Caninism

This is the beginning of dog owners fighting for the right to be allowed their lifestyle choices. For too long the rights of the so called, thinking species, has outweighed the rights of the "poor dumb" animal who was once seen and a worker, friend and protector who; now due the media hype and the minority of iditotic owners, pet shops and backyard breeders; have been reliquished to backyards, enclosed runs and designated off lead areas.
Local government act in adjunct subjectivity, legislation is passed without community consultation and as a knee jerk reaction, the erosion of the rights of the responsible people in the community are eroded and gradually abolished.
Breed Specific Legislation ( BSL) is a prime example ,as it is without reason nor justification, it is based on the premise that a certain breed of dog attacks ipso facto that breed is a danger and needs to be outlawed. JUDGE THE DEED NOT THE BREED. The issue should be a case by case scenario not linked implicitly to one or six or whatever breeds. If we are allowed to judge and legislate on such issues, based on appearances, what next? "All Muslims believe in jihad, all Koories are welfare dependent"...You can argue that it is different with humans, we don't judge and label like that, but many of society already have with the two tradgic stereotypical comments I quoted.
Dogs were once seen as a right of passage for each child, now there are children growing up without dogs ;a very sad indictment on our world it seems. Dogs once wondered the street in which we lived and played cricket with us, followed us on our bikes and walked us to school. Yes, some of us got bitten and there was always the dog behind the gate at no 8 that barked and was a nasty bastard, but that was life.
Now we live in such litigious times that even to look at someone the wrong way can insight an attempted assault charge, let alone a dog might bark in their direction ( dangerous dog) or jump at them for a pat ( dog attack). We forget that we have denied children the passage of growing up with dogs and we forget that dogs are not as socialised as they were when we were young. As the owner, handler and trainer of many dogs over the majority of my life I can vouch for the difficulty faced by dog owners in socializing and acclimatising dogs to much of what was learnt "on the hoof" when out and about in the past. Responsible owners socialise and acclimatise their dogs, some owners do not have the time nor the knowledge; this does not make them necessarily irresponsible, just un aware.
Then we have the children who have grown up without dogs but who love them just the same, they run up to the dog who only walks to the shop to get the paper with his elderly owner and hey, presto, you have a dog attack and a dangerous dog label.
It amazes me that the proactive instead of reactive approach has not been taken more often, yes, the Responsible Pet ownership program is funded by dog and cat registrations and is active in schools upon request, programs such as these should be COMPULSORY.
For these reasons, for my children's right to own a dog, for my freedom of lifestyle choice and for the future of endangered breeds, I annouce myself a Caninist.