OPINIONS FROM EXPERTS (2001)

"IT'S TIME!" The AAS Yard Dog Report

From Vancouver's leading authorities on the behaviour of dogs...

Dr. Stanley Coren
www.stanleycoren.com

Though best known to the public for his series of best-selling books on dogs, Stanley Coren is also a well respected scientist and Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia. He has earned the title of Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in recognition of his contributions to psychological research.

Here is what he so kindly e-mailed AAS when we asked for his opinion on the chaining and isolation of dogs:

"The general consensus is that chaining out a dog for long periods makes it aggressive. There are even tracts which were found in the ruins of Pompeii suggesting that the way to make your guard dog vicious is to tether him on a short chain. If you believe anecdotal evidence (this from my own eleven years of teaching dog obedience classes), dogs which have been tied out are either vicious, fearful and hand-shy or both."

February 2, 2001

Gary Gibson, founder, Custom Canine
www.customcanine.com

  • Developed standards for training and placement of therapy and institute dogs throughout the lower mainland.
  • Developed a program to work with psychiatrists who help people dealing with their fear of dogs.
  • In 1990 received Certification to adjudicate the Canine Good Citizen Test, an internationally recognized standard for companion and therapy dogs.
  • Co-developed the Canine Super Citizen Test, which is being used as a standard for social and assistant dogs in BC.

"Society is starting to realize that dogs have psychological needs. When you start messing with a dog's mind and not giving it the things it needs on a day-to-day basis, you are abusing that dog. And those needs are much greater than food, water, and shelter. In particular dogs need to feel part of a pack, even if that pack is human."

From Ingrid Newkirk, Founder and President of PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals:

From: IngridN@PETA-Online.org
To: animaladvocates@telus.net
Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2001 10:05 AM
Subject: "It's Time!" - AAS's proposal to ban the neglect of dogs in Vancouver

Dear Judy,

Peta has 750,000 members and supporters in North America, and offices in the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, the UK and India.

PETA strongly supports and urges the passage of the legislation proposed by Animal Advocates to alleviate some of the suffering of dogs. The plight of dogs, who are pack animals, "designed" to enjoy social interaction of some kind, left on chains and tethers with neither human nor animal family to enjoy, troubles canine behaviourists and all kind people with commonsense. Dogs on chains and tethers often channel their boredom and frustration into aggression with negative repercussions for people; illnesses, even serious illness, often goes unnoticed; and their needs and dilemmas are easy to overlook when they are out of sight, braving storms, trying to stay warm in the snow or sleet or enduring a broiling summer heatwave. If misery were a stench it would rise from behind the houses and sheds where these dogs are spending their life sentences and ruin everyone's peace of mind. We urge the consideration and passage of this humane legislation.

Ingrid Newkirk,
President and Founder,
PETA

 

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