‘Dog-Owning Has Had Its Day’

One assumes that canophobe McCarthy’s article was not meant to be taken seriously. But just in case it was, and without minimizing the need for responsible dog ownership, I would like to suggest a serious counter-proposal. Could the urban clash between “man’s best friend” and man be related somehow to human overbreeding? And if we don’t have enough room for each other how can we allow enough room for other animals bigger than cockroaches? The Chinese, whose attempts at population control came a bit late, have simply done away with dogs in Beijing. Wouldn’t it make just as much sense to reduce the number of people, however?

Now my proposal would be a 20-year phase-out of canophobes. The could “live out their cycle”--much as McCarthy proposes--or they could move to Beijing.

HENRY O. WHEELER

La Jolla