TESTIMONIALS

To whom it may concern

I am a retired Senior Animal Control Officer, having worked for the city Los Angeles Department of Animal Services for more than 27 years. Prior to that, I was a sentry dog handler for four years in the United States Air Force. During my career with the Department of Animal Services, I served for sixteen years as an Administrative Hearing Examiner. In that capacity I conducted thousands of hearings involving aggressive dog attacks. I consider myself an expert on canine aggression.

I have reviewed the PETSYNC Dog Prevention e-learing documents and I strongly endorse the program. Implementation of those policies would increase individual dog owner knowledge and responsibility. It would also provide for greater community safety. Current statistics show that over four million people are injured each year in this country as a result of dog attacks. Tragically, many of those victims are children and, on average, 20 of those attacks are fatal. The dog bite prevention techniques outlined in the PETSYNC program would substantially improve awareness of this danger and would dramatically impact the welfare and safety of any community that incorporates them.

James Connelly