Would you consider that large and medium-sized dogs should be phased out?

Absolutely no. It would be the thin end of the wedge and end up banning heaven knows what.
Wiggy is very worried about this in case they ban cockatiels.
She does eat a lot of seed, millet, etc.

Apologies for the typos Using my phone

I watched a you tube video yesterday which went beyond terrafing

Two bulldog type dogs running after a Mum and her two little girls

Those kind if digs should be put down and tgat kind of breed should not be allowed to be breeded or kept as pers

But the government any government takes ages to act and only do so after someone has been malled by one if these horrid horrid vicious dogs!!

Yes dog breeding needs regulating as a whole. Far too much cruelty but the biggest threat to the planet are humans. Unpopular but there has to be a limit on how many children a person/family can have.

I read that as German shepherds eating a big dog as opposed to a small one GSM!

I seem to have put the cat amongst the pigeons! ?

Where does this sort of argument lead? Get rid of old and disabled people who aren’t economically active but still eat lots of food? I have only ever had German shepherds and can’t imagine a world in which they wouldn’t be welcome because they eat more than a small dog.

Rosie51

Callistemon21 wash out your mouth! At least cats hunt and kill vermin. Cats would source their own food if unattended, dogs are hopeless without human intervention. I have neither, but if my son wasn't horrendously allergic to all animals it'd be cats all the way

at least cats hunt and kill vermin yes and all our native birds too. Our bird population is in sharp decline, many species are struggling to survive, and that is in large part due to all the ruddy cats prowling our gardens. I'd rather we had more birds and fewer cats. Maybe cats should also have a £100 licence in order to save our bird population.

Again, he’s talking about pets, not working dogs. And not about culling or phasing out anything.

Seeing eye dogs are mostly labradors. Somehow yappy little terriers wouldn’t cut it. Culling humans would probably be more effective.

No.

Rather than phase them out, Id rather people kept them under control and didn't let them out to bark for hours on end. Id be happy with that! What about large dogs that are needed for work, police, cadaver dogs, search and rescue etc? Dogs have a far superior sense of smell compared to humans and do provide an invaluable service to society. Much as I don't like them, they also provide company for people.

mokryna, he really does have a very good point - but there are so many things we could do to reduce their environmental impact.

Why not bring back dog licences and maybe make them more expensive for larger breeds?

Stop pet food manufacturers using high energy processing methods - and using beef or lamb (the worst meats for the planet)?

We really should encourage the development of insect foods and lab-grown meat?

Dogs are omnivores so their diet can include other proteins too. The working sheepdogs I saw in Wales had porridge cooked with water, hard boiled eggs, vegetables - and rabbits most of the time. They had loads of energy and shiny coats.

my cats leave their dead things outside ,they only bring me birds that I need to catch and mice that play hide and seek with me .

Callistemon21 wash out your mouth! At least cats hunt and kill vermin. Cats would source their own food if unattended, dogs are hopeless without human intervention. I have neither, but if my son wasn't horrendously allergic to all animals it'd be cats all the way

Get rid of medium-sized and large dogs? No chance! I'd rather get rid of some humans instead, starting with dim witted town councillors.

Working dogs are amazing, whether large or small, they should be encouraged.

Pet dogs should have £100 dog licence fee except for pensioners on low incomes who would have a much reduced rate. There are far too many dogs around.

trisher

I don't mind big dogs for some reason they seem to be quieter, less excitable and generally less bother- but the yappy little things people insist on walking on long invisible leads, or which are free just to criss cross in front of me as I'm walking, so I'm absolutely certain I'm going to fall over one, one day. Now! they're on my list!!!!

Cats!

Do we need cats?
They kill other wildlife even though they are fed and pampered, they bring live birds and animals indoors then vomit the remains up after having a bite - what are they for?

Would we protect more wildlife if we phased out cats?

(Ducks for cover)

Mokryna, it's a good idea generally. Pet food is a scandal , but I have enjoyed the company of dogs mainly big ones for fifty years. Smaller dogs consume less of other animals.

There’s a lot of dog owners that need training, especially in not hanging plastic bags full of dog excrement on bushes and trees, do they think a fairy flies down each evening and takes them away..
As for getting rid of larger dogs I can’t see that happening, but a lot don’t get the exercise they need, so unfair on the poor dogs.

I don't mind big dogs for some reason they seem to be quieter, less excitable and generally less bother- but the yappy little things people insist on walking on long invisible leads, or which are free just to criss cross in front of me as I'm walking, so I'm absolutely certain I'm going to fall over one, one day. Now! they're on my list!!!!

I agree with you Sago.

Why contradictory? Any breed of large dog could still be used as working dogs, in the roles that suit them so well.

Maggiemaybe

I doubt very much that Howell’s talking about working dogs. He’s just suggesting that when someone gets a new pet, they should perhaps consider a smaller one. We’re not going to get anywhere with the climate crisis if we can’t even have these discussions.

That could be a bit contradictory because the golden retriever is one of the favourite pet dogs, but at the same time is very much a working dog. And big!

Maybe he should have considered getting rid of cats instead given that dogs can be vegetarian and can be fed a wide variety of food but cats have to eat meat. Not that I’m suggesting it: I love cats! I do worry about the amount of meat that I do feed my dog and have thought about trying that Bug Bites food that uses insects instead.