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Kampung boy bitten by unprovoked dog
I WISH to offer a more balanced perspective than last Thursday's letter by Ms Jasmine Tan ('Don't blame the dogs'), who defended the observations made in support of biting dogs in last Monday's report, 'Small dogs, big bites'.
Ms Tan wrote that dogs bite only when they are provoked or when they are victims of abuse.
This is an excessive generalisation.
I was bitten by a tiny, unprovoked dog when I was seven years old. I was out strolling one day when the dog rushed out of a house and attacked me after the owner opened the gate. It bit me deeply on the right thigh before it ran back to its owner.
Everything happened swiftly but it has remained permanently etched in my memory because of the shock and pain. I can still recall its fangs sinking into my skin. I had to visit the hospital several times for injections for weeks. I have two large, permanent scars to remind me of the bite.
The dog ran back to its owner, wagging its tail, after it bit me. Is this a sign of being provoked, especially since I was almost 30m away when the gate was opened?
The owner also did not try to help me, and the case was never reported. I walked all the back to my kampung home, about 2km away, bleeding profusely.
I agree that dogs are unmatched in their devotion, loyalty and friendship to people.
But the fact remains that, despite years of domestication, dogs can still be dangerous, given their sharp teeth. And, as an animal, it possesses an instinct that can make it unpredictable.
We must never wait for a tragedy to happen before we enact more laws or enforce tough measures. Prevention is better than cure. Owners must ensure that their pets are properly leashed at all times in public places.
Gabriel Chua
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Online+Story/STIStory_319394.html
I WISH to offer a more balanced perspective than last Thursday's letter by Ms Jasmine Tan ('Don't blame the dogs'), who defended the observations made in support of biting dogs in last Monday's report, 'Small dogs, big bites'.
Ms Tan wrote that dogs bite only when they are provoked or when they are victims of abuse.
This is an excessive generalisation.
I was bitten by a tiny, unprovoked dog when I was seven years old. I was out strolling one day when the dog rushed out of a house and attacked me after the owner opened the gate. It bit me deeply on the right thigh before it ran back to its owner.
Everything happened swiftly but it has remained permanently etched in my memory because of the shock and pain. I can still recall its fangs sinking into my skin. I had to visit the hospital several times for injections for weeks. I have two large, permanent scars to remind me of the bite.
The dog ran back to its owner, wagging its tail, after it bit me. Is this a sign of being provoked, especially since I was almost 30m away when the gate was opened?
The owner also did not try to help me, and the case was never reported. I walked all the back to my kampung home, about 2km away, bleeding profusely.
I agree that dogs are unmatched in their devotion, loyalty and friendship to people.
But the fact remains that, despite years of domestication, dogs can still be dangerous, given their sharp teeth. And, as an animal, it possesses an instinct that can make it unpredictable.
We must never wait for a tragedy to happen before we enact more laws or enforce tough measures. Prevention is better than cure. Owners must ensure that their pets are properly leashed at all times in public places.
Gabriel Chua
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Online+Story/STIStory_319394.html
