Sheep-Killing Dogs

* Re “Dogs and Sheep,” letters, July 29.

Dogs like to chase and kill sheep. This is a fact of life and a pivotal part of the movie “Babe,” as you’ll all remember.

The dogs in question are often beloved family pets. I have a farmer cousin who has shot many a family dog over the years when they’ve gotten in with his sheep. The dogs never kill one sheep and eat it, as a hungry animal might do. They go through the flock and rip out the throat of every sheep they can chase down. My cousin loves dogs and he hates shooting them, but if he didn’t he’d lose his livelihood.

It is foolish to think that only dogs mistreated by humans kill sheep. This simply isn’t true. Whether we should all become vegetarians, including the dogs, is another discussion entirely.

JANE M. JORDAN

Oak Park