Ok, here it is. We have created this page solely for the discussion of barking dogs. What bringbackstrewth! would like to see is not just the problem being discussed but serious solutions readers may have for the problem. As previously stated elsewhere, we will not tolerate any debate dropping to gutter level. Please keep your posts polite, keep the length reasonable (no endless preaching please) and above all remember that everyone is entitled to having their own views.
Dogs
The URI to TrackBack this entry is: http://bringbackstrewth.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/dogs/trackback/
March 10, 2008
I don’t own a computer but have to use a public one, so my contribution today will be short, as I don’t have much information with me. Anyway, here are two websites which people may be interested in looking at:
http://www.barkingdogs.net A U.S. site owned by a psychologist and dog behaviourist who has written over 300 pages on the entire dog problem.
http://www.dogassault.com Another U.S. site which is also very interesting, and explores all the facets of dog ownership and associated problems.
I am an animal liberationist, and I like dogs - in fact all “animals” except perhaps mosquitoes.
The first page from “dogassault” was printed in the Chronicle last Thursday (I think) with my name as the contributor. Oddly enough, I didn’t send it in as a letter, just the website address which appeared on Strewth! But I have no complaints, but was surprised that it was printed, because the Editor usually doesn’t like my letters talking about bad, irresponsible dog owners.
“Dogassault” claims there are 78 million dogs in the U.S.A. But Australia has the highest per capita ownership of dogs in the world. We have over 4 million according to the Companion Animal Institute. Most campaigners believe it is pushed by the pet industry (in particular the gigantic pet food industry).
But I’ve been thinking, seeing that so many people are forced to sell up and move because of barking dogs, that other industries also benefit. (One in 5 Queenslanders move because of rotten neighbours). What about the fees paid to real estate agents when people buy and sell houses? What about the stamp duty paid to State governments? Not bad business.
Re dog attacks. In Australia there about 100,000 attacks on humans every year (Delta Society of Australia). I won’t go into the attacks on other pets, livestock and wildlife. The owners of the dogs are seldom punished - the dog may be destroyed, but the owner usually only cops a small fine.
Having to endure working dogs penned up in a tiny, tiny back yard all day, never walked, never exercised, never trained, and left on their own all day long, I found intolerable. I live near thew CBD and these dogs barked at all passersby, meter readers, the mailman, anything, and at me whenever I stepped outside my door into the yard (the two houses are on a T-junction). I complained to the Council but councils across Australia are just not interested in enforcing Bylaws on this matter. The World Health Organisation et al now have irrefutable proof that noise is a deadly toxin. It can break down the immune system and cause all sorts of nasty illnesses - heart attacks, strokes, etc. and even death.
I’ll write more at a later time.
Audrey Robb, Maryborough, Queensland, Australia
audreyp_robb@hotmail.com
Why are dog whistles not readily available? If those bothered by barking dogs could either buy or hire a dog whistle to blow every time a neighbouring dog barked I would think that the problem might be easily solved.
Any comments?
I don’t know about the other Councils but in Tiaro we have barking control collars available to people who have had consistent complaints about their dogs. In cases Council has ordered some owners to use them or lose the dog.
I think this idea could to be implemented across the entire new shire.
*** Moderated ***
A barking control collar is a device which causes a dog an uncomfortable sensation when it barks. It is not painful only uncomfortable and very quickly trains a dog to only bark in situations where the percieved threat is greater than the discomfort.
A better solution to the neighbourly discord we have in our towns at the moment I think you would agree.
12308
You asked for solutions to the dog problems, so here it is.
First of all, a lot of funding is required as the problems have got completely out of control. This would have to come from either the Federal or the State government. I don’t think Councils should be in charge of dog control at all, and we probably need a Dog and Cat Management Board, such as exists in South Australia.
It has been suggested that funds could be raised from a small levey on all pet food and services, perhaps by just one cent per can. Another source of revenue would be fining owners who violated the bylaws. In M’bro a fortune would be made. That one-time Minister for Health in Qld., Wendy (forgethername) once told us that Brisbane funded its animal management from fines alone.
I don’t want to go on forever here. Moe next time, but here’s an important angle.
ALL prospective pet owners should be screened for suitability of ownership, and granted a licence - such as we have in having a licence to drive. Then, as with cars, all animals must be registered with the authorising body (Councils at the present time). This is for the benefit of everyone including the animal itself. All dogs and cats should be desexed, except in special circumstances.
All this would mean that animal control officers o rangers would have to be properly trained (maybe a 6-week course at TAFE?). And as the EPA and elsewhere is now pushing for a user-pays arrangement, I’m afraid prospective owners of pets would have to pay for a licence and registration. That’s fair. After all, keeping a pet is the owner’s decision, not the neighbours’ decision. Also I believe it’s a privlege to on a pet, not a right. Actually, dogs and cats that are looked after properly are delightful.
I’ll write more next time.
Audrey Robb
P.S. Here’s another webste on dogs: http://www.quiettas run by a long-time campaigner in Tasmania - Peter Bright
will you just give over on the dog thing, I can’t sleep for all the whinging…..
14/3/08
Yet WOOF! WOOF! you read this WOOF!WOOF!WOOF! section on Dogs? WOOF! That’s what it is WOOF! all WOOF!about. My I respectWOOF!fully suggest if you WOOF! want people to WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!”give over” on the WOOF! dog thing, simply WOOF! WOOF!don’t click on it. WOOF!
