Well, I’ll Be Dogged!
Bear with me here—I promise that many—including some people I love dearly—will not agree with everything I say this time. But I welcome feedback and pushback—so please read and then please comment.
Dog Mania Has Gotten Out of Hand
Let me start with a confession: I’m a species-ist. There, I’ve said it right out loud: I actually think human beings—homo sapiens—all of us—deserve more respect, affection, support, and protection than any other species; more even than all other species combined! You might even say—and I do—that I’m a human-ist. A secular humanist.
Follow-ups—on Better Ways to Spend My Icy Cold Mornings
First thing I’ll say about dogs, brought home sharply by the Atlanta area’s current weather: I’m glad not to have to follow a dog around, keep him/her from peeing or shitting in the wrong places, picking up and correctly disposing of his “deposits,” keeping him under careful control with a fixed length short leash, etc. And keeping her from jumping on or licking those among my fellow humans who don’t want—or even fear—such interactions with dogs.
Most of the dog owners (yes—you’re owners, not parents or siblings) I know are quite responsible—carefully doing all of the stuff I listed above that I don’t want to do, and doing it well. I’m happy they are. Responsible pet ownership should be the default—what communities should be able to take for granted will happen.
A Sound Night’s Sleep—in Hotels/Motels, Too
Sleep with your dog? (I’m not—and won’t—discuss “sleeping” as anything more than resting, dozing, napping, getting shut-eye, etc.) I’m indifferent as to whether others let canines share their beds—that’s their business. But it makes no sense to me to even consider such a thing. Hygiene and comfort mean, I think, sharing sleeping space only with my wife. Given my snoring, restless legs, etc., this requires much greater tolerance on her part than on mine—but it’s a circle that will not get enlarged.
Once upon a recent time, you could ask a motel or hotel about their pets policy and be reasonably assured that 1. you’d get a cheerful, straight answer: “Sorry, no pets” or “We welcome pets as long as . . .” and 2. The first answer would be offered regularly and frequently. Our recent experience has been that most inns now seem afraid to exclude animals at all. I have little enough confidence in the ability of sleeping establishments to maintain hygiene well if only human beings spend the night there. Adding in the uncertainties of coping with another species greatly undermines my confidence.
Please, Mr. or Mrs. Innkeeper, treat us species-ist customers with respect.
Barking Mad?
I haven’t had much experience with barking dogs, but I’ve heard others mutter bitterly that it can drive close neighbors insane to hear persistent or even intermittent barking and howling. I’ve even had friends who have dogs complain about their own overdoing the barking. When it’s a problem, it seems it’s not a easy one to solve, short of not having a dog.
Parks and Playgrounds
I’m a taxpayer plus a member of a homeowner’s association, so I help pay for things that help out dog owners with their pets: dog-waste stations (and costs, cleaning, etc.), management attention to enforcing rules for dogs, and dog parks. Is that fair? It is if it’s kept within reason. Having some of these amenities attracts dog owners, and that in turn helps nudge property values higher. Plus, I don’t use the pool, but some of my money goes for that, too. And I do use the public library often, and that costs taxpayers who never set foot in one money.
And I think parks for people, including playground parks especially for kids, are well worth paying for. My “kid” is in his fifties now and no longer interested in see-saws or slides, but I cherish a diverse community with lots of babies and children.
But responsible dog owners—and again, I think that’s the great majority—would never, should never, take their dogs into a park set aside just for children or demand the right to do so because “Fido is a member of my family!”
Nor should dog owners ever let dogs run free, in non-dog parks, on beaches, etc. Even if you dutifully pick up the poop, residues remain. And no one ever picks up the pee, of course. Your dog doesn’t know any better—really can’t—so it’s up to you.
I think that if you want your dog to have something close to unlimited freedom, you should probably buy a farm. A fenced one.
Environmental Drain
Dog shit and piss is destructive to many plants and pretty hard on the environment more generally. It includes and spreads all manner of disease and pollutants. Putting the poop into a plastic baggie and throwing that into the landfill doesn’t solve this, either—and may even make it worse in important ways.
Dog food, especially now that we’re no longer in the era (as we were when I was growing up) of feeding the dog whatever leftovers were left over, adds immensely to this environmental cost.
