Letter #2
Source: Jan Cooper

Notes: Please copy and RETYPE on your own paper prior to sending, being sure to REMOVE all ( ) s and their enclosures.

Dear Sirs,

I understand your concern and desire to protect your constituents from the awful tragedy a dangerous dog can cause. You, I am sure, intend to do so with the law you are (INSERT drafting/proposing/enforcing). However, all you will do with such a law is turn thousands of pet loving voters against you personally and you will be viewed as terrible people who will cruelly deprive animal lovers of their well behaved pets.

I am sure this is not your intention. To avoid making such a terrible mistake in your proposed legislation I suggest you contact the American Kennel Club in New York and ask for their draft version of a dangerous dog law. This law has been enacted in several states and provides the general populace ample protection from dangerous dogs while still permitting the people who properly train and socialize their pets to retain them.

The loss of a child is a terrible thing, but many people will claim the loss of a beloved pet is emotionally similar to that. Banning or restricting a specific breed will not keep children or adults from being injured by dogs that have not been properly trained. It will merely change the type of dog that is kept by those who desire the protection of a guardian breed. The owners who control the training and socialization of the puppies they purchase or adopt are the ones responsible for those dogs that learn to bite people.

(INSERT breed/s here) are not dangerous dogs per se; rather, they are breeds that are popular not only with those devoted to them and their proper care, but also those who desire a macho image. Prior to this decade other dog breeds were in similar situations. For instance, Dobermans, German Shepherds and ChowChows were once victims of great popularity and subsequent poor handling by less than competent owners - bringing them an undeserved reputation as a 'dangerous' breed. Banning (INSERT breed/s here) will merely hasten the upswing in popularity of some other breed.

Controlling the people who abuse the owner-dog relationship through ignorance or otherwise is a far better and wiser solution to the problem these owners present to their neighbors, no matter what breed of dog they own.

Respectfully,

(YOUR NAME HERE)