Last week, the government announced that every dog owner in England would have to microchip their animal from 2016 under plans intended to cut a rise in strays.
Chief executive of the (Guide Dogs For The Blind) association Richard Leaman said: "Compulsory micro chipping promotes responsible dog ownership and gives the police an effective tool to identify a dog's owner and hold them responsible for their dog's behaviour."
Alun Gwernan-Jones, from the association, said: "Many of our dogs have had to retire early following dog attacks.
"We believe that asking the police to treat dog attacks on assistance dogs as seriously as they would do if a dog attacked a human would really help concentrate dog owners' minds on keeping their pets under proper control when out in public."Really? It's a familiar refrain, it seems, though based on...well, absolutely no evidence.
Just as we did for the previous dog attack story, let's take a look at the circumstances, shall we?
Guide dog owner Robert Boon's Labrador, Wag, was attacked by a Staffordshire bull terrier in Torbay.
Mr Boon said the terrier was out of control and he felt its teeth slide along his hand as it went to attack his dog.
"I saw the Staffie run towards my dog, heading straight towards her head," he said.
Mr Boon pulled Wag out of the way and ended up in the middle of Abbey Road in Torquay.
He was helped back onto the pavement by passers-by.
Mr Boon said the two men retrieved their Staffordshire bull terrier and left laughing at what had happened.Does anything about that say 'owners whose mind would be concentrated by more legislation' to you? Because it certainly doesn't to me.
And as for 'treated as seriously as attacks on humans', well, it is to laugh. Hollowly.
4 comments:
Uh, if the dog isn't there anymore when the police come, how will chipping have helped ?
All of my animals over the years have been chipped, and I've seen just how useless this can be - 2 different vets - 1 find the chip on the first try, the other swears blind it isn't there.
I don't chip my animals because of legislation - I do it in case they somehow get away AND lose their collar - I want some chance of getting them back.
Of course, I've not needed the chips either as I keep my beasts under control so I've not lost one, but I guess that's besides the point here.
There are no bad dogs just bad owners. Microchipping a dog won't change that.
This is obvious to the majority of us. When entering the Palace of Westminster it would seem that you leave common sense at the door.
Won't be chipping my dog and fuck their "compulsion"--as said before it is about re-establishing a much more costly dog licence --and about lording it over you. Fuck 'em.
"Uh, if the dog isn't there anymore when the police come, how will chipping have helped ? "
Well, quite! AS anon points out, this is nothing to do with safety, and all to do with control.
" When entering the Palace of Westminster it would seem that you leave common sense at the door."
You're very charitable to assume they had any in the first place!
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