Should all dogs be muzzled?
 

Hypothetical.:doggie:
A friend of mine was walking through his neighborhood in the Villages and as he walked past a neighbor walking his dog, the dog lunged at him and bit him. Not severely, but the shock that it could have been serious, scared him as well as the dog's owner.

Question:
Should ALL dogs be muzzled when they are not on their own property?
What distance should one pass a leashed dog in the street for their safety?
If the dog has been vaccinated for rabies, can he still carry the virus?

Even though only one of many dogs in the Villages is guilty of biting a passing stranger, should ALL dogs then be muzzled to protect other folks, just in case? Or should you maintain a "social distance" from walking dogs to protect yourself? If the dog is on a leash that is only six foot long and under control of the owner, is it the owner's responsibility to put a muzzle on the dog IF you decide to approach or is it your responsibility to maintain a safe distance to protect yourself? What if the owner tells you that his dog has never ever bitten or attempted to bite anyone, ever? Do you still approach that dog IF you are worried about being bitten?

So, would you muzzle all the dogs in America, if one dog that had rabies bit someone and they died? If so, even after hearing that most dogs were vaccinated?

Does this argument sound familiar?
Hint: This has nothing to do with animals.

Cutting to the chase: yes, you need to continue wearing the mask until those around you are vaccinated and safe from what you or others may unknowingly be carrying.

(If it is desperately needed I can play along with your analogy but this is just quicker.)

Ah, but also going along with your playing along with my analogy, if everyone is vaccinated, and only have a 90% efficacy, then everyone could still be vulnerable by those that may be carrying the virus that have been vaccinated. Your hypothetical suggests that "others may unknowingly be carrying" even though they are protected.

My suggestion is that it is not one person's responsibility to protect you. It is your responsibility to protect yourself. Otherwise, you are handicapped and reliant on others for your well being. :D
My question remains, is everyone supposed to be punished/penalized for the faults of one? I know my answer, but others do not seem to see the fallacy of expecting others to be "my brother's keeper."

No, some dogs don’t deserve to be muzzled but... no leashes longer than 6 feet should be allowed if walking off your property. A long leash is useless - equivalent to no leash at all. You can’t control any dog with a retractable leash, I know I’ve had them and the dogs too. Then a walker can keep 6ft from the dog and be pretty safe. Other than that be prepared for any dog to get startled and attack.

(Sorry for not going along with the analogy. But all people who can should wear masks N95 ones, if we had done it in March there would have been no lockdowns, the economy would be booming, we would still have president Trump. We would be free in our country at least everywhere, maybe not international travel. One month folks, it’s all it takes, and that would mean wearing a mask everywhere and by everyone pretty well. But the “ma rights” people prefer the ravages of Covid.)

A 90% or better chance that you are not carrying it added to the 90% chance that it will not adversely affect me is good enough for me. Take either of those away and additional measures are necessary.

"Not one's responsibility to protect you." I believe that argument has been tried with both HIV and measles with poor outcomes.

"Faults of one." It is hard to call it someone's fault for catching an invisible virus that they were unwittingly exposed to. If someone is a carrier of a disease, and right now everyone is a potential carrier, then society asks (and sometimes demands) that the carrier take precautions to protect the vulnerable that they come into contact with, and right now nearly everyone is vulnerable.

All this can change when two milestones are met: 1. everyone who desires to be vaccinated is vaccinated; and, 2. new infections drop to near zero. The first milestone is the 90/90 point and it is safe to assume both that you won't be exposed and that you won't die if you are. The second milestone is simply an indication that the 90/90 point has been attained.

Yet another mask thread :ohdear:

Reality-Hypothetical? Perhaps, you need to look up the word.

As to this case like it or not you should report the incident. A dog will not just attack with no provocation, with no warning unless it is ill or????? It is possible but not likely this is the first time for this particular dog.

Experience, my sister got a rescue dog. The dog as you report would attack unprovoked with no warning. Her vet told her she should have the dog put down and that is what she did. Not easy but if the tale is as you report that dog needs to be put down.

knock knock IT'S (YET ANOTHER) MASK THREAD!

So, for those that decide against getting the vaccine, the rest need to continue to wear a mask ?

Not if I were king.

Right now the demand far exceeds the supply. Right now we need to protect those who want the vaccine but cannot get it.

Once everyone who desires a vaccination can get a vaccination then I feel that changes. Society can't be held hostage by the few anti-vax or covid-deniers who refuse to join the mainstream. Society should protect those who would like to be vaccinated but cannot but society doesn't have to protect those who could be vaccinated but choose not to. They made a choice and they will live (or not) with that choice.

