Unwanted Dogs

* Not without reason are dogs known as man’s best friend.

They see for the blind, hear for the deaf, serve as arms and legs for the handicapped, rescue the injured after natural disasters, search for the lost, detect drugs, guard and herd livestock, fight crime in the streets and the enemy in war--always at the side of (and often giving their lives for) mankind.

One national organization has listed 50 ways in which dogs earn our respect and admiration.

Life without such intelligent creatures would be unthinkable. Perhaps even more unthinkable would be a world in which it was not possible to take into our arms and hearts a warm, trusting bundle of happiness called a puppy--and know that it could become that miracle of unconditional love, a dog!

Is it any wonder that so often the dog is considered God’s greatest living gift to mankind?

So what do we do in return? We allow them to be bred unwanted in such numbers that some 44,000 are always homeless and dying of hunger, disease or broken limbs in their search for survival on the streets. Or we allow them to be trained as vicious weapons.

One simple law is needed: a heavy fine or prison term for keeping an unsterilized dog without a requisite kennel license. Who could lose--except those who create the tragic problem?

ELISABETH ARVIN

Ojai