Mitt Romney Dog Treatment 'Inhumane,' Most Voters Say In New Poll

WASHINGTON -- Most voters think it's "inhumane" to put the family dog in a kennel on the car roof for a long trip as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney once did, according to a new poll from the Democratic-leaning firm Public Policy Polling.

Sixty-eight percent of 900 registered voters polled said they think that in general, it is inhumane to put the family dog on top of the car, compared with 14 percent who said it's humane and 18 percent who weren't sure.

While most voters think putting a dog on the car roof is inhumane, it's not the type of behavior that seems able to sway their votes. Told by pollsters that Romney had done so, 55 percent said it didn't affect which candidate they would support, while 35 percent of respondents said it made them less likely to support Romney and 7 percent said it made them more likely to support him.

But Romney's dog problem may give a few of his fans pause. Among only the people who said they were already Romney supporters, 17 percent said the Seamus story made them less likely to vote for him, while 75 percent said it didn't make a difference.

In 1983, Romney drove his family to Canada with their pet Irish Setter, Seamus, in a crate fastened to the roof of their station wagon. At one point, Seamus suffered a bout of diarrhea; Romney coolly pulled into a gas station, hosed off the dog and the car, and resumed the 12-hour trip.

Dog lovers have protested against Romney for the Seamus incident ever since the Boston Globe first reported the story in 2007. But since last week, the campaign of former Sen. Rick Santorum, Romney's chief rival for the GOP presidential nomination, has promoted the story in a big way. A Santorum spokeswoman put it this way on Monday: "If you can't be nice to your dog, who are you going to be nice to?"

When respondents were asked, before hearing about Seamus, what they thought of Romney's treatment of dogs as compared with President Barack Obama's, Romney came up short. Obama garnered a 44 percent favorable rating and just 14 percent unfavorable rating for his treatment of dogs. Meanwhile, 29 percent of respondents said they had an unfavorable opinion of Romney's treatment of dogs, compared with 20 percent who had a favorable opinion. (Voters are apparently unaware of or unswayed by Romney's support of Responsible Dog Ownership Month in Massachusetts in 2006.)

That said, most voters surveyed in the PPP poll didn't have much to say about which candidate would be a better leader for canines. Forty-two percent said they were "not sure" whether Romney or Obama would be a better president for dogs. Thirty-seven percent said Obama would be better, while 21 percent chose Romney.

Comments

[Lu4PUMA]

09:26 PM on 04/19/2012

Hey, at least Willard did not eat him.

[SMAGGIE]

01:42 AM on 04/18/2012

Why not stick with what maters in the 2012 election. Of course if the present president sent (at the taxpayers money to do so)His dog BO privately on one of the planes, we pay cost of, that is not ridiculous to you? His dog requires a private plane, he cannot go with the president, or the girls and their mother on the same plane either.

[RepublicanDepression]

10:30 PM on 04/17/2012

Romney tortured his dog for a FREEZING twelve hour drive to Canada in NOVEMBER, which is ILLEGAL even in good weather.

Romney's concern is not that it was inhumane.

Romney's concern is not that it was illegal.

Romney's concern is not that he's one of the few people in the nation who didn't know it is illegal, inhumane, and especially cruel in November in Canada.

Romney's only concern is that his illegal, inhumane conduct received negative "attention."

PROVED:
"Most voters think it's "inhumane" to put the family dog in a kennel on the car roof for a long trip as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney once did, according to a new poll from the Democratic-leaning firm Public Policy Polling."

[archstantoneyes]

08:11 PM on 04/18/2012

BHO ate dog........ source ? His second book.

[ArlingtonVA]

09:41 AM on 04/20/2012

If only Romney had EATEN the dog, Democrats would adore him.

[Skantelope]

04:06 PM on 03/30/2012

What would he do with his cat? Tie her to the antenna? Use her for a hood ornament?

[sayinmypiece]

06:23 PM on 03/23/2012

Not only was it frightening to the dog and dangerous. But putting the dog incident aside, it was a good example of the stupid thinking and poor judgement this man would have in office.

[k4329]

08:07 PM on 03/21/2012

When he puts his own dog on the car roof, how can we trust him that he will treat middle class and poor people in decent way?

[rubesbyu]

03:30 PM on 03/21/2012

People ride in the back of pick up trucks all the time (where legal) You see people throw the dogs in the back of their pick ups and nobody skips a beat.

That is more dangerous.

Just trying to find something wrong with Romney - something scandalous. Well so far you have him buying two caddys and securely fastening a dog carrier to the roof of their car on a trip.

Dog stick their heads out the window all the time when cars are driving. The dog was fine.

I wouldn't do it personally but I don't see why it's worth all the hoop -la.

