PHOTO: Picture told 1,000 words

So you’ve done it again. Blame the people who are worried about a child getting bitten instead of the editorial decision you made to print this picture. “Experts” saw a picture that could encourage other parents to put their children in danger. I don’t have to know the dog or the family to know that this is not a good idea.

“…self-anointed saviors who felt compelled to tell complete strangers how they should live their lives.” This sentence says it all. You, who editorialize all the time, are miffed that there are people who disagree with you. This is what is wrong with journalism today.

Even if you thought the people who were concerned enough to write expressing their concern were all wet, you might have consulted some dog experts, looked it up on the Web, educated yourself about why this picture was unsettling to those of us with experience in dog behavior and dog bites. You might have taken responsibility for printing a picture that encourages people to take risks with their dogs and children.

The fact that the mother lets her child climb on the dog and run his trucks over the dog speaks volumes about her lack of regard for her (up to this point) patient dog. What happens the day the child slips off the dog, falling on him, possibly hurting the dog? Will the dog be so patient then? You forget that dogs punish with their mouths.

“Maybe all those presumptuous, self-righteous people who never met this family can use Facebook to apologize.” I will never apologize for caring about children and dogs. Never. Their welfare takes precedence over anything else because when a dog bites a child there are two victims. The child who will be traumatized and possibly scarred for life and the dog who will be euthanized. It is you who should apologize.

Your sanctimonious, biting, disrespectful treatment of people who were truly concerned disheartens me. Your disregard for the ethical treatment of animals is disgraceful. I hope you never have to eat your words.

JoANNE ROGERS

Hauser