I am delighted that Mr. Roger Mugford came to speak on the importance of socializing dogs, especially the big breed dogs who are the ones that sadly, people tend to leave outside 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He spoke of the fact that aggression comes from a dog's genetics, but also how they are treated.

I especially agree with his statement, that if a person can not allow a dog indoors, or can not spend a fair bit of time with the dog, or have the dog walked and socialized while the owner is at work, a person should not get a dog.

Did the SPCA HEAR all of this?

I just complained recently about a dog who is outside 24 hours a day, 7 days a week who has access to a garage. I told the SPCA that I found it totally distressing to see this dog in this state. The SCPA went out and investigated and told me that the dog was, 'well taken care of'. Please do not insult my intelligence this way! I own 2 large breed dogs from the SCPA. I would not dream of leaving them outside 24 hours a day, and walking them occassionally when I felt like it.

On behalf of all the people who have called the SPCA because of dogs left outside, chained or penned up, PLEASE do something.

Roger Mugford has now cited that isolating a dog can lead to aggression. It is not enough to feed, water and provide shelter for a dog. And it is totally distressing for us neighbours who watch a dog being isolated, and listen to the lonely cries and barks of these dogs. I realize how overworked the SPCA is. I realize that fining people who leave dogs outside all the time would be a massive amount of work. But perhaps you would find more supporters if you did do something about these dogs, and perhaps you might even go as far as regulating breeding to curb all this surplus of unwanted companion animals. Now, wouldn't that be something.

Lori Cumiskey