Please humor me as I vent about my walk from h*** today. I decided I would take advantage of a beautiful 60 degree sunny day and take a walk with Wesley and our dog Lijah. I loaded Wesley in the stroller and hooked the leash onto Lijah's collar and off we went through the neighborhood on our usual route. The first half of the walk was great with Wesley pointing out all the cars and American flags he could see. The routes we walk are those that I have determined to be "Aggressive Dog-Free Routes", those safe to take Lijah on. Things were going along great, we were cruising at a good pace, Wesley was enjoying his Matchbox car and a pinecone I picked up for him, when all of a sudden, we were charged by a little black mongrel named "Pookie" or something like that. Pookie's mommy had come outside with Pookie, a lab, and what looked to be the canine version of the Abominable Snowman from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. She was rolling the trash can back up to her house as we were walking by. Now, when Pookie charged us, of course she was not looking, so in an annoyed tone I yelled to her "Can you please call your dog?" At this point, she had seen us and was holding back the lab and Abominable and proceeded to call Pookie. Pookie was slow to obey, but backed off from growling at Lijah and slowly walked back home. I continued walking and thinking about how annoying it was when people's dogs come out at you. Little did I know what I was about to encounter...
Probably 10 minutes later, I was approaching an intersection when a little pug-like puppy came charging out at us. Picture the most hyper dog you know and then picture the most hyper dog you know on crack - that was this dog. It kept jumping on Lijah and even tried to jump in the stroller with Wesley, who was still sweetly playing with his car and pinecone. I continued walking, hoping the dog would just go home, but it didn't leave. Lijah was really getting annoyed at this point and even growled at the dog, telling me he was pushed to his limit. Since I knew where the dog lived, I turned around, walked up the driveway, parked Wesley and Lijah, and picked up the little dog and walked to the front door. The kid that answered the door looked at me like I was crazy, but I just handed him the dog and said "I was trying to take a walk and your dog wouldn't leave me alone. Here's your dog." No "thanks for bringing our dog back" or anything. Maybe they were so annoyed with the dog that when they saw me they sent it outside hoping I would feel sorry for it and keep it. Kid, you picked the wrong lady on the wrong day. Okay, back to walking. No sooner had I picked up my pace than a little beagle (who typically does nothing more than bark wildly at us) came tearing down the hill and proceeded to ATTACK Lijah. Lijah began yelping and I started yelling. The beagle let up but continued to lunge at Lijah growling and showing its teeth. I pulled Lijah close and stomped my foot, hoping to frighten the dog off. Lijah was still yelping, so I walked further up the road and stopped to check him. Clumps of fur were coming off his body, and in two spots I saw blood. I was crying and shaking and it was then I heard the owner of the beagle (who we happen to know) calling her dog. I yelled out to her that her dog bit my dog and she came running to grab "Buddy". She was very apologetic and said that "Buddy" was current on all his vaccinations and that if Lijah needed any treatment, they would take care of it. She inspected Buddy's lower lip and saw that it was bleeding. She said that he probably bit it or skimmed it on the asphalt as he was hurdling off the curb to get to Lijah. I looked at Lijah again and the blood on his fur was only superficial, giving me the idea that it was "Buddy's" blood and not Lijah's. She offered to drive us home, but I declined. By this time, I had stopped shaking and crying. I just explained to her that its frightening when strange dogs come out and you don't know what they are capable of. Its especially frightening when you have to protect not only yourself, but your child, and your dog as well. Wesley or course, was not at all affected by the yelling, growling, and crying, and was still sweetly playing with his car and pinecone. By this point, all I wanted to do was go home and make sure Lijah was okay (It turns out he's fine). However, I have a message for my neighbors:
To my Neighbors who own dogs:
I, as you most likely do, love our neighborhood. Its shady streets and rolling hills beckon me outdoors to exercise almost daily. I would consider our neighborhood very safe in general and safe to walk in as well. Unfortunately, I have had several encounters with aggressive dogs coming out at me, my child, and my dog. It would behoove you to keep your dogs within secure confines so as not to attack innocent passersby. Otherwise, I might be forced to whip out my 55-gallon drum of Animal Control on you. For your convenience, I have included our county's Animal Control Ordinance, specifically the section on Animals Out of Control/Nuisances. Please peruse this (particularly the section in bold) so that your dog isn't featured on the next episode of "When Neighborhood Animals Attack".
B. Animals Out of Control
1. Nuisance
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep, possess, or maintain an animal in
such a manner so as to constitute a public nuisance or a nuisance to neighbors.
By way of example, and not of limitation, the following acts or actions of an owner,
harborer, or possessor of an animal are hereby declared to be a public nuisance and
are therefore unlawful:
a. Having an animal that disturbs the rights of, threatens the safety of or damages
a member of the general public, or interferes with the ordinary use and
enjoyment of their property; or...
g. Maintaining an animal that habitually or repeatedly chases, snaps at, attacks or barks at pedestrians, joggers, dogs walked on a leash by owners, bicycles or vehicles...
Well, there you have it. I find it kind of ironic that sweet little names like "Pookie" and "Buddy" belong to dogs who would want to hurt my Lijah. For now, we will keep walking, but you can rest assured that Animal Control will now have the number one spot on my speed dial.
