I'm a pariah among the dog fanciers in my community. Why? Because I testified in support of a new regulation to limit pet ownership to no more than a total of three dogs and/or cats, older than six-months of age, in one household.
The reason for the age threshold is to give people time to place any puppies or kittens that their family pet has.
Every major dog/pet organization I'm familiar with opposes such regulations or laws. That includes not only the animal rights people but mainstream groups such as the American Kennel Club (AKC).
So why would I break ranks and support it? Reality.
I support limitations on the number of pets in one household for the following reasons.
1. Nuisance laws are difficult and expensive to enforce.
In one instance in my town ? that has laws on nuisance dogs ? the city police had been to a house three times after calls from neighbors. In each instance, the dogs were quiet when they arrived and no ticket was issued.
That's the problem with the type of enforcement other dog-owner groups want. It requires catching the animal/owner in the act. Then both have the right to protest and appeal any fines or other punishments.
How much of a city's budget should go to this type of effort? It is much more cost effective to enforce limits on the number of pets as this can be more readily identified and controlled.
2. The worst pet owners are beyond caring about the law.
They fall into two categories. One is the drug addict, gang members or other criminal who breeds big, dangerous dogs for protection. An example is a homeowner who had 14 Pit Bulls in his metropolitan home.
The other is the disturbed pet collector such as a woman who had 40 cats in her suburban house. She had no recognition of why this should be a problem and was surprised that her neighbors called the police because of the odor from her house.
Neither of these types of pet owners are going to be deterred by a misdemeanor fine.
3. Dogs in packs are difficult to control.
The more dogs in the home, the more problems you have. Initially it may be as the dogs joust among themselves for positions in the pack. Even once that's been settled, outside events ? such as a dog coming back after a hospital stay ? can trigger another round of fighting for position.
There's always a danger the dogs may get lose. Having three or more dogs in one backyard can be intimidating to neighbors and other small pets in the adjoining homes.
A neighboring community has a dog park near a beach and people are often knocked down by packs of dogs. The dogs aren't attacking them; they're just running together and oblivious of their impact when they knock down a little one or older person.
When dogs are in groups, they work together and mob psychology rules. They may attack and kill smaller animals not for food but for sport or territory. Even dogs that live with cats will kill other cats when working in a dog pack outside the home.
4. Dogs in packs are more susceptible to illnesses.
As a former breeder, I truly appreciate how difficult it is to prevent the spread of diseases when you have many dogs in one home or kennel. There's a reason it's called "kennel" cough.
5. Some dog owners have lost perspective
One of the objectors to this new rule participates in a rescue organization. She had six people testifying on her behalf as to how needed her service is (I agree) and how well she manages her household of dogs.
None of the six people, however, live near her. When her neighbors testified, it was another story. She had started her rescue work by telling the homeowners group that she would have no more than six dogs at one time.
In one instance when the police were called to her home after a loose dog attacked a neighbor's pet and discovered she had 23 dogs there. This is just a typical suburban home ? not a rural or country area.
I'm sympathetic to wanting to care for abandoned and mistreated dogs but neighboring home owners have rights as well. If you've paid $600,000 for an 800-sq ft home in California (as our Sunday newspaper stated), you are going to be very concerned about maintaining property values.
Too many dog owners are oblivious to the rights of other people. Just walk in any city park and see how many people don't pick up after their dog.
I love dogs but I wish I could have more confidence in their owners. I recognize that I may be assigning many strays to an early death, but I can't waive a magic wand and make all pet owners responsible owners and care givers.
Limiting the number of pets in a household is a cost effective measure to solving true problems.
Louise Louis is a certified canine specialist and the creator of http://www.toybreeds.com, your online resource to Toy dog breeds.
house refresh service Morton Grove ..We all know that good food, a loving home and... Read More
A family, including three dogs and a cat live happily... Read More
Puppies can be so exasperating! They know what we want,... Read More
Our dogs are now, more than ever, a very important... Read More
Is your dog a gentleman or lady? If so, you... Read More
Last summer, we added a new pet to our family... Read More
The teaching and training of dog tricks while not a... Read More
Trying to decide if you should get insurance on your... Read More
Okay, so it's not the cleanest or most appealing of... Read More
Everybody loves puppies. Who can resist those cute little faces... Read More
Part1: There is Actually a "Wrong" Way to Crate TrainCrate... Read More
What if you want a Boxer, but cannot stomach the... Read More
A Healthy Skin and Coat for Your Dog ...Does your... Read More
Looking for some quick Rottweiler dog facts? Here's a quick... Read More
Top five dog breeds for homes with children* Beagle *... Read More
Because it is intelligent and energetic, a Westie terrier is... Read More
One of the greatest thrills for a little boy or... Read More
If you love dogs and you enjoy making money then... Read More
Until a very recent period, dog worms were thought to... Read More
Is there anything more cute and cuddly than tiny little... Read More
These days, it's hard to know what decisions are the... Read More
Buying a purebred dog is not something that should be... Read More
If you decide you want a purebred, make sure it's... Read More
Your local grocery store is chock full of food and... Read More
Presently, and throughout the 1990s a phenomena swept through the... Read More
cleaning service near Mundelein ..Gain some insight into how your favorite feline actually feels... Read More
Talk to the animals?Yes.And what's more, they talk to us!If... Read More
Now that my services have expanded into the "matchmaking" business,... Read More
It has been said that everything old is new again.... Read More
Westies dogs' owners delight in the companionship their dogs give... Read More
It was the Saturday morning of August 20, 2004 and... Read More
Do you have at least one framed photo of your... Read More
Many pet owners don't like using a leash, for a... Read More
Have you ever wondered what a dog thinks, or if... Read More
Hopefully no one is pulling the leash. The ideal situation... Read More
Part1: There is Actually a "Wrong" Way to Crate TrainCrate... Read More
Dog grooming is relatively simple for most dogs. I have... Read More
Poor Dog. Subjected to my most ambitious experiments, she still... Read More
Wether it be on a vacation to your favorite resort,... Read More
Are you thinking about dog obedience school? Do you know... Read More
Training one dog can be hard enough, but two, now... Read More
A pet can be as important a member of the... Read More
Dog owners, who recognize the early signs and symptoms of... Read More
Thanks to Disney's Motion Picture 'Finding Nemo,' almost everybody is... Read More
Once though of as a mere harmless but annoying pest,... Read More
Is your home safe for your Furr Kids? It might... Read More
If there is an art to getting horses to load... Read More
Dogs and kids, it's a combination that at it's best... Read More
Cat arthritis is not a very common ailment among healthy... Read More
Many people are searching for different means to have pets.... Read More
Pet |