I REFER to Sunday Times, December 2, “Has Singapore gone to the dogs?”. I think, this debate is really one of understanding on both sides.
For many, dogs have brought joy and happiness in their families and a lot of them, including myself, treat our canine friends as part of the family. Although we buy them, and some adopt them, we don’t treat them like items that we can cage when we don’t need them. Do we leash up our children when they misbehave? Or do we muzzle their mouths when they make a din in public, disturbing everyone else?
When I read that some condo residents have written to put pets in trolley cages while taking them out, I was shocked at such suggestion because it show the ignorance of why dogs need to be taken for walks in the first place.
Free-runs for dogs is usually seen in parks and beaches- naturally, because it’s a bigger space. In our concrete jungle, it is rare to find such space, and as such, it is a gem to find bigger space for dogs to enjoy and run freely.
As for eateries, as it is, I hope the public can empathize with dog owners at the limited number of places we can take our pets along with us. Like I said, they are our friends, and we love to take them out. Many owners preen and take really good care of our pets and they are clean. If it’s about cleanliness, we can definitely solve this.
I suggest two things. 1. Instead of further limiting where dogs can run freely or even walk, why not impose mandatory dog training? 2. Why owners bring their pets out to eateries, it is reasonable to leash them in this case as it’s a limited area with people close by, but we can place a piece cloth on the seat before the dog is placed. I think people should start understanding why dogs are part of our lives before trying to impose restrictions that are unnecessary. Dogs don’t attack unless provoked.
