The prohibition of pets in public housing estates for health concerns has always been a constant issue. As many types of pet are allowed in public housing estate, this essay will focus specifically on dogs. For one crucial point, the purpose of building public housing estate – to satisfy those who cannot carry the financial burden of private or Home Ownership Scheme housing estate. It is well-known that the public housing estate is densely populated with limited public and unit space. Keeping dogs brings negative effect towards environment or neighbours for their barking problem. Keeping dogs in public housing estate should be prohibited due to protect the rights of residents and ensure the rights of dogs.
First of all, keeping dogs disturb
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Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department(AFCD) suggested keeping a small dog like toy poodle requires at least 100 feet living space. Nevertheless, looking at the size of the public housing estate in Hong Kong, the average living size per person is 142 feet (Hong Kong Government,2017), which is just a bit bigger than general private car parking space of 135 feet (Planning Government). When space is already inadequate for residents to live in, dog owners living in public housing estate might not probably provide a comfortable environment for the dogs for daily activities. Moreover, existing regulations from Housing Authority is not suitable for dogs to live in public housing estate. For example, Government Press Release (2003) mentioned that dog owners are restricted from taking their pets into the estate lifts between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. That means they must use the stairs to protect the rights of other residents. In other words, they can only walk with the dogs during the time of early morning or late night. Indeed, it is nearly impossible for Hong Kong people to maintain this habit regularly as it is known that Hong Kong is a prosperous city with the rapid living pace of Hong Kong people, leading the low feasibility of walking with dogs and low companionship. This deprives the freedom of dogs and they will probably face both physical and psychological …show more content…
Although dogs can be kept in public housing estate in other foreign countries such as Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan, the major distinction are the size and environment of the living units when comparing to the situation of Hong Kong. Besides, cruel methods are used to stop the barking problem of dogs – wearing off sound collar or cutting their vocal cords. Therefore, the feasibility of keeping dogs in Hong Kong public housing estate can be pended for further discussion from the aspects of ethic
Have you ever wondered how much it costs to have and maintain a pet? Burkhard Bilger, the author of “The Last Meow”, explains how Americans spend a lot of money on their pets and that people's “love affair” with their pets has gotten out of control. An observation I have made is that in many movies dogs are treated very well. When I was younger, I watched a movie called Bratz and one character would always have her dog inside a dog purse and they would even get manicures and pedicures together. The dog always had shiny clothes on and it was always very clean. Therefore, I agree with Bilger's argument that Americans “love affair” with their pets has gotten out of control.
Like humans, dogs need exercise. It is wise to take house-dogs on walks throughout the day. It helps them burn off energy and work their muscles. Dogs are also very social and need interaction with other pets and their humans. Once or twice a week the owners should take their dog to a puppy playground or dog park; this gives them the opportunity to become socialized. Denying these basic elements of a dog's life is one of the worst forms of animal abuse. This is the practice of puppy mills across the country.
Several studies have examined the effects of dog ownership on people's physical and mental health. Dog ownership produces considerable health benefit and provides social support that encourages dog owners to walk (Cutt et al.2007 ). Pet owners appear to have lower systolic blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels(Anderson et al 1992). Pet owners with serious mental illness living in the community demonstrate higher social community integration(Zimalog and Krupa 2009). Socially excluded participants who performed in the presence of a dog report higher mental well-being compared with socially excluded participants who did not work in the presence of a dog (Nilüfer et al 2012). Although there is evidence suggesting that dog ownership can improve people's physical and mental health, there is little research documenting the psychological and behavioral effects of dog-assisted therapy, especially on elderly patients with dementia, who have dif...
More than half of American households have a pet and this trend is just spreading more and more. The main reason people are keeping pets is for the companionship that pets offer. Normal household pets, such as dogs and cats, offer people the attention and the feeling of always having a companion by one’s side that people may not get from other humans. Pets nowadays are often treated as a regular member of one’s family and people will spend a lot of money for their pets. In 2014, Americans has spent an estimated $58 billion on their pets along with hours of care for them (Yuhas, 1). Regardless of the type of pets people may choose to have there is always a common emotional bond that ties the human with the animal between all loving pet owners. This emotional bond benefits humans in various ways.
