From: bbrown@b11.ingr.com (Bailey Brown)
Subject: dogs vs. people
Organization: Intergraph Corp. Huntsville, AL
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 22:14:45 GMT

>>bbrown@b11.ingr.com (Bailey Brown) writes:
>>The article contained an account of a barking lab who
>>was shot to death by the Denver police because he was preventing a
>>a utility employ from gaining access to the power box.  The court decided
>>that the policeman's actions were justified under the law.

>While fearing a flame fest, I have to say
>that the Denver police action sounds
>like it *could be* justified to me.  

I'm sorry but I forgot to mention that the lab was in his own fenced
backyard.  The utility employee was there to disconnect the electricity
because the family had forgotten to pay their bill, and he wanted
to get to the box which was in the backyard.  The dog barked at him, 
so he called a cop, who approached to dog with his gun drawn.  
The dog barked and backed up until he was in the far corner of the yard.  
Then the cop shot him dead.

>I know that it may not be precisely
> popular in this news group, but I
>believe that meter readers and postpeople
>have the basic right to do their jobs
>without being put in fear of bodily harm.

Yes, everyone should keep their dogs restrained.  The more
agressive and territorial the dog, the more and better the
restraint should be.  But this dog was not running loose
and terrorizing people, he was in his own backyard, behind
a fence, barking at strangers, and they killed him.

>
>
>I have been walking down the sidewalk in a
>quiet suburban neighborhood and been backed
>out into the street by a suddenly appearing
>barking snapping big dog.  If I had had a
>gun, I would have shot the dog.  Now I'm sure
      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>the owner might have said that "he's only
>protecting his territory", "he's never gotten
>out before", "it's the first time he's ever
>done that", "you shouldn't have threatened him",
>"he thought you were a burglar", etc.  
>But it gave me a lot of empathy for people
>who have to deal with aggressive dogs daily.

I agree, it is bad for people to be bothered by other people's dogs 
while walking down the sidewalk, but is it really neccessary
to shoot the dog?  Have you ever been attacked?  Why do you
have this great fear of dogs?

>
>It's hard to speak in terms of absolute rights,
>but I think that in most situations, if it
>comes to the rightd of a dog v. the rights of
>a human being, the human being wins.  For example,

In the case of the Denver Lab, it was the stupidity and 
inhumanity of the cop, as well as the greed of the utility
company that killed him.  Why didn't the cop call animal 
control?  Why didn't he just watch the dog (with an assualt
rifle in his hands, of course) while the utility worker
disconnected the power?  Why didn't somebody just
write the people some sort of ticket for obstructing access
to their power box?

>I believe that small children have near an absolute
>right to be anywhere and do anything without
>being attacked/killed by a dog.

And they also have a right to sneak a swim in the neighbors'
pool without drowning and the right to play in traffic
without getting hit by a car.

>
>Asbestos on!
>
>Mike

------------
Bailey Brown                               "Above all else, confusion reigns."
Intergraph Corporation                                  
bbrown@casca.b11.ingr.com                              Procol Harum