The link to the story is below

The Editor,
The New Westminster Record,

I have volunteered at various local shelters and worked with many larger
dogs of mixed breeds. The lack of knowledge about dog behaviour amazes me.
So many people buy cute little puppies and have no idea as to what they are
getting themselves into.

Dogs are social animals who need to be socialized no matter what age they
are. It is especially important to do this when they are puppies. A dog
who is not socialized is a fearful dog and it is a fearful dog who attacks
regardless of breed(s). Unfortunately it is the bigger breeds that people
leave out in yards, pen or chain up which leads to problems. After reading
noted behaviourists, Dr. Ian Dunbar and Jean Donaldson I can't stress enough
how dangerous it is to leave dogs outside all the time without having a
chance to be around people, children etc.. Dr. Ian Dunbar in his video on
dog biting states, "It is the domestic dog (that is unsocialized) that is
much more dangerous than a wolf."
How would the owner of this dog know he or she owned a vicious dog if it's
penned up 24 hours a day? The dog is never with the owner.
I most definitely blame the SPCA for not pushing for laws to make it illegal
to pen, or chain up dogs. And I blame the SPCA for not shutting down the
many puppy mills in the lower mainland where it is far too easy for anyone
to buy a dog. It is not the owners I blame as there are always, always
going to be irresponsible people who buy dogs from other irresponsible
people. We need laws in place to protect not only the dogs' well-being, but
that of the citizens.
If I was that mother, I'd be phoning the SPCA demaning an explanation as to
how this owner got this dog in the first place, and why it wasn't illegal to
pen the dog up. It is a formula for disaster and I'm amazed that more dog
bites don't happen. And the SPCA knows it.

Lori Cumiskey-Drysdale