Illinois Valley News welcomes letters to the editor.
Please e-mail them to laura@theivnews.com
POLICY ON LETTERS:
‘Illinois Valley News’ encourages letters to the editor provided they are legible and not libelous or scurrilous. All letters must be signed, including name, address and telephone number. The latter need not be published, but will be used to verify authenticity. The “News” reserves the right to edit letters. Letters are used at the discretion of the publisher.
(Editor’s Note: Views and commentary, including statements made as fact are strictly those of the letter writers)
Letter to Editor
It is said that dogs are man’s best friend. Dogs that are trained to be loyal and obedient have served and been friends with humans since time immemorial. When treated kindly and firmly, dogs have worked on farms, protected households, been good companions, assisted the disabled, served in the military and under law enforcement. But what happens when dogs run loose and are not trained to obey their owners? I see in the IV News and on Next Door many instances of dogs frequently attacking and killing or maiming livestock and wildlife such as turkeys and deer, and also hear this from neighbors. In Josephine County, any dogs leaving their owner’s property not on a leash or under voice control are considered to be trespassing. Dogs running loose can also get run over or cause car accidents when people try to avoid hitting them. Legally, if anyone feels threatened by a dog, or sees another person or animal threatened by a dog, it is legal to shoot the dog.
About 1,000 people seek emergency care for severe dog bites every day, and injuries caused by dog bites and attacks necessitate on the average 30,000 reconstructive surgeries a year.
Dogs alone, but even more so, running in packs, cause a lot of harm every year. A few statistics:
An average of 14,025 Americans are hospitalized every year with dog bite injuries.
Fatal dog attacks in the US cause the deaths of 30-50 Americans every year and that number is going up.
Approximately 4.5 million Americans suffer serious injury from dog bites every year.
For the good of people, wildlife, and dogs themselves, dog owners should follow the law and keeps their dogs on their own property, and if taking them for a walk, they should be under leash or voice control.
Pramada Kisiela
Cave Junction