There has been a mounting call for a dog court to deal with owners of dogs who mistreat their pets or neglect them by allowing them to roam the streets without a leash or a muzzle.

Dogs are labeled as ‘dangerous’ because they bark and snarl at persons who walk past them usually with another dog.

Normally this is done as a warning. Dogs are protective of their space and their owner. There is no such thing as a perfect dog says Mordecai Siegal and Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis on the website OfSpirit.com.

They warn:

“When a dog chases joggers, walkers, stray animals, cars, bicycles, rollerbladers, and others, he is being aggressive. Barking that is intense and menacing is another form of aggressiveness whether it is from inside a car or behind a fence. Territorial marking (urinating or defecating) indoors as an assertion of dominance is aggressive. Pulling on a leash, jumping on people, nipping, mouthing, jumping on or over fences, running out the door, exhibiting sexual behaviors toward humans, and various other actions and responses are all aspects of aggressive behavior. These actions can be dangerous, frightening, or upsetting, depending on the circumstances and the degree of intensity. Making matters worse is the possibility that the dog may bite someone who attempts to stop his aggressive behavior.

“When a dog barks, it can be an uninhibited response to the presence of a stranger or a serious warning to an intruder. Barking can also be a response to another dog, an expression of excitement, loneliness, or boredom. It can also be a bad habit with no cause at all. However, when a dog growls or snarls and bares its teeth, it is a threat to a person or another dog. What could follow is a warning snap of the front teeth, a superficial bite, one or more painful bites, or a furious attack, knocking the victim to the ground with a rapid onslaught of harmful bites. Few dog owners are capable of stopping this behavior before serious injuries are incurred. Everyone should understand that an aggressive dog might very well chase or attack innocent children or adults who enter his territory. The truth is that an aggressive dog has more control over his owner and himself than anyone would like to admit.

Dangerous behaviour in dogs is not always the result of abusive treatment by its owner. The writers say, “Dominant aggression is almost always inherited. One or both of the dog’s parents are likely to have been dominant-aggressive dogs, passing this behavior on to their puppies through the genes.”

The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service have confirmed they are investigating a report from a pet owner whose Yorkshire terrier was mauled and killed by a dog while she was walking it in the Fairbanks area of George Town.

There are a growing number of stray dogs roaming our streets and also in the North Sound area.

However, there are many persons who keep dogs as protection. If they are chained up can they protect?

A ‘dangerous’ looking dog can also be a deterrent especially when the owner lives on their own.

What it all boils down to is training. All dogs should be properly trained and that should be the first priority and the dog court the last.