Sara King
Ms. McNeal
October 18, 2012

Unattained Animals (Dogs) Every place people go, will have animals that are running around the town. It is especially noticeable in little towns, towns of 500 people, such as Huntington. The problem here is not that there are stray dogs, but dogs that are left to run wild. This is not just a problem that happens a few times a month. This is an everyday issue that needs to be addressed and fixed. The problem isn’t just that the dog is running around town. The problem is that these dogs are running into other people’s yards and causing fights with other animals. They are left to go to the bathroom where they please, which is very disgusting when the kids that play at the park always have to watch out for dog poop. Along with kids playing at the park, there is the risk of kids getting bit by these dogs. There is one dog, in particular, a couple houses down from me that likes to chase cars. This dog has already been hit once before and still continues to run out in front of cars, causing drivers to slam on their brakes. There is also the issue of these dogs getting other dogs pregnant. Finally, most of them are constantly barking, causing every other dog in town to bark. There are a few different ways we can fix this issue; we can run the dogs over, take them to the pound, return them to owner while reminding them their dogs need to be on a leash, or take the dogs and drop them off somewhere far away. These solutions would make for happy neighbors. They’d also reduce the amount of dog poop in the parks, the amount of puppies, and reduce the worries of parents with young children. Overall, it would make Huntington quieter and happier. King, Pg 2
With every solution comes a con. Obviously, we should not just run the dog over. If a person hits a dog in their car, they are legally required to report it. Most people don’t report it, and if the owner were to find out that the person did not report it then they could take them to court about it, and they may end up receiving a fine. Also, there was already a dog that has been hit and it still continues to be a nuisance, so running them over might not be the right solution. Dropping dogs off somewhere far away seems like a simple solution. However, I have a heart, and I don’t believe that the dogs should be punished for the owner not taking care of them. We need a designated person that works for the city to be in charge of capturing the dogs and returning them to the owner. While doing so, the owner should be warned that if their dog continues to roam the town, they will be asked to get rid of the animal and/or will be fined. I don’t think animals should be kept tied up, but if the owner is unable to keep their dog contained in their yard, they need to be kept on a chain. The City of Huntington is aware of this issue but is not taking it seriously. It’s going to take a little kid getting bit before anything is done about it. It’s a shame that it will probably have to resort to that. One person making a complaint will not fix the issue or even help it. We all need to come together as a community and put an end to the issue.