Today is the last day of life for the attack dog. The monster will be put to sleep tomorrow. The owner of the dog will be coming home from Japan, and he needs to sign paperwork before the dog gets put down. I learned this from a typed message that was placed on my front porch. The message said that the owner of the dog was remorseful, and he had made the agonizing decision to put his dog down. Agonizing decision? I’ve since learned that his dog has done this to someone else before. This is the second time – not the first time.
I know the owner was trying to make amends with me, but the message tucked under our welcome mat only served to make me feel worse. Unanswered questions circle around through my consciousness. Questions like… If a dog has attacked someone before, how can this decision be agonizing? How do people coexist with dogs that are dangerous to others? Was this dog kind to humans and not small dogs? What was the other attack like? If people do keep dogs like this, shouldn’t they put locks on their gates? Why didn’t the owner lock his gate?
It’s the lock aspect of this that really gets me fuming. There was a lock on my gate because I loved my dog! I was afraid he would accidentally get out and inadvertently get hurt. I also thought my dog was so cool that someone might try and steal him from me. When Hardy was left home alone, he was left inside the house. When I came home, he almost always got to go for a walk. If we didn’t go for a walk, he would tag along on errands with me. That’s the way it was for us.
I guess I’m trying to answer the question, why? As in, why did this have to happen to me? I feel like I had done everything in my power to keep Hardy safe from harm’s way. But I already know the answer. It’s as simple as this. I walked my dog a lot. I was the most likely candidate to be attacked because of the frequency of my walks with Hardy. I lost my little guy because I was too busy being a good owner to him. I was literally at the wrong place at the wrong time.
1 comment:
I have the same questions Katherine.... I do not understand an owner keeping a dog that has hurt a person or another persons pet. And, In making the choice to keep his dog, why would he not take Extra measures to protect others with locks or whatever it takes to insure safe conditions for others and his own pet as well? How long before it would be a small child's life destroyed?
I guess the answer is clear.... it comes down to being a Responsible Pet Owner. This person is not! You are, I am as well. It is hard to understand the negligence of others. We want them to behave as we would..... but, this is not a perfect world. Hold on to your standard.
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