5th Grader Writes Woof of Rights

The Bill of Rights was created in 1789. Our founding fathers wanted to make sure important rights were protected, and while they did a great job, they forgot one important sector of the population -dogs! As funny as that might be, with 39% of Americans owning at least one dog, it’s more important than ever to establish The Woof of Rights.

Maybe canines shouldn’t have constitutional rights to bear arms, but they do deserve certain protections, especially the ones that are critically important to their well-being.

1.) The right to adequate gear related to their jobs (dogs do work!)

2.) The right not to be subjected to dangerous product testing

3.) The right to basic care and annual medical checkups

4.) The right to a local park where they can play and exercise

Adequate Gear Related To Their Job – You cannot deny that Police K-9s are very important to every police station that has canines on their team. They use their nose to sniff out bombs, drugs, and suspects. They chase lawbreakers, follow scents of criminals and help locate missing people. With all that being a full time job and being just as dangerous as a normal police officer’s job, they have less protection than an officer. Dogs should wear bulletproof vests. Police Officers wear vests, construction workers wear hard hats and Firemen wear protective fireproof suits. People can choose to wear raincoats and use umbrellas when it rains and I’m sure I left out professions that wear certain protective gear (extreme sports comes to mind). If all these industries strive for safety, then it seems stupid to not have a Police K-9 wear a simple vest. Dogs deserve what’s best for them.

Ban Inhumane Product Testing – Have you ever thought of who actually tested that shampoo you use before you got your hands on it? Testing labs all over the world would be a great bet. Scientists who are looking to invent new shampoos, conditioners, hair dyes, hair sprays and gels all across the world use animals against their will in testing facilities. Dogs, just like people, have certain allergies to some chemicals that get used in these testing facilities. Obviously, people like to keep the animal testing behind the scenes, which also makes their activity even shadier. The animals that are used essentially as lab rats have no choice in what gets thrown on them. If you want to help support animals and ban inhumane product testing, choose brands that have “not tested on animals” labels on the front.

Basic Care and Annual Checkups – Most humans decide to visit a doctor at least once a year, while nobody likes getting shots, you go because you know that a doctor’s visit and prevent illness. Moreover, when a human gets sick, we can express how we are feeling. Animals cannot tell us how they are feeling very often; most of the time illness and pain go unnoticed. Annual checkups are just as important to dogs as they are as they are to humans. During a check-up, dogs get shots that prevent life-threatening diseases like Lyme disease. About 350 dogs die every hour for decades, with many dogs dying because they didn’t get the shots they needed. Don’t neglect your four-legged furry friend.

A Place To Play – Take your dog out to a park to play. Most kids cannot wait to run through the park after a long day at school. Dogs, however, do not have that luxury. Many parks are banning pets from entering because park rec departments have been increasingly concerned in having, “clean parks”. According to Dogpark.com, there are only nine public dog parks in central Connecticut. All you need for your dog to have fun is a nice big area to play, and some quality time with their loving owner.

There are a ton of issues. Dogs starve, over heat, thrown into bad working conditions, thrown in overcrowded space, yet the problems persist. There are many steps we can take to help our furry friends, one paw at a time. Educate others, take care of your own pet, and speak out.

We must take a stand for what is right, and secure a Woof of Rights for these important animals.