Tasers: A Humane Approach to Restraining Dogs?

The violence of a dogfight is palpable, even if an observer is not within ten feet of the fight. The gnashing of teeth, the growling, the raised hackles on a couple of powerful animals is a terrifying sight to behold. Suggested distractions include a water hose spraying full-force, buckets of cold water and even a grab at strategic body parts; sometimes, these methods do work and the dogs can be controlled. But what about situations that may require stronger force?

Animal rights activists claim that TASERs, while not putting the dog in lethal danger, is a form of torture and is therefore inhumane. TASERs do not cause death, but they can cause injury to a human circulatory system that might be weakened by heart disease or some other medical condition; the shock of a TASER can aggravate a precarious situation though it may not lead directly to death. Imagine the power a TASER shock can have on a dog, which is sometimes half the size and weight of an average male.

The taser’s effect on a dog may not mean much to some people. Individuals who do not know dogs or who have had bad experiences with dogs may be extremely frightened by situations that would not worry a dog owner. The body language of dogs can certainly be confusing but most dog advocates would claim that such misunderstandings do not warrant the infliction of pain. Unfortunately, TASERs are easy to use and non-lethal; some activists worry that the combination of characteristics can give very sensitive trigger fingers an unfortunate opportunity to hurt dogs undeserving of such negative attention.

Dog advocates point out that alternatives to TASERs do exist for joggers, workers, and other individuals who want to feel safe if approached by an aggressive dog. Devices that emit high-frequency sounds effectively drive dogs away without causing any pain to the animal, but what if the sound triggers an angry response in an animal? It’s possible that this attempt to discourage a dog can inadvertently make the situation worse, especially if the dog is rabid or notoriously unpredictable. Understandably, fear can motivate individuals to purchase TASERs; an aggressive dog needs to be held at bay and if pain is necessary to do so, so be it. Nothing can offer peace of mind and comfort like a sure thing.

Victims of dog attacks, and other unfortunate witnesses to the damage dogs can do when angered beyond control, support the use of TASERs, using their non-lethal capabilities as an explanation why they are in fact very humane; TASERs are much more likely to stun an animal without causing permanent damage than shooting the dogs or physically hurting the dogs when trouble arises.

Articles aplenty describe situations where dogs are victimized by tasers. Documentation of successful rescues of potential victims of aggressive dogs attests to the value of a TASER. The question of whether or not TASERs are humane is murky; dog lovers who tear up at the sight of an animal in pain may misunderstand the role of a TASER while a victim of a dog attack may be grateful that a TASER was present to prevent severe injury to both dog and human. Cruelty to animals is a long-standing problem in American culture, but at what point do the interests of dogs take over for the concerns of people?