After a series of fatal dog attacks, most of them against children, Portuguese government decided to take drastic measures to fight the problem. Last year, a new law was approved to force the owners of dangerous dogs to register them and buy special insurances.
But the measure didn’t have the expected results and, last month, the Agriculture minister announced that is going to approve a decree ordering the sterilization of all the animals from seven different breeds (including Pit bull and Rottweiler) within a period of two months. The breeding and importation of these dogs will also be forbidden.
The decree was not yet approved, but the animal defence groups and dog breeders are already challenging it. They say dogs, whatever their breed is, aren’t natural aggressive, they became so due to the training they get (or the lack of it). Many of these animals are trained for years for dog fighting and starved to become more aggressive. Other owners walk them in the streets without harnesses, forgetting these animals have hunter’s instincts and can be attracted by other dogs or children playing.
Fearing the extinguishing of several breeds if the government ideas are approved, animal associations say that other measures should be taken. They remember all of these big and powerful dogs must be trained in a proper manner, so they can obey to their owners, and that people with criminal record shouldn’t be allowed to buy them.
3 responses so far ↓
1 MM (Cairo, Egypt) // Apr 2, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Dogs are the most wonderful creatures of God. I have a dog, and I assure you that he is more loyal, faithful and loving than any human being.
Any animal doesn’t kill for the pleasure of killing, if a beast kills, then it kills to eat. But Man (men or women) is the most wicked creature, a dog can never plan to kill, a dog can never carry a gun, a knife or a bomb to kill innocents, rape women or take others rights, just because he is angry, greedy or can’t control his desires.
A dog could die to save his friend, a dog dies when his master dies; cries and gets sick when his master is in pain, suffers or is ill….
By nature dogs are not born dangerous, but any dog, even a Yorkshire could be trained to be violent and aggressive.
People train dogs to be like that, whether to protect them against thieves, to be their guards, and sometimes some guys just show-off having a dangerous dog! And I know a guy who gives his Doberman blood drops everyday to be dangerous.
The Rottweiler (the picture you posted) is one of the most peaceful and cute dogs you can ever have and play with. It is true, he is very strong and very smart, and easily trained. Also the German Shepherd used with guards and soldiers, is one of the cutest dogs I ever played with.
I think that men must be punished to train dogs until they become that aggressive, they beat them until they lose their teeth or bleed, they starve them, sometimes to death… this is not fair.
Do you know that some people kills their dogs after a while because they became too aggressive???!!!! Who made them aggressive?
A dog will never leave his master, but, masters abandon their dogs or put them to sleep after a while, just because they are fed up with them.
You can learn a lot from a dog, I assure you… once he loves you, he is your guardian and loves you unconditionally.
I think what man does against other people or even animals is much more than the harm caused by animals.
No dear, dogs are never dangerous by nature.
I wish people would have some of dogs’ characteristics.
2 AP // Apr 3, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Thanks for you comment MM. I totally agree with you. Dogs are wonderful creatures! The question was rhetoric, because of the measures taken by Portuguese authorities. My parents have a big dog (a Portuguese shepherd, a breed considered not dangerous) and he is completely friendly and loyal.
But I think we should consider legal measures to make owners responsible for theirs dogs actions, in order to prevent fatal incidents. Kisses MM
3 SM (Cairo, Egypt) // Apr 5, 2008 at 11:02 am
Hi,
I read with great interest your article about dogs. Personally I love dogs and I think that they are loyal and can be one’s best friend especially when well trained! in Egypt, dogs are widely used by the Egyptian Police forces for searching for drugs, explosives, criminals. We call those type of dogs “kalb boulissi” “Police Dog”! One time, I had in the garden of my house about 11 black shepperd dogs
Have a nice week end,
Sherin.
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