A recent dog attack involving a 16-year-old girl has, once again, resulted in suggestions and recommendations about how to deal with aggressive dogs. An article on the Internet states that "Toronto may be the first municipality to force dog owners to pass a test and get a licence before they can legally own a dog."

Is this concept a new one? No. An article published in the Spring 1992 edition of a magazine that I was the editor of recommended that people wishing to acquire a companion animal should be issued  a licence once they passed a written test. The article was written by P.K. St. John, DVM, and it contained many other constructive ideas including some restrictions and qualifications for breeders.

Every time there is a serious dog attack, the canine species receives bad publicity. This is unfortunate as this species, which we domesticated thousands of years ago, has been our loyal companions giving us much more than we have provided for them. The vast majority of problems involving canines are caused by people.

There are a few steps which, if taken, would significantly reduce dog biting incidents and greatly reduce the number of wonderful canines who are killed in shelters and pounds because there are not enough good homes for them.

Making people who want to adopt an animal take, and pass, a test is a start. However, more restrictions must also be placed on breeders. Breeding an animal is a huge responsibility. For this reason prospective breeders should have to pass a detailed course, preferably at the college or university level, before being put in charge of creating more dogs.

The number of qualified breeders should also be limited based on, among other things, the popularity of a specific breed. The number of litters permitted should also be limited. Anyone who does not abide by these regulations would be subject to significant fines and other penalties. Significant penalties would help to encourage people who were not qualified to breed dogs, or who had no intention of breeding their dog, to have their animal neutered (spayed/castrated) before any "accidental" litters occurred.

If implemented, these proposed recommendations would result in healthier, friendlier, more predictable dogs and more informed, responsible people caring for them. Significantly fewer animals would be born meaning that a similar number of healthy, adoptable dogs would not have to be killed because there weren’t enough good homes for them. Fewer "unwanted" dogs, combined with more informed, people caring for canine companions would greatly benefit the public and animal control agencies.

The suggestions in this column would result in a considerable reduction in suffering (both for the canine and human species), result in many other benefits and be relatively easily implemented. The question is are we willing to work together to bring about these positive changes?