IMO It’s not reel leash, it the owner. The reel leash has lock on it. anytime anybody within 20 feet the leash should be locked at 3 feet. Anybody walking needs to avoid dogs period, owners walking dogs needs to avoid people period. I gladly move away from dogs, people, golf carts, bicycle riders when out walking.

IMO You mask opinion is just that opinion. After last February you could not get N95 masks. They were reserved mainly for first responders and health care workers. They was and never been 330 million plus N95 masks available.

Short answer: no

Why? Because there have been "dogs" that bite for thousands of years and they aren't even self aware. Every biting dog needs to be taking as a single case. Perhaps they should have muzzled all peking dogs.

When you have to tell people the story isn't about "dogs" the assumption is most non-dogs are ignorant. Wouldn't that be a sign of arrogance? Perhaps arrogant people should be muzzled.....

Disagree....
 

Sounds like someone who'd want everyone to wear a prophylatic just so females don't accidentally pregnant, or woman a chastity belt. The mask and all other precautions will not stop the people from getting the virus and is mostly used to make people feel "safer". Ask yourself if there is anything you bring into your home that you know inside and out has been infected.....you can not....not 100%.

It's a chance we all take just being alive.

Perhaps the "hypotheticals" (which are actually metaphors and not hypotheticals) and the "<wink><wink> you know what I really mean" subliminal messages rather than saying what one means is the issue.

IMO the world over populated, it there anything that should be free it’s prophylactic’s. :)

You are right, there were not enough n95 masks available at any time and they did need to be reserved for the first line workers.

I am just dreaming... still if we had put our effort into controlling the virus...to me wearing a mask is comparable to wearing gloves or socks, no biggie. Skiers wear it for cold - something so much less significant. We would at this time have the virus under control. Not just my opinion, I got the info from medical people. But why would anyone believe them? Why would anyone believe any one? We are in a society with people who prefer fairy tales.

I don’t think dogs should be allowed in restaurants and bars. I’ve been to Cody’s and seen dogs lunge at people. I love animals but I’m tired of them being in restaurants where I eat. Or getting hit with a stroller with a dog in it.

I have not read all the replies so I apologize if I am doubling up on one . . .

Making your query UNhypothetical -- No. I would not muzzle all dogs.

However, what should be done is to muzzle all humans. YES!

Yes -- give all unmuzzled dogs a wide range when passing them on the street.

People who act like rabid dogs ready to bite you head off when you ask them to wear a mask a d keep their distance should be muzzled.

All unvaccinated dog owners should be on a short leash, wearing a muzzle.
Any dog walking an unleashed or unmuzzled owner should be impounded.
All vaccinated people should be unmuzzled, and dancing and getting p****d up at the squares!

Bingo! Thank you...I’ll take care of myself..

People who tell others what to do are acting like rabid dogs, there is no mandatory masks while people are out walking outside..BTW this dog will bite back if provoked...

Finally, one person here has common sense. Thank you for your responsible comments

I choose the quick answer. Yes, everyone should wear a mask when out of his/her own home. Not only does a mask protect the wearer, it is the responsible action to protect others. Be a responsible adult, who cares about others - WEAR A MASK.

I believe Byte1 was asking if the Dog can still have the rabies virus if it has been vaccinated...

A great many assumptions and many may be all wrong. I know people who became ill and THEY WORE MASKS ALL THE TIME. Just because someone does not want the shot (I am one) does not make them an anti vaxxer. I will wait and see, if you do not grow another head, and some of you NEED another head, I will consider it. If you think people will tolerate the loss of their freedoms SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT AGREE WITH YOU you can go to you know where.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!

A high percentage of those who are anti-vaccine or chafing at wearing masks, because of the supposed "freedoms" being lost, had basically no problems with the multitude of freedoms lost after 9/11. So, what's the dif?

Just something else for you to worry about. Do you leave the house each day looking for something else that would prevent you having happiness in TV?

Ah, but your "milestone" is impossible unless you MANDATE conformance. You said "everyone who desires to be vaccinated is vaccinated; and, 2. new infections drop to near zero." Not everyone will "desire to be vaccinated" therefore, you are mandating total future mandated compliance with mask wearing. And the only way to your 90% no infections is to eradicate the virus, which can only be done with herd immunity. So, you are asking(?) or actually REQUIRING a mask mandate.
With your HIV correlation, everyone would be mandated to wear a condom, regardless of whether or not they could or wished to have sex. So that association with today's issue is not relative.

So you are saying that EVERYONE should have been given the N95 masks by the gov. immediately? And you are also suggesting that this mask wearing would have saved us from the virus? I don't think so. Most folks that were infected, were infected at home. I don't know anyone that wears a mask at home, but I could be mistaken. In a country as large as ours, there would never be total compliance with a mask mandate without a revolution occurring.

