Why are they barking?

Nov. 9, 2011

Washington, Iowa

To the editor,

Each night we read in the newspaper, ?barking dog? and I think that it is true dogs do bark. But they don?t bark because they like the sound of their voices.

There is usually a reason and it would be a good idea to find out why they are barking.

Several years ago when the first animal shelter was located in Dr. Leazenby?s building, a man came in and handed me dog treats. After I thanked him he told me his story. Several nights earlier his neighbor?s dog kept him awake with his barking. He did not call the police. Instead he went down and out of the house. It was then that he discovered that his house was on fire. He was able to get his family out. The house was a total loss. It took a few days to get settled, but he was not about to forget the dog who saved him and his family. When he encountered the neighbors he learned that they decided they couldn?t be bothered with a dog anymore and had him put down. We shared a few tears for the dog after the grateful man said he would have been happy to keep him for life.

I am not suggesting that each barking dog has that kind of reason. It may be so simple a thing as he has not been fed or watered for a day or two and maybe pouring water in his bowl and crust of bread would quiet him until he could be checked out by PAWS and More. When a person adopts an animal, they should realize it is one of God?s creatures and deserves to be treated as such.

Eva Fenton