Yesterday, while I was taking a walk by the harbor, a vicious white dog suddenly barked in my direction. Within seconds it was chasing me down the lenght of the harbor and I was running for my life. I never knew I could run that fast but I managed to emerge from the incident, unscathed. This isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened to me; in fact as a little kid dogs have attacked me on many occasions throughout various cities around the world. I also cannot stand the sight of dog droppings on the sidewalk.
I have come to the conclusion that dogs should be banned. And its not just because I personally don't like them. Here are some reasons why it would benefit public policy to outlaw them.
1. They are dangerous
Dogs are very dangerous because they can bite people. Owners can try to control their dogs but the fact of the matter is, they can't always keep everything under control; accidents will happen. Dogs are a safety hazard, not just to the people who buy them but also to everyone else. When guests come to a house with dogs their lives may be in danger; when dogs are taken out for walks, pedestrians are in danger. Its not right that someone can buy a dog and then endanger other people.
The power of dog bites must not be underestimated. Some dogs have so much power that they can bite human fingers off; they are a carnivorous species after all. I've heard some horror stories about dogs going crazy and maiming people. If a dog attacks you and bites you and then you get infected by disease, you could die if not treated. Sure, dog owners are liable and you can go after them for what their dogs do. But the system is imperfect (you need to prove stuff, courts are slow). Also, if a dog attacks you and you lose your fingers or a hand... do you REALLY think an owner can adequately compensate you for your loss with money (your body parts are priceless)? If dogs did not exist, the danger would not be there.
2. The Dog Droppings
People have a right to walk down sidewalks and throughout parks without having to worry about stepping on dog droppings. People should not have to contend with these sights. Yes in theory owners are supposed to clean up after their dogs but in my experience, too many owners don't and its costing the rest of us. I suppose if you accidentally step on dog droppings you could go after the owner and try to sue him but there are obviously problems with this (1. the courts aren't likely to award you sufficient damages 2. you don't know who the owner is, you just know that you've just stepped on some serious crap). If dogs were not around in society, there would be no dog droppings. I think we could adopt an approach similar to Singapore, where they have a no tolerance policy towards chewing gum on the floor in public areas with respect to the dog dropping problem.
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So NSG, what do you think?
Is it time to outlaw dogs? Make our streets safe from droppings and random dog attacks?
