Dogs In Japan (2004-06-20)
Seeing how much many dogs are pampered beyond reason by their owners, it's hard to comprehend why so many dogs that are kept outside the house are leashed to a chain--sometimes a short one-- the whole day. I know the authority says dog owners should make sure their dogs be kept in a way that they don't pose a threat to people and that the area should be securely fenced off so they can't escape, but do they have to be chained up all day? That is such an inhumane way to treat animals.
I walk past several dogs on my way to the station and all of them
are leashed every time I see them. Among them a beagle is chained
up during the day but allowed inside the house at night. Another
big white
dog spends his life tied to a very short chain inside a tatami shop
even when his owner is working next to him. He has nowhere to
roam except his tatami bed on which he sleeps or rests the entire
time.
And speaking of roaming, many dogs are kept in a space outside the
house not big
enough to park a car. They have no room to exercise and no grass
to lie on. I don't think people should keep large dogs if they
can't provide wide open spaces for them to run around. And what
is worse than a tiny space is a tiny cage. Some
dogs, even big ones like retrievers, that live indoors are locked in
small cages when their owners leave the house.
I don't understand how people can keep their pets locked up, tied up or confined in a very small area and not feel for them (if they did, they wouldn't be doing that). I don't know these dogs and I feel for them.
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