A dog attack in Grande Prairie has led the animal to be euthanized, dog attacks in general almost always end up with the dog being put to death. Actually any animal attack on a human being ends up with the animal being tracked and found and put to death. It could be a bear, cougar, shark or whatever.
But this is about domesticated dogs, the animals that we choose to go out and purchase because we think we need a companion or because they are so darn cute.
It's time we stop blaming the dog for its actions, and start blaming the person who is responsible for that animal.
You went out and made a commitment when you decided you needed a pet, and it is your responsibility to make sure that dog is fed and cared for. If you neglect your dog by ignoring it or locking it in a cage for 24 hours a day, by not feeding it, or beating it when you have locked it in your basement in the dark while you went to work and it chewed your couch because it was bored, then you should be responsible for it when it goes out and attacks another animal or person.
The excuse that the dog escaped is not acceptable. My dog has escaped many times, and I found him taking care of a baby duck, or covered in muck from an old dugout. He has never attacked anything or hurt anyone. I raised my dog to be kind, and to not hurt anything or anyone.
Blame the owner when their dog gets loose and attacks someone or another animal, because they are ultimately responsible for their pets actions. If you go after the people responsible for animal attacks we might see less of them.
If you buy a gun and shoot someone with it everyone blames the person and not the gun. If you train a dog to kill people everyone blames the dog and not the owner. You could set up a gun in a room on a remote trigger, so you are not even there when someone enters the room and the gun shoots them, or you could train your dog to be silent and kill who ever enters the room as well. In both cases the person is the main culprit, but yet the dog will be blamed in the last scenario.
It's time to blame the real culprit.
Scott Goerz