Millions of pounds of meat are part of this in the US, and animal lovers ought to have problems with that.
Economic Costs
According to recent data, the average American dog owner spends around $1,500 per year on their dog, including costs for food, healthcare, boarding, and other necessities; this figure can vary depending on the dog's breed, size, and health needs.
And who knows if that even takes into account special presents for dogs—who don’t appreciate them, I promise—on Valentine’s or Christmas or their birthdays. Or on their Halloween costumes, however “cute” they look.
Given that there are an estimated 80 million dogs in the US, that comes to around $1,200,000,000,000 a year. And you’re worried about the federal debt!
Racist? Are All Dog Breeds the Same?
The Dangers of Pit-Bull Activists Living Among Us
YednssottSeponrdstanolryded gaat 7gSsom:1u4 faAmnuMo · (Forwarded to me by Tom Flynn on Facebook when Tom was still alive—and how I wish he still was.)
SHOCKING! Is your life really worth the risk by going near pit bulls. The pit bull owners are in denial because pit bulls can seem like normal dogs until they aren't. There are over 300 dog breeds that have never killed anyone. https://blog.dogsbite.org/.../pit-bull-owner-plays...
Would you deliberately choose a crib, car, or helmet with the highest record of fatalities and the worst safety rating? Most animal shelters and rescues fail to disclose to potential adopters that pit bull type dogs are the number one canine killer of people, pets and livestock of all breeds combined.
Temperament is not the problem with pit bulls; they are generally pleasant to be around when raised well. The danger is the unprovoked aggression, gameness, and physical ability, that has been bred into them from day one. This cannot be trained or loved away, and you never know when it will appear until it's too late. Not all pit bulls will attack or kill but predicting which ones will is impossible. They pass shelter behavior tests, then go on to kill or maim people and beloved pets. They "never show any sign of aggression" then one day kill their owner. This is why they are so dangerous. Who wants to bet their kids or other pets that the pit bull they adopt won't be one of the ones who "goes all pit" one day?
Pit bulls are arguably the most dangerous breed of dogs in the US in terms of numbers and seriousness of attacks, but many other breeds cause violence to humans, and some—Huskies, Dobermans, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Akitas, Alaskan Malamutes, Dogo Argentinas, and others—have proven dangerous, even deadly, to human beings. And a problem with trying to outlaw any given breed or the sale of them, etc., is that not only purebreds have these problems.
But the odds are provably better with some dogs than with others.
And remember, breeds of dogs are created by human beings, and it’s silly to pretend that it’s great when sheepdogs herd sheep but then not to believe that dogs bred to fight and kill can be vicious.
Lawn Darts and Tylenol Murders—on Risks and Proportion
One serious objection that I have to dogs is that people—seemingly especially infants and old folks—are often attacked by them. There’s plenty of evidence that dogs (some breeds much more than others—see above) can be genuinely threatening, even murderous, to human beings.
Let me be clear: I know that there are over 300 million human beings in the US and something like 75 to 80 million dogs. Large numbers like that mean that even very unusual occurrences can get distorted if not presented reasonably. “Freak” accidents should not be presented as ordinary in terms of risk—proportionality matters.
Lawn darts can be fun—but can be dangerous, too:
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned the sale of lawn darts in the United States in 1988 due to the risk of serious injuries, including skull punctures, and deaths. The CPSC urges consumers to destroy or discard their lawn darts and not give them away.
Details about lawn darts and the dangers they pose:
Injuries
Lawn darts can cause serious injuries, including skull punctures. About 57% of lawn dart injuries involve the head, face, eye, or ear. On average, about 4% of injured victims are hospitalized, and at least three children have been killed by lawn darts.
Warning labels
Lawn dart packages are required to have a warning label that says they are not toys for children and may cause serious or fatal injury.
Reporting
If you see lawn darts for sale in a toy store or without the required warning label, you can report it to the CPSC by calling (800) 638-CPSC or emailing info@cpsc.gov.
Never mind all the details, but you probably remember, if you’re anywhere near as old as me, the 1982 “Tylenol murders”—seven people in the Chicago area died after taking cyanide-laced Tylenol. The manufacturer recalled 31 million bottles of Tylenol—and we now have tamper-resistant seals on bottles of medication.
