DNA analysis, as well as concerns about reliability of data collected based on media reports, draws into question the validity and enforcement of public and private policies pertaining to dog breeds.” Common sense indicates that every dog, from a teacup Chihuahua to a mastiff will bite if threatened, provoked or angered. Dogs are animals and will always have the potential to be unpredictable. What determines whether an animal is vicious depends on the circumstances under which it was raised — whether it was neglected, abused or raised in a loving home. The point is, “good” and “bad” dogs exist and breed should not be the main determining factor. Or, to use an old saying, judge the deed, not the breed. thestarpress/article/20131030/OPINION01/310300014/Our-View-Dog-appearances-deceiving Jodi Preis Bless the Bullys Education...Awareness...Advocacy Because preaching to the choir makes a small church.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 15:28:46 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015