Target: Ashley Foster, President of Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
Goal: Encourage more emphasis on training dogs to be non-aggressive during interactions with other animals.
An increasing number of cases have emerged involving dogs who were killed after they attacked and ate live chickens on either the property of their owners or the property of others. In one of the highest-profiles cases, a man allegedly beat a dog to death because the dog had killed over 200 chickens on the man’s property. Following public outcry, the man faced animal cruelty charges.
Such incidents result in double tragedies, with the loss of at least two – and sometimes many more – animal lives. Dogs who hurt chickens are often abiding by natural instincts. A number of training methods exist, however, to prevent canine interactions with smaller animals from turning deadly.
Sign the petition below to urge the full incorporation of these methods into dog training initiatives nationwide.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Ms. Foster,
As one of the most respected professional organizations involving dog trainers, the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers is in a primary position to help decrease a rising trend in animal cruelty cases. In too many instances, dogs are abused or killed after the dogs have injured or killed other small animals such as chickens. Preventing this aggressive canine behavior could save the lives of dogs and countless pets.
Training methods such as restrain and reward and stop and pull – if tailored toward stopping aggression against other animals – could prove invaluable in prevention. Please emphasize rigorous education about and experience in these methods into certification protocols. Moreover, advocate for broad public education about safe and unsafe methods for lessening aggression. Better-informed trainers and dog caretakers will curtail needless death.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Anton Kudryashov
