sunshine0221's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This One's For the Dogs This One's For the Dogs [The only thing worse than writing the TMI'iest entry that ever was, is getting complete and total writer's block for six weeks so that the TMI entry stays up forever in all of it's TMI'y goodness.] I live in a small town in Iowa. Small towns in Iowa are not renowned for their treatment of animals. When I lived in Massachusetts, the SPCA showed up at the door, concerned that my very spoiled wire-hair terrier was being left outside too much. And I think that is way cool, because they cared, and they did something about it. Now here, people leave their dogs tied up for their whole lives, one finally gets loose one day, growls at somebody (I would be very cranky too if I spent my life tied on a short chain), and they blame the dog. Dogs are cool. Dogs really just want some attention, and food, and the chance to smell smells and excessively mark their territory, and to love you. Dogs get mean when they are abused, or tied up and ignored, or are trained to be mean. Dogs are like guns - they are not dangerous until we humans do something stupid with them. A few months ago, an elderly lady, who happens to be on the City Council, got scared by a dog. She then decided that unless she did something immediately, every single person in town would be devoured by the canine menace. She recruited a portion of the City Council brain trust and proposed legislation that would require all dogs classified as dangerous to be securely fenced, and to be walked on 3 foot leashes and wear muzzles when they not on their property. There was a long list of breeds. Pit bulls of course. Rottweilers, German Shepherds, etc., etc. and, get this, all dogs over 100 pounds. We already have a leash law, with absolutely no resources to enforce it. And really, I'm thinking that if I get hurt by a dog on a leash, either the owner is stupid and walking a truly dangerous dog they can't control, or I'm stupid because I did something to scare or antagonize the dog. Either way - the dog - not the problem. I went to the City Council meeting. It was packed. And 100% of the people there were against the law. 100% against. Easily Alarmed City Council lady was not swayed by the fact that no one's constituents were supporting this, and neither were her City Council cohorts. I mean why represent the people who elected you when you can vote for your own personal agenda? And I really don't get it. When it comes to the danger department, animals have much more to fear from us than we do from them. The law was passed after being modified to a four foot leash, and no muzzle. I expect it will be enforced as well as the leash law was. 11:44 p.m. - October 27, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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