Letter: Dog killer has suffered enough

Friday, March 3, 2000 | 9:37 a.m.

It is truly ironic that letter writer Valerie Goldstein ("Slayer of dog got off easy," Feb. 29) thinks that John Stroz's judgment went awry when he decided to shoot the dog.

I find her judgment very awry, if she thinks that a human should have to be subjected to an attack by a recently domesticated animal, whose breed is chosen for its ability to herd other animals through intimidation, barking, and biting, and that humans should do nothing in defense. Dogs have instincts every bit as wild as any other animal. That we have learned to live alongside them, and make them dependent on us, does not make them harmless.

It is also a sign that the end of our society is near when the outcry over the shooting of a dog is greater than the outcry over the shooting of a human being. To hold dogs in such an exalted position is a sign of sickness and decay in our society. Will we be erecting golden statues to dogs next?

As for punishment, I wonder how Ms. Goldstein would feel if she were now ostracized by seemingly everyone, and her personal life were made national news. To make things worse, Stroz is being disciplined by his employer, making for a "double jeopardy" type situation. I think that enough is enough.

I have been attacked by neighborhood dogs before, while jogging or biking. I am only thankful now that I did not have the opportunity to kill one of them, though I would have liked to, because I would not have wanted to suffer the way Stroz has.

TIM CRUMP