Mr. Barker
Of course there’s two sides to every argument and here’s this one.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/hero-dogs-have-their-day-after-saving-toddler/2008/03/20/1205602555371.html
Posted in the interests of peace, harmony and to prove one point (with a link that will hopefully work)
As great as that is, I’d be willing to bet dogs are directly responsible for killing more people than they are directly responsible for saving.
Somewhat off the point here. Its not the dogs fault, they are only doing what comes natural, in both cases. It is the owner’s fault that some dogs bark excessively while others don’t. All dogs can be trained and there are various methods available to achieve this, but some people just can’t be bothered. These are the pople who need to play their part in the community, even if they must be compelled.
Absolutely Jim, I agree with you 100%.
“As great as that is, I’d be willing to bet dogs are directly responsible for killing more people than they are directly responsible for saving.”
For starters, when was the last fatal dog attack?
In a farming situation, I’d say you’d lose the bet awfully quickly. It would be on a daily basis that dogs protect farmers from attacks by large animals, snakes and various other hazards, but unfortunately here we seem to have opposing sides that can never meet.
Those who use dogs as part of their everyday lives work wise or as a companion and know how to handle, live with and control them.
Those who buy dogs irresponsibly with no account taken as to whether the breed suits the surroundings before buying and total lack of care, training & control of the animal. A logical Council control method initially for persistent unruly dogs could be to place an order on the owner to either dispose of the dog or alternatively impound the dog unless it attains a certain certification at dog obedience training within a specified time frame.
Unfortunately the minority who tend to want to sit up all night with an ear pressed against a window trying to hear a dog bark would negate this incentive by crying wolf constantly.
3/6/08
I’ve haven’t been here for awhile. The dog problems continue.
Re barking collars. Yes, they are cruel and not recommended by the RSPCA. Neither is de-barking. If people can’t/won’t look after their dogs properly, then they should not be allowed to have them. But Councils allow any [expletive removed] to register a dog. That’s the problem.
Re Tiaro: Some 4 years ago, they told us that they had so many complaints about barking dogs that they ignored the lot. And they sure did, as did Maryborough, Woocoo and Hervey Bay. I doubt that anything has changed much with the new amalgamated Council. In fact, Cr. Gerard O’Connell told me verbally that hhe didn’t want the Bylaws enforced because he didn’t want to disadvantage (irresponsible) barking dogs. I had written to him in his capacity as Chairmain of the Fraser Coast Health Focus Group. I asked for these comments in writing; he keeps saying the letter is coming, and it never arrives.
His latest is to tell me that the Health Focus Group only attends to Health SERVICES (I thought Council was supposed to be running an animal control service.) So he advised me to contact Kerry Windsor at the Hospital!! And that’s what I intend to to do - in writing, and I’ll tell her I’m writing on O’Connelll’s referral.
It really is true. The society-sanctioned weapon if you want to intimidate, injure, threaten, or kill other people, is a dog. Don’t look after it. Make it savage, and drive it insane by never walking it, etc. Leave it on its own for hours and hours barking and howling in misery. Dogs need human company and shouldn’t be left alone for long.
Audrey
Strewthisback writes: Audrey you make a good point in that dogs need human company but as for your other statements, we can only assume you had a bad experience with this particular creature as a youngster. A lot more could be done to encourage responsible pet ownership and organisations like the RSPCA do a great job with this. Lets not tar everyone with the same brush - as with most problems, the minority (in your case “bad dog owners”
spoil it for the other 99% who do the right thing.
I just wonder what the statistics are comparing domestic dog attacks to dingo attacks, on humans? 100 to 1? So why are we so up in arms about dingos when peoples pets maul children repeatedly?
23/6/08
Me again. No, I have not had a bad experience with dogs, except excessive barking over the past few years. Problem is fixed for the time being. I got the Police involved last time - disturbing the peace by another owner.
Dog barking and dog attacks are now at epidemic levels everywhere. I actually like dogs, and have owned them. Nowadays I feel sorry for all those dogs with their rotten, uncaring owners. Most barking occurs because dogs are a social pack animal and it is torture for them to be left on their own all day long.
they become very bored, frustrated and anxious.
The two young working dogs which bothered me for over 4 years were kept in a tiny back yard all day while the owners went to work, never walked, never exercised and never trained. Of course, the owners did not have to put up with the barking every time someone walked by (both houses are on a T-junction close to town).
I won’t go into detail.
But the Swiss are now to introduce a law as from Sept. 1 whereby all prospective dog owners must take a 10 week course in properly looking after their dogs - 5 weeks theory and 5 weeks practical. These courses will be paid for by the prospective owners. Bring it on.
Re dog attacks on humans. The official figure is 100,000 per year. Some result in death, but invariably the victims are blamed. Besides that, there are even more attacks on livestock, wildlife and other pets.
Stiil, all this is beside the point. The point seems to be that the notoriously belligerent and narcissistic people who keep barking and attacking dogs must be protected at all costs!! At least that’s the thinking by politicians and many others, especially Councils.
The pet food industry (Nestle and Mars - also into chocolates) want to expand into China and India now.