YEP Says (Feb 15: Leeds City Council has killed 411 dogs inside two years

Leeds City Council dog warden Gavin Jarrett. PIC: James Hardisty

Dogs bark, growl, howl, poo, shed, groan at 2am, shout at the wind at 3am, wake the baby at 4am, walk mud through the house at any time they please.

Believe it or not, despite being cognitive creatures, they have absolutely no regard for your carpets, wallpaper, turf or otherwise.

Your average Golden Retriever costs about £10 a week to keep. More if you’re a soft touch.

They get worms, eye infections, cut pads. Dog or bitch: at some point they’ll need ‘doing.’

The older they get, the smellier they become, and the only ones in the household offended by their stench is you. Not them.

Leeds City Council has killed 411 dogs in two years. But here’s the rub: Leeds City Council would prefer to destroy no animals whatsoever. People are the problem.

The reason 200-plus dogs per year have their lives ended early is that their owners give up on them.

And guess what, your YEP doesn’t buy into the notion that ‘there may well be good reason for someone having to give up a dog’. One or two instances, maybe. But not 411.

We believe that too many people underestimate the level of commitment required to own a dog. The numbers of animals killed proves that.

However...if you can live with all of the above. If you’re sure you’re happy to get out of bed an hour early, and pound the pavements during the precious moments you might have been relaxing. If you’re absolutely sure you know what it means to be a dog owner, and you ultimately go ahead and buy, rescue or acquire a dog then you will be entering into one of the most powerful relationships possible.

A dog will be just a small part of your day; a small part of your life, unlikely to live a quarter of your time. But to your dog, you are their everything. Nothing else in their day matters but you. They are the most loyal, trusting and faithful beings a person could wish for.

They will give you comfort, happiness, amusement and protection. They will give you reassurance when seemingly there is none. And in the modern world, perhaps most importantly of all, your dog will never judge you. All they ask is that you never, ever give up on them. So make sure you’re sure before you get a dog.