Thread: Death by dog
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Old 04-27-2007, 09:35 PM   #11 (permalink)
Michael Romanos
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Silverstream (near Wellington, the capital of NZ)
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It would be considered a big joke in New Zealand or Australia to rank Corgis and English and American Cocker Spaniels as dangerous. There are many of the world's 332 recognrsed breeds who simply cannot be classified as dangerous and you can becha that few people can be seriously maimed or killed by any little dogs for a start, and few people succumb to any of the larger well regarded temperamentally friendly breeds. But there is always going to be exceptions. I guess that the most reported dogs biting of people in Australia and NZ are Labradors. Why? It is not because Labs are dangerous, because the vast majority are the friendly family dog and that is why they are so popular, but it is because of their sheer numbers and with it and the type of dog a Lab is (strong, hunting-type) that they also attract bad owners and bad breeders. I think there have been four deaths in NZ over the last 20 years or so where a dog has fatally attacked a person and all have involved what I would consider to be fighting dogs. Of course in that time many dogs have attacked and killed and maimed other dogs and cats.

Maybe to own a dog , a person has to be given a licence and to get that licence, the potential dog owner has to past tests including written tests and practical tests. The written tests include questions about dog management and the practical test includes a person acually handling a dog. That way, the onus is on the human to prove him/her self - where it should be, and not the dog - and if there are subsequent transgressions then the licence can be revoked. How does that sound. It is also one way of trying to keep dog numbers to a reasonable level and produce better dog care.
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