Reading and participating is not mandated.....:icon_wink:

Thank you. You just made the case against everyone being responsible for others. According to YOUR analogy, it is not up to anyone to protect another, it's up to everyone being responsible for themselves. Thank you. I knew that is the conversation has some elaborating, a compromise or revelation is revealed.
In a free country, compliance should be voluntary, NOT mandated. Like I have said before, charity is willfully and voluntary but mandated compliance becomes a gov. tax.

There are a lot of humans I would rather see muzzled before dogs, especially when they leave their property. We could start with ALL the news stations. It would make the country a happier place. There could be a sign on the muzzle. Only to be removed in case of real news to report.

My dog was a rescue and she growls and barks while I walk her on the leash if a person is walking too close to us at the time. I say to them,“ She isn’t friendly” you would think that would deter them from coming over to her with their hand stretched out in front of her face. But No, then they are surprised when they see her aggressively barking. She has never bit anyone, but if during her barking at someone and they put their hand close to her mouth, that person could get hurt. Even though I love dogs, I am bright enough not to go over to a strange dog and try to pet them, yet on many occasions this was done to my dog.

PS Neither myself or my dog wear a mask when walking. However I always wear a mask whether I am shopping and practice social distancing.

Yes - if the dogs were invisible, the bites airborn, and over 450,000 people in the country had died as a result.

I am not saying that I disagree with you, BUT......... When "skiers" wear gloves and socks it is because it is cold. The evidence is there. They most likely would not wear gloves in Florida. However, we are speaking of a virus where the likely hood of anyone you meet having it, is so nil that it is easier to get hit by a car when walking on a sidewalk. And the idea of contracting the virus IF you meet someone infected is even more unlikely. And then to have any symptoms is about one in 99. Ok, so I am not being accurate, but the idea is clear. I am not saying that anyone should NOT wear a mask. I am saying that thinking that wearing a mask is going to keep you from catching COVID is probably a slight advantage over a non-wearing person. Just an opinion, but wearing gloves probably gives you just as much protection as wearing a mask and I do not see very many folks wearing gloves. When this first started, I wore gloves along with my mask wearing. Obviously, catching the virus is not easy or some of us would already have had it that are not taking the precautions that some on here are adamant about adhering to. Just saying and I am in no way advising anyone to not wear their mask for protection. I am just being realistic about the conversation and also showing some that their demand for a mask mandate is totally UN-American.
I am neither a anti-masker or an anti-vaxxer, and I do not deny the existence of the virus.

So if you were taking a walk in your neighborhood and a neighbor was walking their dog at the same time, you would demand that they muzzle the dog instead of attempting to avoid the dog that is leashed? Would you consider the dog rabid based on news that a dog in the tri-county area was found to be infected?
Sorry, but the only way I would feel entitled to demand someone put a mask on is if they entered my home. Guess some folks feel entitled to make demands, right?

Should people and dogs be muzzled? Love it when I can control what everyone else is doing. Makes me feel real important.

The only protection that really works is a N95 facemask that has been properly fitted, discarded & replaced routinely. The homemade cloth & surgical masks offer minimal protection but can be potentially harmful. Once you wear a mask, that mask is now considered contaminated and should be discarded or disinfected with a bleach solution. If you touch the outside of the mask and touch your face, you just gave a contaminant a way inside your body. In reusing a mask you are breathing through a petri dish of bacteria and worse being fed with your warm humid exhalations.

Now that many people have been vaccinated or have natural immunity the "mask mandates for all" needs to be changed. Just those who have not been vaccinated or do not have natural immunity should wear a mask but one that works, as in a N95.

Many people will argue that natural immunity is different from vaccinated immunity. Here is what the CDC says; “Active immunity results when exposure to a disease organism triggers the immune system to produce antibodies to that disease. Exposure to the disease organism can occur through infection with the actual disease (resulting in natural immunity), or introduction of a killed or weakened form of the disease organism through vaccination (vaccine-induced immunity). Either way, if an immune person comes into contact with that disease in the future, their immune system will recognize it and immediately produce the antibodies needed to fight it.”

And from the WHO, “Vaccines train our immune systems to create proteins that fight disease, known as ‘antibodies’, just as would happen when we are exposed to a disease. Even people without symptoms develop an immune response.”

People who have been vaccinated or have natural immunity from having COVID (like I have) do not need to be masked; it would be pointless. We cannot get COVID and we cannot transmit COVID.

Unfortunately I have found that logical arguments backed by proven science (not “may happen” or “might not be”) fall on deaf ears. It is similar to having an argument over religion. The true believers have blind faith and no person will ever sway their belief no matter how sound the opposing view.

David H. Dallas RN, EMT-P (retired), ASN