Dogs are as dangerous as their owners

In scenes reminiscent of a disturbing horror movie, Andre Galea – whose 95-year-old grandmother was killed by his dogs in September 2020 – was attacked by his own bully-breed canines, while walking them in the early hours of Monday.

According to reports, neighbours were alerted to the attack at around 1:30am, when they heard Galea screaming for help in Antonio Sciortino Street, Msida. Later, a viral social media video showed Galea on top of a car in the area, seeking refuge from the dogs.

Galea himself was spared the fate of his elderly aunt, but he was still hospitalised with apparently serious injuries; and journalists later described ‘pools of blood’ at the scene of the incident.

Naturally enough, these scenes have instilled fear among neighbours and the general population: including responsible dog owners, whose pets could also end up on the receiving end of vicious attacks.  In short, this is one of those episodes which erodes the fundamental right of everyone to ‘live in safety, without fear of bodily harm’.

As such, one cannot ignore the perception, fuelled by such incidents, that certain breeds of dogs pose a manifest danger to humans and other animals.

This was not the first case of gruesome incidents involving pit-bull terriers, and other reputedly dangerous dog breeds. In 2014, a pit-bull attacked a horse several times, ripping off parts of its genitals. And in 2021 a six-year-old boy who was playing in the Sant Antnin family park had to be rushed to hospital after he was attacked and bitten by a dog.

And while pit-bulls and other bully-breed dogs arguably pose no such danger, when brought up by responsible and caring owners: one cannot overlook a disturbing social reality, whereby these breeds are used as status symbols by irresponsible ‘tough guys’, in what could be another symptom of toxic masculinity.

This, in turn, points towards the existence of a criminal underworld where dogs are not just used as symbols of power and aggression; but often end up being exploited for monetary gain, in horrendous and barbaric dog fights.

There should be zero tolerance for such behaviour, and people with a history of animal abuse should be forbidden from keeping dogs.  Owning a dog comes with responsibilities; and should not be considered as an automatic right.

Crucially, however - since the fault lies with owners rather than with the dogs themselves - it is vital to impose laws aimed at protecting both animals and society alike, from irresponsible and ignorant dog owners.

For example, it is already inexplicable enough that people are even allowed to keep ‘eight to ten pit bulls’ in their home: as apparently was the case in this episode. But given that Anton Galea himself is currently facing manslaughter charges over the death of his great aunt in 2022, it is unconscionable that he should still be allowed to keep any dogs, at all.

Moreover, in such cases one should also consider the welfare and peace of mind of neighbours: who have no way of assessing whether the dogs in question pose a danger or not.  This should not be a question of ‘trial and error’; and in such cases, the authorities are obliged to err on the side of caution.

And while it is true that dogs are as ‘dangerous’ as their owners, it is legitimate to question whether certain dogs - whose breeding actually contributes to their aggressive traits - should be bred at all.  This should not, of course, mean that existing pit-bulls should be deprived of loving and responsible owners, especially those who adopt such dogs when these are irresponsibly abandoned.

But the question is whether more of these dogs should be bred, and sold on the market: especially in a context where owning such dogs is a status symbol in the criminal underworld.

Alison Bezzina, the Commissioner for Animal Welfare, had already made a number of recommendations back in 2021, which included restrictions on breeding dangerous breeds. This formed part of a wider investigation into the Animal Welfare Directorate (AWD), and its practice of euthanising aggressive dogs following a number of incidents.

“With immediate effect it is recommended that the minister exerts his rights to strictly control the breeding and importation of pit-bull and bully breeds, at least until the situation improves,” the report had recommended.

The Commissioner also recommended that dogs with a history of aggression are to be walked by experienced volunteers, wearing a visibility vest indicating passers-by to stay away.

Once again, this case illustrates the failure of the institutions to address a problem, which has a direct impact on both animals and humans in their daily life, through enforcement and stricter laws.   

Elsewhere, animal activists and NGOs have been asking for legislation to control breeding, and a temporary ban on the breeding of stronger breeds, for years.

As pointed out by the same NGOs: “had the Minister enacted the legislation when the first case was reported in the media, yesterday’s incident would not have happened”.

Hopefully, we will not have to wait for another episode of this horror show, for action to be finally taken.