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April 30, 2007

Dog... friend or foe

Got into a heated debate tonight with mother and a friend of the family concerning a dog that had bitten this friend's granddaughter, but had not broken the skin - dragged her to the ground though. Ever since Ian's dog bite to the face so many years ago I have had a distinct and nonpermissive slant concerning dogs out of control. I don't believe there is any circumstance (aside from cruelty based attacks prompted from the animal) when a dog ever should be permitted to attack anything. I blame the owner that lets the critter run loose in the neighborhood, believing that his dog won't hurt anyone because it never has before, and they have had it forever so they should know. Its lazy pet ownership and irresponsible, these are animals.

My whole point of view was that the owner was 100% responsible for anything the dog did and should take care of it so it doesnt happen again (ie securing the animal so it doesnt run loose).

I am biased concerning all dogs. I see ALL dogs as a potential threat after what happened to Ian. Seeing your brother almost lose his eye, nearly losing part of his lip, dislocating his jaw... something about that just brings out either fear or anger about the whole thing... mine being the latter. Any dog out of control gets me immediately pissed off, all I see is what happened to him and I won't have it again. I chase dogs out of our yard all the time, nearly having lost our dachsund to a wandering shepherd that some asshole neighborhor allowed to run amok has only reinforced it. I have had to confront a pitbull in the yard with a broomstick and the certainty that I would kill the bastard if it even tried to come any further in or wouldnt leave... just because it was aggressive, snarling, etc. I take it all seriously, I see the potential... I act to block and stop. I refuse to allow the animal to be out of control around me. Even if it means me getting hurt, I would rather remove the threat of the animal with me. Thats what kind of an impression my brother's attack had upon me.

So yes, I am heated on the subject. I am jaded, I may overreact. But I prefer my vigilant, nonaccepting of these potential threats to ever again seeing someone mauled before me. Having the dog disappear and seeing the person suffer through the treatments. Its not going to happen again if I can control it.

Its not that I don't enjoy or like dogs... I do. I believe that they have the capacity to do great harm if not held in check at all times.

Posted by Ravennacht at April 30, 2007 11:25 PM Posted to Idealisms