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Owner negligence behind dog attacks: Activist
Following a series of dog attacks that have caused injuries and even deaths, dog owners have been told to take more responsibility for controlling their four-legged companions as neglect or simply a lack of understanding about a dog’s needs can lead to dog attacks
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span>Following a series of dog attacks that have caused injuries and even deaths, dog owners have been told to take more responsibility for controlling their four-legged companions as neglect or simply a lack of understanding about a dog’s needs can lead to dog attacks.
In the past week, people in North Sumatra were shocked by two separate cases of dog attacks that left one man dead and an 8-year-old boy injured.
In September, a domestic helper was mauled to death when trying to feed Sparta, a Belgian Malinois dog belonging to her employer, popular TV presenter Bima Aryo, in his residence in East Jakarta.
The attack went viral and the police launched an investigation to determine whether Bima or his mother, who told the helper to feed Sparta, were guilty of violating Article 49 of the Criminal Code regarding animal negligence.
The trend of attacks by pet dogs has increased in line with the availability of various breeds of dog in the country, Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) cofounder Karin Franken told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
“I’ve seen rising numbers of attacks by dogs because currently we have the ability to adopt various breeds of dog, and people like to have a dog that is considered trendy. I think that’s a cause for concern,” she said.
Karin explained that each breed of dog has different characteristics and therefore is required to be handled differently.
“For instance, a pug has a low level of energy, while huskies are energetic because it is a herding breed. A pit bull is a powerful dog that is stronger than other breeds,” she said.
People who own powerful dogs, such as pit bulls or Belgian Malinois, need to be extra committed to nurturing their pets as attacks by those canines could result in injuries and death, Karin added.
According to the American Kennel Club, a dog registry organization, the pit bull is categorized as a breed of terrier group and the Belgian Malinois is in the herding group. Both groups are described as having high energy, as the terrier group was originally bred to kill vermin while the herding group was bred to protect livestock.
Karin said that dogs could also become aggressive when they did not receive enough interaction and were forced to stay in a confined space for too long.
“If dogs are caged for too long, they become aggressive. Or if they’re not caged but the owner never takes them for a walk and they don’t have any interaction, their energy can build up and they release their energy resulting in an attack. They become frustrated and aggressive because it’s not natural for them [to be caged for a long period of time],” she said.
Karin added that just like humans, dogs need proper care such as nutritious food and an adequate resting place. Failure to fulfill the dog’s needs or understand its characteristics could lead to dogs becoming aggressive and even attacking a person.
Legally speaking, dog owners have the full responsibility to prevent an attack that could cause injury or even death.
“Victims of dog attacks could sue the owner using articles of ‘acting against the law’. In general, everyone who owns an animal has a legal responsibility to look after it,” legal expert Chairul Huda told the Post.
He said that dog owners and sitters could be charged under Article 359 of the Criminal Code regarding gross negligence, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
“The person who could be charged is either the owner or someone who is in charge and present with the animal during the incident,” he added.
Chairul also criticized the police for using Article 490 regarding animal negligence in the dog attack case in East Jakarta, as it carried a maximum sentence of only six days’ imprisonment.
To ensure current and future dog owners take care of their companions responsibly, Karin suggested everyone ask themselves some questions before deciding to adopt or purchase a dog. (mpr)
