Melanie
 
Sorry my response in no way was to be interpreted as me being insensitive to
the animals.  I believe animal rights should come way before humans.  What I
mean is that when an animal "attacks" (in the case of big dogs) the dog has
usually been mistreated to cause unmanageable behavior.  I just find it
riduclous that people can go around and mistreat animals and when the animal
fights back in the only way it knows how (whether that is to attack a child
or another animal) society right away says pit bulls are bad, or ferrets are
bad or pink elephants are bad instead of saying that the humans that chained
that dog to a fence and beat it repeatedly and fed it ground meat with glass
in it to make them mean or the owners who never socialized the ferret are
the ones to blame.  And then get so hyped up on statisics of animal
attacks/maulings etc.  when it is the humans fault to begin with.  I do have
heartfelt sympathies to anyone who has lost an animal.  I've also been
attack victim.  I was attacked by a rottweiler who almost snapped my ankle
in half (i was lucky).  And I begged and pleaded with the animal control
officer (the dog was up for adoption) not to put the dog to sleep because I
never should have turned my back on him.  But to no avail this dog was put
down because he showed signs of aggressiveness.  There was nothing I could
do.  Its easier for humans to see the initial problem because its less
controversial and less self incriminating.  I'm sorry if I've run off at the
keyboard but I just don't want any misinterpretations.  Next time I'll keep
my mouth shut.
[Posted in FML issue 1927]