If anyone doubts what dogs can do...
My sister has four chihuahuas. Tiny, frou-frou lap dogs, sleep in her bed, rarely even step outside the house... about as mild and domesticated a creature as you could imagine.
She brought home a couple of rescued kittens, and had them in one of those zip-up pet tents. Went out for a little while and came back to find the chihuahuas had torn open the tent and mauled the kittens.
Even for these chihuahuas, the instinct to kill was overpowering and summoned unknown reserves of strength and ingenuity. They were barely even bigger than the kittens, and normally would lack the wherewithal to find their way out of a paper bag (with all due respect - I do love them).
Feral/stray dogs are one thing, but people who don't lock up their dogs are so upsetting because of the deliberate arrogance and ignorance involved.
I've never forgotten waking up to find my guinea pigs massacred as a child. As for our chicken massacre, I don't know whether to blame that on foxes or dogs. People around here are generally good with their dogs, but there are one or two occasionally out and about.
My sister has four chihuahuas. Tiny, frou-frou lap dogs, sleep in her bed, rarely even step outside the house... about as mild and domesticated a creature as you could imagine.
She brought home a couple of rescued kittens, and had them in one of those zip-up pet tents. Went out for a little while and came back to find the chihuahuas had torn open the tent and mauled the kittens.
Even for these chihuahuas, the instinct to kill was overpowering and summoned unknown reserves of strength and ingenuity. They were barely even bigger than the kittens, and normally would lack the wherewithal to find their way out of a paper bag (with all due respect - I do love them).
Feral/stray dogs are one thing, but people who don't lock up their dogs are so upsetting because of the deliberate arrogance and ignorance involved.
I've never forgotten waking up to find my guinea pigs massacred as a child. As for our chicken massacre, I don't know whether to blame that on foxes or dogs. People around here are generally good with their dogs, but there are one or two occasionally out and about.