Lawn darts and Tylenol—what do those have in common with pit bull dogs? Not much. But the great dangers from the first two, though considerably rarer than pit pull attacks, have resulted in substantial regulation. Pit bulls—not so much. Some localities do require more restraints on such dogs or some restrictions on breeding and selling them, but enforcement is spotty.
Remember, lawn darts have killed three children. Pit bulls? One estimate is that 282 children have been killed by pit bull or pit-bull mixes in the US since 1980. https://www.fatalpitbullattacks.com/children-killed-by-pit-bulls.php
Do I Want to Ban or Outlaw Dogs—to Keep You from Having One? Or Several?
As is likely clear from the preceding section, I do want some regulation of some breeds of dogs, though cross-breeding and other things make it difficult.
Choose dog # one at the top of this Letter instead of dog # two, and I’ll be happier for sure.
And I certainly want dog owners to keep being reasonable and responsible, as most are.
I greet dog owners walking their dogs (not pit bulls or Rottweilers, I admit) cheerfully and may even be friendly to the dog—especially small ones.
I don’t have a dog and sure don’t want one. I do want dog owners to recognize that the rights and lives of non-dog owners matter.
But I don’t want to make most decisions about dogs for others.
Lots of links on dogs:
In case you’re under the delusion that everyone loves dogs—
https://www.reddit.com/r/Dogfree/new/?rdt=42165
Subject: Dog facts
The US is positioned to continue to remain the largest pet market, with sales approaching $200 billion by the end of the decade - Bloomberg
Most Americans consider their pets to be family members, and this trend will continue. For dogs the number is expected to rise from 86% to nearly 96% by 2030.
Every time it rains, dog waste left on the ground makes its way to our waterways causing elevated levels of bacteria in our rivers and streams. Studies have found that 20% of the bacteria contaminating some waterways can be traced back to the digestive system of dogs.
The proportion of households owning a dog is expected to grow from 39% of all U.S. households now to 49% by 2030.
According to Gregory Okin, a Professor at UCLA, the meat contained in dog food products is responsible for up to 30% of the environmental impact of American meat intake.
In pure meat terms, it is estimated that 32 billion pounds of meat protein are consumed by dogs each year in the US alone
Dogs caused the deaths of a record 63 Americans and three Canadians in 2022, the fortieth consecutive year that ANIMALS 24-7 has logged fatal and disfiguring dog attacks occurring throughout the U.S. and Canada.
More than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the United States, and more than 800,000 receive medical attention for dog bites, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
In the US alone, dogs approximately produce the same amount of feces as 90 million humans, which equates to 5.1 million tons. - Google
https://blog.dogsbite.org/category/dog-bite-fatalities
And not just in the US— https://www.brusselstimes.com/1387135/dogs-kill-a-seven-year-old-boy-in-wallonia-tbtb
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/interactive/2023/tick-diseases-rocky-mountain-spotted-fever/
https://petkeen.com/pet-spending-statistics/
Pets over people? https://www.reddit.com/r/Dogfree/comments/1hwqhgp/the_fires_in_pacific_palisades_are_making/
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Are pets worth as much as people? Cats are far more valuable than some people. Given a choice between saving a lifeboat of kitties and a lifeboat containing J.D. Vance, Elon Musk, Stephen Miller, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Tucker Carlson, and assorted TV evangelists, I would save the kitties and let the others sleep with the fishes. I would sleep like a baby that night.
Pets give love of a purity humans seldom achieve. Love greater than we deserve--like the supposed grace of God. For me, life without cats would hardly be worth living. They are members of my family. I fully understand people who died trying to save their pets.
I am sure others will say it, but I will say it first: The real problem is not pets but their owners. My sister used to live next door to some people who owned a schnauzer. Early on a weekend morning, circa 7:00 A.M., they would let this animal into their backyard, where he would immediately begin incessant barking. Actually, the bark was more like a high-pitched shriek. The sound was like a spike being driven into your skull. They eventually approached the neighbors and asked them politely to address the issue. They agreed to do so, but sullenly. Why the attitude? Do they think that neighbors should just tolerate their animated siren? People who do not control chronically barking dogs are creating a public nuisance and should be subject to fines.