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Comments on the dilemma in the December issue: Dealing with dogs that bite
Author(s) -
Donald Melissa
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
in practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.211
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 2042-7689
pISSN - 0263-841X
DOI - 10.1136/inp.l124
Subject(s) - yard , dilemma , prairie dog , veterinary medicine , medicine , law , sociology , political science , biology , philosophy , ecology , physics , epistemology , quantum mechanics
In the dilemma discussed in the December issue of In Practice, Simon Coghlan described a scenario where you are working as a veterinarian in an animal shelter. The senior vet tells you about a dog that was surrendered to the shelter after it escaped from its yard and, without provocation, attacked a person, causing them a laceration that required stitches. A staff member at the shelter has offered to rehome the aggressive dog, as they live in the country and have a fenced yard. They believe the dog is owed a second chance. However, the senior vet disagrees saying: ‘Such dogs do not deserve to be in the community. They are a menace and should be destroyed’ (IP, December 2018, vol 40, pp 470‐471). Is it morally right for you to kill the dog?