In Case You Wonder How it Happened

I was walking my dog, Hardy, on the sidewalk in my neighborhood, when a pit bull crept around the corner of a nearby house. I noticed that it wore a collar, and therefore must be someone’s pet, but I could see that there was going to be trouble because the dog had made piercing eye contact with Hardy, as it picked up it’s pace towards us. I stepped in front of the attacking dog in an attempt to break the visual connection. The next thing I knew the pit bull was charging towards Hardy. He latched onto Hardy’s neck.

I had stopped dogfights before, and I thought this time was no different. I yelled, “NO,” to persuade the pit bull to stop, while reaching for its collar and pulling with all my might, trying to make it let go. It didn’t work. I could tell from the strength of the dog’s clenched jaw that this dog meant serious business, and I looked down at Hardy who was struggling to free himself. I cleared my mind to think about what I could try next. I remembered what I had learned some time ago in a dog-training class: get a firm hold on both of the attacking dog’s hind legs and pull. I bent down and grabbed the hind legs and pulled upwards with all of my might. The dog was too strong.

I began to realize that my dog’s life was in danger. I pulled harder and higher, my bladder released a steady stream of urine, and I fell backwards from the force of the pull. Hardy looked at me, still alive, and I silently vowed to save him. As I hit the pavement, I noticed Hardy’s bowels purge. There was precious little time left. The pit bull’s body was on top of me and Hardy was still trapped inside its jaws. I screamed as loud as I could for help, until a boy, around age 11, came to my aid. He began punching the dog, but the dog shook Hardy back and forth in it’s jaws even more. I noticed a car had stopped next to the sidewalk. The boy gave up, and the car drove away.

All of a sudden, more help arrived. My neighbor from across the street arrived to assist. I learned later that the boy ran to his friend’s house to find someone stronger, and then to his own home to get his father. As my neighbor and I wrestled with the pit bull, the boy’s father came cautiously towards us with a large stick, and my neighbor wrenched on the pit bull’s collar. At some point, my neighbor began urging me away from the brawl. I remember him telling me that my dog was gone, and I should be aware that the pit bull might turn on me. He coerced me to let go, and guided me inside an observer’s home. They closed the door, as I hysterically wailed enormous sobs of despair.