Dog on trial for behaving like animal

SINCE I was young, I have had a passion for dogs. I work as a part time dog-sitter and doing what you love is great, and being paid to do it is even better. I’ve never really understood how others could not instantly swoon, how they would choose to cower or experience emotions of distaste.

As I sat in the Geelong courts yesterday listening in on some trials, as part of my work experience with the Addy, one case got to me.

It entailed a dog attack, where, while his owner was at work, a young dog had escaped from his enclosed backyard and attacked another dog. The victim had to have medical and cosmetic treatment for his injuries.

Throughout the trial, I couldn’t form any outstanding opinion on what I was hearing. On one side, a woman had left her house for the day, expecting her pet to behave as he generally did when she was home. On the other, a typically tame dog had allowed his instincts have the better of him and, without supervision, had demonstrated behaviour that is present all the way back to his ancestors — wild dogs and wolves. Can we blame animals for following their original animalistic behaviour? Was it the owner’s fault? Should she have trained the dog better, regularly checked up on the maintenance of its enclosure? To be honest, I’m not sure. With a logical argument, I could be swayed quite easily. The problem with this fence that I sit on is that the prevalence of these attacks do not allow any room for indecision. According to statistics from the Australia Institute of Health and Welfare, at Flinders University, 4000 people were hospitalised in Australia during 2013-14 due to dog-related injuries. Our society needs somebody to blame, or how else are we going to decide who is to pay for the medical bills, suffer the moral consequences?

I think one of the underlying points we should take from this situation is we must remember that despite all of the love and trust that we put into our companions, they are still only animals with mildly developed mental capabilities. Be careful of where you leave your dog. Take note of the behaviours they exhibit. Never put them into situations where they are inclined to feel territorial and/ or aggressive.

Most important of all, treat them as the true gems we know they are.