Sunday, January 31, 2010
Tennesee Dog Restrictions
Being an animal owner I am drawn to conversations dealing with people complaining about certain dog breeds that are dangerous and that should not be around children or in fact other adults.
I am recently pregnant and everyone keeps telling me to get rid of my German Shepherd before I have the baby. Everyone says German Shepherds are not safe around children and are very agressive. Yet, if you met my 1yr old German Shepherd how could he be claimed as aggressive he couldnt hurt anyone. He is pretty much a big baby and when we take him out he seems to be drawn to children. He loves laying down and letting the children pet him. So how could someone tell me he is dangerous and I will be a terrible parent if I do not get rid of him?
After doing some research here is the same list that always pops up for the top 5 most dangerous animals.
1. Pit Bulls
2. Rottweilers
3. German Shepherds
4. Huskies
5.Alaskan Malamutes
Who gets to decide for every dog in the breed that they are dangerous? I have owned 3 out of 5 of these dogs and not one was agressive, yet apartments and some neighborhoods restrict these animals. Before my German Shepherd in my first year of college I was apartment shopping. I would say most of these apartments right away asked if I had dogs, if so what breed? They would go down the list and tell me I could not have a pit bull, german shepherd , rottweiler, or boxer in their apartments. Which I do not agree with them having breed restrictions on these dogs I do have to agree because it is their apartment. Yet, in a neighborhood where you purchase your OWN home you are told what dog you can and can not have? This seems crazy!
I am not saying every dog in these breeds are nice and safe, but is that not in every breed? Are we really saying only these breeds are dangerous? Dogs are trained by their owners. Dogs turn out the way they do because of their owners. Yes, alot of pit bulls are agressive but did we ask who their previous owner's were and what lifestyle they had? No, we just assume that all pit bulls are terrible. Same with every breed that is restricted, we just assume they are bad because the news only portrays bad situations. Hearing the law that was trying to have pit bulls banned altogether was terrible. How can we just go around killing this entire breed and not think twice about it? This to me was a stupid thing to even try to pass and still in some areas they do remove pit bulls out of their owner's homes.
I just do not think that these breeds should be banned right away. If you are going to live in an apartment or neighborhood that does restrict these breeds why can there not be someone who test the dog first. Meet with the pet with the owner and without and see how the dog reacts. If the dog passes why should he not be able to live there.
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ReplyDeleteI agree that just because you have a German shepherd it should not be classified as dangerous. I had a chow also and he was like a baby.
I personally believe it is the owner that makes the dog aggressive or not. It is all in how you the owner treat and train the dog. Putting a dog because of its breed as mean, dangerous, or aggressive is like putting people because we are one race or another exactly alike and we know that isn't true. There are many good and gentle shepherds just as there a many good gentle collies. But there are also bad collies just as bad shepherds... But that doesn't make all of them bad or good. Just keep and eye on the dog and if he/she becomes impatient or aggressive after the baby arrives then is when you make up your decision of what to do.. Love you pet and I hope you pet will love the baby.
I agree with you on this issue. I feel like the owners make the dogs aggessive. Just because these dogs are big and look mean doesn't mean they are. There is a pitbull and and great dain that are in my neighborhood and are very nice, they are playful and wouldn't hurt a fly.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with you on this issue. I am an animal lover; however, dogs should not be forced to live in small areas and people should not be forced to accept the animal into their spaces. Animals should be able to run free in open places away from the general public. To keep a dog confined in people area is no different than keeping a caged bird. I have a friend who has a German Shepherd dog. Her dog is a big lush and I have watched the dog allow children to ride her; however, I have seen the dog go in the aggressive mode when the mailman walks by. This dog has on several occasions growled at people of color and white men with lots of facial hair. My friend’s uncle (who has lots of facial hair) came in town and dropped by to see her. The dog went crazy and tried on several occasions to bite him. Her uncle tried befriend the dog by putting the back of his hand toward the dog and allowing the dog to sniff him; however, the dog reacted by trying to bite his hand off. At that moment, even I became afraid and I was there at the birth of this animal. My friend had to acquisition the dog immediately. She sternly spoke to the animal and instantly the animal became less aggressive; moreover, the dog was clearly still aggravated. If this dog ever got away from her and ran free in the public, someone would definitely get hurt. There would be chaos! People react to thing they do not understand or feel that is threading. If you were stopped at a traffic light and saw a little old lady standing at the bus stop near your car, would you lock the doors? If you were stopped at a traffic light and saw a big black guy standing at the bus stop near your car, would you lock the doors? If you answered yes to either scenario then you went in the defensive mode. Just like animals or dogs. Dogs are unpredictable and no dog owner can say that one breed is safer than others; moreover, animals become aggressive in perceived dangers. So because of this unpredictability, Laws must be implemented to protect the public. Protecting the citizens of the United States is part of the Tennessee Constitution and the United States Constitution.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Tennessee statute, it provides that any dog found running at large may be seized by authorities and placed in a dog pound. If the dog is wearing a tag, the owner shall be notified by a postcard addressed to the owner's last-known mailing address to appear within five (5) days and pay a fee or the dog will be destroyed. Tennessee has implemented anti-cruelty laws to protect animals. This law is held in Tennessee Code Title 39 Criminal Offences Chapter 14 Offense against Property. Part 2--pertains to animals. No matter how responsible animal owners are, animals are not responsible to their nature.
In 2007, Tennessee established strict liability for certain dog bite injuries but not others. The Dianna Acklen Act of 2007 (T.C.A. sec. 44-8-413. The statute contains a number of exceptions. There is no liability for a dog that is doing police or military work or protecting someone from being attacked, or is securely confined in a kennel or something similar. There is no liability if the victim provoked the dog. There is no liability for an attack that occurs on residential, farm or other noncommercial property owned, rented or leased by the dog owner, or occupied by the dog owner with permission, unless the victim proves scienter. Dog owners have protections if the animal remains within the perimeters of the law, but if it wonders out the law can take drastic measures against the dog and sue the property owners (dog owner) civilly or criminally.
I do agree with you that animal should not be singled out because all dogs have a potential of becoming aggressive.