Responsible ownership highlighted by dog attacks

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August 18, 2010

Anonymous The Union-Recorder The Union-Recorder Wed Aug 18, 2010, 08:00 AM EDT

MILLEDGEVILLE — A dog attack on a local pedestrian involving three pit bulls along Meriweather Road earlier this month, which was fortunately staved off by passersby, brings to light the importance of pet owners taking responsibility of their animals and perhaps a need for stiffer penalties for owners whose dogs can be traced back to these types of attacks.

While the recent local incidents involve mostly pit bulls or pit bull mixes, negligence by pet owners, no matter the breed, poses a threat to others when their dogs roam neighborhoods freely, unleashed and unattended, and even more so when they are abandoned by their owners altogether. It creates an issue not only for the animals that are treated improperly, but also for others who live near the areas they roam. Some of the abandonment related instances may be the result of the economy, as pet owners can no longer afford their animals, others may also be the result of dogs being bred and then left unattended. Whatever the case, while the events of the past month should be no cause for major alarm, they do shed light on a seemingly prevalent issue of stray dogs and the potential risk to others and to the animals as well.

While Baldwin County has witnessed a few near-misses with regards to serious injuries from dog attacks, other communities have not been so lucky. Last year, a pack of dogs attacked and killed a University of Georgia professor and his wife as they walked near their home in Oglethorpe County. The mixed-breed dogs were traced back to an abandoned home where their former owner, who once bred dogs, had left them.

Fortunately, those involved in the four recently reported local attacks were not seriously injured. It is fortunate also that none of these attacks involved children as other instances in other parts of the state have.

The local budget for animal control has shrunk considerably in recent years due in large part to necessary cuts in the wake of the economic recession. With fewer resources, responsibility of pet owners becomes all the more imperative, and everything that can be done within the means and financial resources of local government must be done to prevent others from being harmed by these stray dogs.

If you see suspicious dog activity in your neighborhood or strays, it’s important to report it. Doing so is certainly in the best interest of everyone involved to prevent more serious issues and Baldwin County from having a local tragedy of its own.

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