Pit bulls face such a high degree of discrimination, that they have become the most common breed in shelters throughout the United States. Over 700 cities in the U.S. have banned pit bulls within their communities giving them the name, “America’s most reviled dog” (Tullis). Steps to prevent the prejudice of not only pit bulls but all dog breeds have proven effective. As of 2014, 17 states passed laws which prevented “breed-specific legislation” (Madhani) within their towns and cities. Regardless, pit bulls still remain the least adopted and most commonly euthanized breed in the United States. Every year up until 1998, the CDC would take a census of dog attacks and the breed responsible. This caused a wide variety of controversy in the dog
The dogs listed are not identified as a type rather than a breed. The dogs listed in the Act under section 1 are the pit-bull terrier, the Japanese tosa, the Dogo Argentrino and the Fila Braziliero. Other dogs can be added to the banned breed list. Owners of controlled dogs cannot breed them, sell them or trade them for another dog or give them away. The owner of the dog has to keep it on a lead and muzzled at all times and the person who is in control of the dog should be older than 16 years old. The muzzle has to be of a standard so the dog cannot bite a person. When a person owns a controlled dog they cannot let them wander the streets or vacate them, if they do so this is an offence and criminal sanctions would be put in place. This can be a fine, prison sentence and a ban on keeping animals.
Winkler, A. et al. "The Impact of a Resident Dog on an Institution for the Elderly: Effects on Perceptions and Social Interactions." Gerontologist. 29 (1989): 216-23.
There can be no doubt that shelters in the United States are overcrowded, feral cats roam our city streets, thousands of dogs live in grotesque conditions in puppy mills across the country, and yet most American citizens when polled will readily declare that their cat or dog is like ‘a member of the family’. The state of companion animals in this country is precarious at best; caught between scientists who subscribe to Descartes’s idea of ‘anima ex machina’ (unfeeling, a living example of biological processes without the status of ‘being’) and the more common phenomenon of people who pamper their pets in ways that most people would envy. For most individuals living in an urban society such as ours, the most common interaction with animals happens within the home – if the animals that we relate to and interact with the most continue to be abandoned and mistreated on a large scale, there must be some solution that involves more than just building more animal shelters or performing euthanasia more liberally.
The prevalence of pet ownership in America has more than tripled during the last several decades, rising from 67 million households during the 1970s to 164 million households in 2012 (Human Society, 2014). The conscious decision by 62 percent of American households to own at least one pet represents a long-term commitment of time, money, and dedication to the needs of a wholly dependent entity. The basic needs for all pets, inclusive of companion animals and farm animals, include several provisions. These provisions include access to safe, clean drinking water at all times, access to high quality food commensurate to the weight of the animal, and adequate shelter from excesses of heat and cold (Agape, 2014). Beyond the life-essential basic needs of animals lay commonly accepted requisites that define responsible pet ownership. These requisites or minimal standards of care include access to veterinary care, access to exercise, and freedom from physical harm.
Having a dog can be a great experience for people who enjoy their company. These animals are usually friendly and active; they are intelligent and can develop a strong relationship with their owners based in love and care. However, having dogs is a big responsibility for the person who owns it, because they are animals, so they cannot support themselves. Dogs need someone who can feed them, give them love, and someone who can make them exercise. Moreover, these animals need big spaces in order to run and develop their muscles, so the owner has to know that he needs to take a walk with the dog several times a day. Dog parks are a great place to take the dogs because it provides a space where they do not have to be with leash every time, while they can interact with other animals of their specie in a pet-friendly environment. Every city in the country should have at least one of these places, in order to help their inhabitants with their pets and because it is a good part of the life in community.
Owning a dog can help your health tremendously. A report taken in Beijing by Bruce Headey, Fu Na, and Richard Zheng declares, “Results are given from a survey of women aged 25–40 in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou (N = 3031). Half the respondents owned dogs and half did not. Owners reported better health-related outcomes. They exercised more frequently, slept better, had higher self-reported fitness and health, took fewer days off sick from work and were seen less by doctors” (Headly, Na, and Zheng, 481). The women that owned dogs experienced a better lifestyle than the ones that did not. Overall, being the owner of a dog can help you keep fit and live a healthier
From the Australia’s population of 19.387 million (2001) 40% which is 7.4 million households owned at least one dog. There ...
“A dog is a man’s best friend” goes much deeper than the phrase might initially imply. Recently many medical journals have begun to identify with the many and varied benefits of pet ownership. Men have always relied upon animals for work, transportation, and survival. As times have changed, man has begun to appreciate a different bond with animals. Gone are the days of animals running free outside around the homestead, for now animals are allowed inside and are considered by many to be an integral part of our daily lives! Medical studies have found that animals have a much greater intelligence level than originally thought. Through proper training and experience, animals are not only household pets, but also are becoming an accepted form of medical treatment.
Ken Saro-Wiwa's short story about Robert and the dog Bingo also portrays a culture clash that not everybody thinks about, the view of the pets. In our rich western world pets are not uncommon. A lot of people have them, and among the most popular are dogs. Pets or "house animals" are nothing new, man has for the last 15 000 years kept animals as companions.
Nowadays, people are busy in their daily life and having a lot of stress from their working area. Most of them would like to have a pet to accompany them in their daily life and also can release the stress that they received. For example, having a dog is a good choice for most people who want to have a pet. Dog not only a very good companions and also having deep emotional tie between people. Dogs will protect the people with literally lay down their lives.