Do dogs improve the neighbourhood?

Do dogs, and dog owners, make a city better? Are the human benefits of dog ownership wider than just the health and happiness of the owners? Does the dog get a bad rap, environmentally speaking?

I've been pondering these things since reading an exchange of articles on the subject among some US writers. MORE>>

She's written a great article ... and ponders why we in NZ don't value or rather regards "the dog" as ''value added" in our society.