Barnaby Joyce’s Outburst Is a Reminder That Dogs Deserve Better
Barnaby Joyce apologised after an on-air outburst during which he shouted at his dog for barking.
We’re glad he acknowledged that his reaction wasn’t appropriate. The former deputy prime minister was never a friend to sheep, cows, or crocodiles while in office, so it wasn’t really a surprise to see that his own dog is not spared from his hostility. Dogs bark because it’s how they communicate, and screaming at them for doing so is intimidation. Laughing off this kind of bullying behaviour sends a dangerous message at a time when animal abuse in Australia is already rampant. Animals deserve patience, kindness, and respect, and if Joyce can’t offer that, he shouldn’t have them.
Barking is a dog’s way of communicating feelings from fear, frustration, pain, and boredom, to even happiness, so pay attention! When humans choose to bring a dog into their home, we accept responsibility for an individual who depends on us completely. That means more than providing food, water, and shelter. It means recognising that dogs are not accessories, ornaments, or possessions. They are living, feeling beings with their own needs, preferences, and ways of communicating.
Patience is part of the deal.
No one would expect a bird never to chirp. No one would expect a cat never to meow. In the same way, dogs will bark. The goal shouldn’t be to demand silence but to understand what they’re trying to tell us.
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