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By Tracy Mynhier
I want to address the issue of people putting up chows for adoption because the chows have
been aggressive and bitten people. What makes these owners think that these dogs when placed
in strange homes will behave any better? If anything, an aggressive dog put in strange surroundings
is an even bigger danger than in its owner's home.
I work with a rescue group and we would never,
ever consider placing one of these dogs into a new home; it's asking for a lawsuit at the very
least if something happens,not to mention the guilt we would feel if one of our placements hurt
someone.
While on occasion these aggressive dogs may be rehabilitated, it really takes a
professional trainer to do so.
My feeling is this--if you're so afraid that your dog is going
to attack someone, how can you in good conscience put that dog into someone else's home? No
one wants to put a dog down; however, if you can't deal with your own problem dog (with the
help of a trainer), you can't expect a stranger to be able to.
In our liberal high-minded
society, people have forgotten the priority--to keep PEOPLE safe. As much as I love dogs,
I know that if I had a vicious dog, I would need to put it down, not palm off my problem on
someone else like a coward.
I just had to say something after receiving the fifth e-mail this week from an owner of a biting
dog wanting the dog "rescued." Sometimes the right thing, like putting a dog to death, is painful
for us to do, but responsible people do what is necessary for the safety of the committee not only
in their own household, but at large.
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