To The Editor:
Each time I see a dog tied to a moving bicycle, I become upset. The dog is normally running behind the bicycle with tongue hanging out, desperately trying to keep up. I’ve heard many owners say, “My dog loves it!” However, dogs will follow their owners nearly anywhere, so the fact that the dog appreciates some outdoor time and/or follows along does not mean that the dog “loves it.”
Forcing a dog to keep up at such a high speed is cruel-…especially so when the weather is hot. Why not take your dog for a nice walk instead? Dogs like to sniff. While running along tied to a bike, they don’t have the opportunity to sniff or do anything else but try to keep up. On one of the forums I frequent, one poster shared the story of a friend who tied her puppy to a bicycle for a ride, and eventually the puppy died because of overexertion. Owners cannot accurately gauge a dog’s level of exertion in those circumstances; what is a leisurely bike ride to the owner is a breakneck running speed to the dog.
I wish there was a law against such cruelty, but as far as I know, there isn’t. However, I plead with owners to reconsider bicycling with their dogs.
VICKIE MELOGRANO
Town Bank
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