No more experiments on dogs please!!!

To Beverley Councillors from Paddy Sweeney ex Vet.          Jane and I are alarmed to hear of the intention   to carry out experiments on another two thousand harmless Beagles  here in the East Riding of Yorkshire.  

 We have found that the great majority of Yorkshire people are kind to their dogs.  They appreciate how honest and loyal they are.    Our primitive ancestors depended on the flesh of wild animals caught by early hunting dogs.    For more than 20,000 years  people have been sharing homes with small dogs .

Because of their acute hearing they were able to warn sleeping humans of the approach of strangers.

Though some of us sometimes neglect them  they stay with us.   They are forever faithful;   they never leave us.  They -- above all other animals deserve special protection.   Think of things they do for us :- Alert us to sounds when we cannot hear.    Guide us when we cannot see.   Find and rescue us when we get lost.   Jump in the water to us when we cannot swim.   Find bombs, explosives and drugs.  Give us companionship.    Console us  when old and alone.    Bark loudly  when we fall down  and cannot rise.  I would like readers to consider how our dogs were treated   in 2012.

3,214  of them were used for doing  4,843 tests.

I hope that our Councillors will unanimously throw out this abhorrent application.

   The great majority of owners do love their dogs.    They are prepared to spend several months teaching them manners and good behaviour.   The dogs that I 'm concerned about are those without a secure home and those in the care of irresponsible people.

Many inexperienced people bring a puppy into their home without getting advice on what breed or size would be suitable for them and their lifestyle --  and without tuition about its needs  and how to feed, groom, bath, exercise, train and rear it.    Friction may arise with neighbours if it is allowed to bark while they want to sleep -- or defaecate on their premises.    I would like  Local Councils to prosecute more owners who fail to clear up after their dogs  or allow aggressive ones  to attack a human  or another dog.   Ownership of the latter minority that include Pit bull terriers, Akitas,  Rottweilers  etc

should be restricted to licensed people trained, qualified and certified to be capable of handling them.

 On a recent Saturday in a Beverley street  I was alarmed to hear the screams of a dog in pain  50 yards away.   My Jane was walking our Charley in the area and  thinking he was being attacked I rushed in among the crowd.   In front of me I found the back-end of a Staffordshire whose teeth were sunk in the ear of a screaming Spaniel.   A number of people were kicking or hitting with handbags and rolled newspapers without effect.   I immediately crossed my hands and grasped -- above his hocks, pulled with all my strength and threw him for a few yards.  As he landed on his back I feared he might turn on   me.   I felt relieved that he did not -- possibly because his young lady owner rushed in to console him.   The terrified victim survived but my  pull caused the loss of some of the ear.   As I sat for a minute or two to let my palpitations settle  I refused the tot of brandy offered by a kind gentleman.