Posted On: April 26, 2004, 8:39 am CDT

Posted By: Angela Gooszas

First, I feel that waht happened to Elijah is real sad; but passing a bill requiring every dog owner to carry "dog liability insurance" is not going to stop those negligent parents to not care for their children. I grew up with dogs & cats all of my life (I am 55 years old) and so did my children. I knew it was my responsibility to teach my children that other "doggies" were not like ours and they were not allowed to touch or go near any other dog no matter if it was a puppy or a docile dog. We need to understand that dogs, even the docile ones, are animals and if they feel threaten, in pain or have learned to be agressive, they will bite and it is a PARENT who is RESPONSIBLE to teach this to their children. I have seen children with their parents next to them go to a fence and stick their hands into the fence to pet or play with a dog, and those parents do absolutely nothing about it. And you can say nothing to them because they tell you right at your face that "is none of your business what their children do".
In short, we don't need another burden only because we have a dog and we care for them. We don't need a bill to caryy dog liability insurance. There are other things much more important here in New York City (& State) that need to be taken care of not wether you have dog liablity insurance or not.
MAKE IT A LAW THAT YOU WILL FINE THOSE PARENTS THAT ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S BEHAVIOR.