Tuesday, January 03, 2006

An outrage

Recent events in Austria have really gotten my hackles up. A new law in Vienna requires the city's dog caretakers to purchase liability insurance for their canines born after Jan. 1. According to the Associated Press, policies must have minimum coverage of $864,000. The Austrians say the policies are meant to pay for legal, medical or other costs arising from any damage or injury caused by the dogs. Those caught without insurance could be forced to pay fines of more than $4,000.

It appears that prejudice is still alive and well in the country that produced Adolf Hitler. (And not in that humorous, Mel Brooksian way.) This policy could only be intended to limit the dog population by deterring humans from adopting canines. Honestly now, what is a bigger public menace: a pug or a European teenager? I didn't see any bulldogs or Jack Russell terriers torching cars in the Paris suburbs a few months ago. And yet there is no push to require liability insurance for the parents of European teenagers. This sinister law must be overturned. The vast majority of dogs are loving, peaceful creatures. For now.

In an unrelated story, a pack of angry Chihuahuas was accused of attacking a California police officer who was escorting a teenager home after a traffic stop. Police say the officer suffered minor injuries, primarily bites to his ankles.

9 comments:

Sandy said...

Hello Mugsy, I agree with dogs being better for the environment than human teenagers. Humans tend to speed up and down our road and I don't see any dogs doing that!

Ayatollah Mugsy said...

Exactly. How many canines do you see smashing mailboxes with baseball bats? Doing other things to mailboxes, maybe, but it washes off ...

TransplantedOkie said...

This is sad to me. With all that is going on in the world, these misguided people have decided to spend their time, energy, and tax-payers money on who has dog insurance? What about homelessness, hunger, prejudice, and a number of other HUMAN created problems? Sad.

J.J said...

It was an honour and a privilege to be visted by your venerable self this morning.

I must remember not to annoy any packs of chihuahuas I may chance upon in future.

I wonder if you have had the opportunity to peruse the merchandise available to good dogs everywhere from here including such indispensable items as a Dog Intelligence Test,and DVD's designed for doggie entertainment? I regret to say I am not on commission for the company (possibly because they have never heard of me)but I would hate to see a dog go without these little things that make life worthwhile by omitting to spread the word about them.

TransplantedOkie said...

Ayatollah Mugsy! I need your help!!! How am I supposed to watch the game tonight? WHO should I cheer on? As Erin pointed out, it is a moral dlimmea and only you can help sort it out. Cheer for TEXAS? Has hell actually frozen over? But the flip side is: Cheer for another conference? HELP!

Ayatollah Mugsy said...

The pleasure was all mine, Just Jane. Thank you for sharing that Web site with the congregation.

tigerdrea said...

Here's a thought. Why don't they just reqire obedience training for the dogs and more so for the owners? Most incidents involving dogs are more because people don't know how to behave around dogs. I'm just saying.

Ayatollah Mugsy said...

TransplantedOkie, this is a dilemma that weighs heavy on the minds of many a Sooner. Neither option is appealing, and I will not be vocally cheering on either team. But I will quietly, grudgingly be hoping for a Texas win.

My reasons are as follows:

1. I have friends who went to UT, and a win would make them happy. It is probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them, given that they have to play OU every October.

2. I have heard more than enough hype about how USC is the greatest team of all time. It is an excellent team, yes, but it was pushed to the limit by an overrated Notre Dame team and a Fresno State team that lost to Tulsa in a bowl game. USC is not unbeatable, and when in doubt, I tend to pull for the underdog.

3. The most important reason: the streak. OU's 47-game winning streak has stood for half a century as one of the most impressive records in all of sport. Never before has a team entered a season with even a chance to top it. If USC wins tonight, it will have 35 straight wins and a chance to break the record next season. And at the moment, USC's 2006 schedule doesn't seem particularly daunting. If UT wins, OU has a chance to knock off the defending national champion in October and restore order to the sporting universe. That sounds infinitely more appealing.

Ultimately, it is up to every Sooner to make his or her own decision. I cannot fault you either way.

TransplantedOkie said...

I thank you for your wisdom. I think I will go with Erin's solution and watch Mean Girls instead of the game. After last night's 3 OT's and Pitt FINALLY winning, I am not sure my heart can stand another night of football.