The Cruel Guard Dog Business

Many people, especially those living in suburban or rural areas of New Jersey, may not realize how rampant the cruel guard dog business is in the state's urban areas. This Web site was launched in an effort to raise awareness of this issue and encourage NJ residents to take action to help stop this cruelty.

In cities such as Newark and Jersey City, guard dogs are rented out to property owners. Guard dog companies encourage all of the usual stereotypes about large dogs and in fact profit from their proliferation. Warning signs directed at potential trespassers depict the familiar graphic of the snarling, bulging-eyed Shepherd or Doberman. Property owners buy into the idea that the mere presence of a large dog will keep trespassers at bay so they pay guard dog companies to provide this "service." The dogs are most often kept in pens during the day and released at night to roam their respective warehouses, used car lots, construction sites, etc. until the next morning. Like all social animals, these dogs crave attention and companionship, but life as a guard dog, roaming an empty concrete lot, is a lonely and miserable existence.

Allied Security is one of the largest guard dog rental companies in New Jersey. Sadly, the company continues operations as usual despite the fact that residents have made dozens of cruelty complaints to the NJ SPCA about the care that Allied dogs receive. Allied dogs have been seen with cuts, open wounds, and infections. Many have languished with flea and tick infestations, matted fur and general bodily filth. It is no wonder that the physical conditions of these animals are so poor given the utter lack of attention that they receive. Allied Security owner Martin Lucibello has admitted that the dogs are not checked on every day because he simply has “too many” of them. NOTE: On May 23, 2002 Allied was fined $1500 for cruelty to animals. Most recently, on August 11, 2003 the NJ SPCA wrote summonses to Allied for failing to properly care for two Rottweilers rented out to a warehouse owner in Newark, NJ.

Many if not most guard dogs are kept outdoors through all types of weather including snow, sleet, rain, extreme heat and freezing cold. They may go for days without water or proper food. Their injuries, wounds and ailments may go unnoticed for days and left untreated. So often ignored and/or forgotten, these dogs suffer in the shadows of our urban neighborhoods, rarely receiving any compassionate attention.

Any large, homeless dog is a potential victim of this business. Tragically, some guard dog companies have been able to get animals from shelters and rescue groups who face the task of finding homes for a constant flow of relinquished or stray large dogs. These former "pets" leave the shelter doors, not knowing that their new "home" will be a concrete lot behind a chainlink fence. Just imagine being condemned to live such a life after knowing a home and a family of your own.

Ironically, guard dogs are expected to ward off trespassers and protect property, but in many instances it is the dogs who need protection. Vulnerable to the torment and antagonism of passers-by or attacks by intruders, these animals constantly face the possibility of being harmed themselves. These unfortunate animals are unfairly dragged into a human-to-human conflict. Property owners place these dogs in the precarious position between inanimate property and potential intruders, making these flesh-and-blood animals sitting targets.

No dog can defend herself against a violent trespasser wielding a weapon. She cannot even escape her chain-link prison to flee the danger and so she may be injured or killed if she gets in the way. In August 1998, a dog in Paterson New Jersey was beaten with a pipe while she guarded an auto lot in an industrial section of town. Aside from trespassers, guard dogs have to deal with the antagonism of people passing by on the street. Children and adults have been spotted hurling garbage, metal objects and even glass bottles at guard dogs in Newark and Jersey City. These poor dogs cannot defend themselves against such cruel assaults. It is a pitiful sight.

In addition to the obvious harm to the dogs, the guard dog business threatens public safety. In May 2001, following his school prom, a teenager jumped a fence at the Funtown Pier in New Jersey. Two Rottweilers being kept as guard dogs on the property attacked the boy. (These dogs were subsequently shot and killed by police). Children who do not appreciate the danger that guard dogs may pose can easily be harmed in similar situations. Guard dogs are continuously taught to distrust new people. Many of these animals simply cannot decipher between real threats and harmless children; they should not be expected to do so.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1. If you see a large dog such as a Rottweiler, Pit Bull or German Shepherd on a non-residential property (eg. warehouse, used car lot, junkyard, etc.) it's likely that he or she is being used as a guard dog. Keep a record of any failure to provide shelter, food, water or vet care to the animal and immediately report any violations to the proper authorities in your area. Start by calling your local animal control officer, police department or humane society. You can also make a plea to the property owner to stop using guard dogs on his property. Let him/her know the risks involved in using a guard dog on the premises. Point out the inherent cruelty of keeping a dog isolated, exposed to the elements and vulnerable to attacks versus having the dog live indoors as a family companion.

2. Many guard dogs were taken from shelters or rescue groups that are simply overwhelmed with the numbers of animals needing homes. Easy access to an overabundance of homeless large dogs is fueling the cruel guard dog business. Please encourage your local shelter(s) to spay and neuter all dogs before adoption if they are not already doing so. Spay or neuter your own companion animals and make sure your dog doesn't contribute to the pet overpopulation problem. Many animal groups offer assistance with low-cost spaying and neutering.

3. If you rescue large dogs, volunteer or work in a shelter or if you are putting up a large dog for adoption, please be aware that potential adopters may be planning to use the animals as guard dogs. Be vigilant and do as much reference-checking and home-checking as possible. Ask lots of questions and do your utmost to make sure you aren't sending an animal into the lonely, miserable life of a guard dog.

4. No matter where you live, get in touch with your Governor, Congressmen, all your law makers and demand that something be done!  If you need address of who to contact, let me know at [email protected]