"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"Rod & Betty Jo" wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter"
I agree. It's the peoples' fault. But, we are a backward society, so
the
people are not taken to the pound, held for a period of time, and
then
killed. Someday, maybe.


Did I get this right?....The damn dog barks but it is the owners fault
and
not the fault of the actual dog doing the barking

Yes. That's right. Dogs that are appropriately cared for don't
constantly
bark. Brining the barking dog inside the house will generally solve the
problem. Dogs are both social and territorial. Dogs that are left
outside
get bored and bark, especially when they feel threatened or they hear
other
dogs barking. People who live in close proximity to others shouldn't
keep
their dogs outside, and when they do and barking becomes a problem, then
it
is the responsibility of the owner to find a solution.



And then there's the flip side - why the owners don't deserve to exist in
polite society:

1) They KNOW full well that the barking is bothering people, but they make
a
clear choice to do nothing about it. That means there's intent, and this
needs to be taken no further. Everyone will draw their own conclusions.

or:

2) They do NOT know it's a problem, which means they're too stupid to own
a
pet. So, it's the responsibility of SOMEONE to help them not own a pet. In
a
dream world, an animal control department takes care of this. In reality,
they do NOT take care of it much of the time, for a host of reasons.

I don't disagree with you on this point. In fact, it was my intention to
place the blame on the owner, not the dog. People who don't want to take
care of their pets shouldn't be pet owners. Owning a companion animal
involves more than supplying food and shelter. Dogs require social
interaction and discipline. They shouldn't be left alone to bark for hours
on end. Killing a barking dog doesn't seem to be a rational alternative.
If your neighbor's car was loud, you wouldn't be permitted to destroy it.

Being a good neighbor is an obligation and involves some effort. I don't
believe that money absolves people of all responsibilities or entitles them
to be obnoxious. If you pay the mortgage and taxes, you have not fulfilled
you obligation to society. That is an elitist attitude that implies that
property owners have more rights than others. I agree that people can be
stupid or aggressive, sometimes both. Killing a dog that barks because it
isn't appropriately cared for ignores the true issue - the owners. A better
solution would be a stiff fine and maybe a few nights in jail for repeat
offenses. The dog should be removed from an abusive/neglectful home and
placed for adoption at the owner's expense.