[Ruth G]

09:10 AM on 03/24/2012

actually putting a dog in the back of a pick up unrestrained and open is wrong too, and in most states like NH it is against the law. Yes the dog was in a crate but the general disregard of throwing him on the roof like an old sofa is in question. Then hosing him and the car off as if he were just another soiled piece of of metal and plastic to be washed off with frigid water.

[rubesbyu]

10:19 PM on 03/24/2012

If it was in the summer the cool water probably felt nice for the dog. And the dog probably liked being clean - what was he supposed to do? Had the dog soiled itself in the back of the station wagon and the family hosed him off would that be any different.

Bottom line of a dog is in the back of a pick up no one skips a beat but it's worse than what Romney did.

[anitaroosevelt]

02:18 PM on 03/21/2012

If this was the only negative story about Mitt, it would be enough. But it isn't the only one.

There is his weird behavior at Bain. His weird treatment of the women in his Mormon stake. His weird treatment of his own kids. His weird comments......."trees are the right height?"

He's weird.......;

[rubesbyu]

03:30 PM on 03/21/2012

What is all the weird behavior you are talking about?

[anitaroosevelt]

04:44 PM on 03/21/2012

It's all been in the news. Just google it. Sorry, I don't have the links right now.

[wickedlilxtalena]

11:26 AM on 03/21/2012

Recently, I was traveling down a highway and saw an SUV with trailer bed hooked up behind it, with 2 beautiful dogs locked inside the cage. I instantly thought of Romney.

Then I remembered this highway has a big history of many accidents, happening quite often. If for any reason these people shortstopped or got into any kind of accident I'm sure these dogs would have been flown from the trailer.

[Lisa Wimmer Bethea]

11:28 PM on 03/20/2012

I am a dog lover but...in 1983 people did not use seat belts, some older cars did not even have them. You did not put a four year old in a car seat like you do now, they were just for babies. I think we would all be shocked at what was acceptable vehicle safety in 1983.

[flilguy]

12:15 AM on 03/21/2012

That's odd Illinois enacted mandatory belt laws in 1984, even Barbara Mandrell used a seat beat back then. If something is inhumane in 2012, it was also inhumane in 1983.

[rubesbyu]

03:33 PM on 03/21/2012

It's about what's acceptable. Back then that was - now it's not. Obama smoking in front of his kids - not acceptable now. Obama smoking in front of kids back in the 70's 80's not as big of a deal.

You are trying to retroactively punish someone for something that was okay at the time.

[unelectcongress]

06:09 AM on 03/21/2012

And in the state of PA in 1976 we had to use seatbelts and children also had to be in car seats buckled in.........Mmmmmmm.....was I high????? Mitt is an egotistical Pratt. He should not be allowed to have children or pets......

[Lisa Wimmer Bethea]

02:22 PM on 03/21/2012

Yes you were high. You should get help. This is not a debate, you don't need to argue with everyone.

[rubesbyu]

10:50 PM on 03/20/2012

Obama was the only vote in favor (even among democrats and republicans) of infanticide (or live birth abortions)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIdbYjmbFzo

You want to talk humane - let's focus on this - not about a guy and his dog on his roof.

Abortion or not -- don't lose focus on the issues our country is really facing (economy and jobs).

[rubesbyu]

10:31 PM on 03/20/2012

Okay - so the most they have on the guy is that he has two Cadillacs and he securely strapped his dog onto the roof of his car.

I'd say he's doing pretty good. Keep digging!

The real issue is the stupid name Seamus.

Go Romney - 2012

[unelectcongress]

06:11 AM on 03/21/2012

well about if we tie you to the roof of a car and drive 500 miles at 80 miles an hour

[anitaroosevelt]

02:22 PM on 03/21/2012

This is just so strange.

He put the luggage inside the car and strapped the dog to the luggage rack.

How does a person reach such a decision?

What twisted and bizarre values would provoke the kind of thought processes that would allow someone to do something so obviously ( to almost everyone else) cruel?

Are there any psychologists posting here who could provide a clue?

[rubesbyu]

03:27 PM on 03/21/2012

Nothing happened to the dog - I would be fine with it I you put me up there. People ride in the back of pick up trucks all the time (where legal) You see people throw the dogs in the back of their pick ups and nobody skips a beat.

That is more dangerous.

[Tim Janssen]

10:04 PM on 03/20/2012

Yup this issue ain't going to go away as long as Mitt is a candidate. What a clueless silverspoon!

[O4US]

09:44 PM on 03/20/2012

The story of Seamus should be revived again and again as it provides a salient insight into the character of a man who feels his decision-making capability is better than his Presidential campaign opponents. How a person treats their pets says a lot about how they think and feel (or don't feel). Personally, the whole issue makes me very angry.

[Ronald B. Robinson]

08:43 PM on 03/20/2012

This is Romney's G.W. Bush "CO-CAIN-INE" problem .Lol

[unelectcongress]

06:13 AM on 03/21/2012

yes .....drug testing for politicians