Mine started off innocent enough. But then I took the dog for a walk. I have some new neighbors. They moved in about 3 weeks ago. They have a dog. A yellow lab. A normally docile creature. Not this one... 2 weeks ago, he was off-leash in the courtyard and he came after Bette. Luckily, I just reached down, picked her up and held her overhead. The owner was yelling for the dog to come. He totally ignored his master and the guy had to come and drag him away. Nice. I said, "WTF? Where's his leash?" "Oh, he's a nice dog." "My ass. Where's his leash?".
This morning... no owner. Just some girl who lives here and insists on trying to be everyone's new best friend. She's now been hanging with the new neighbors and taking the yellow lab for short, windy walks. Except this morning, he was off-leash again. And I didn't see him. And I had an arm-load of mail and magazines from my over-stuffed mailbox. He ran around me, in front of me (effectively cutting me off) and got into Bette's face. I kicked at him to nudge him away whilst trying to pull her back, but he came at her again. Now she's cornered in the bushes and defensive, and I don't blame her. So she jumps at him to push him and he comes unhinged and attacked her. I threw down all my mail, lost my slippers and was screaming and crying and making noises I've never heard come out of my mouth. He had her neck in his mouth and wouldn't let go. I yanked his collar: nothing. I broke and bent fingernails back, yanking at the scruff of his neck: nothing. By this time, the neighbor girls was there, doing something, although I couldn't tell you what. He doesn't listen to his owner, why would he listen to anyone else?
Somehow, Bette got loose and they ended up behind me. I'm on my hands and knees, on the concrete, scrambling to get my dog loose. Around I go, and I wanted to kick him in the
head, or punch him in the head, but with her neck in his jaw... All I could think of was to pry his mouth open. This wasn't working, so I stuck my left index finger into his eye. And I kept pushing, while using my left thumb to pry his upper jaw open, and my right hand to pry his lower jaw open. I got bit, a couple of times, but he let loose and I was able to scoop her up while jumping up and got both of us in the house. I collapsed, sobbing and checking her over. Amazingly, she only has a bit of road rash on her chin. I have road rash on both knees, lacerations on my right index finger, broke half the nails on both hands, and broke off the ring finger nail on my right hand about 2 mm into the quick. I almost passed out when I cleaned it and put hydrogen peroxide on it.
I was so angry that I called the apt office and filed a complaint. I was then urged to go to the urgent care, where they filed a report with the SPCA. If this was the first time, I'd still be pissed, but this dog has come after mine TWICE. In three weeks. Both times, he's been off-leash. No excuse for that. I hope to God this never happens again, but I think if it did, I'd have to choke the attacking dog. Maybe if it didn't have oxygen, it would let go sooner. Christ, I don't know. It was scary as hell and happened SO fast...
The dog is sleeping away. I'm typing like a 3rd grader with the bandaids on my fingers. But here's the damage. It's black and blue around the knuckle and sore as all get-out! The photo is blurry, but it really feels much worse than it looks...
5 comments:
Oh hell no! Not my Bette! That really bites Holly, no pun intended.
Glad to know that you are both okay though. Nasty pic. Cuidado my friend.
Miss Bette is doing well. The dog's owner left a note on my door, apologizing, and I stopped by to ack the note, AND let him know that I'd talked to the apt. manager and been to the ER, so he'd be hearing from both the apt office and the SPCA. Anyway, the dog is pretty friendly, just aggressively so. I came home smelling like Bette's "new best friend" and while she was scratching her ear, I petted her. She went apeshit! I felt really bad because I surprised her, AND I smelled like the other dog. Sheesh. So, I guess she's still a bit jumpy, but you'd never know it on our walks. She's so happy just to get outside...
shyte! that's just crazy, Holly. I can't believe you poked the other dog in the eye. that was smart. is it blind now?
I can't believe I poked the other dog in the eye either. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I'd recalled reading that if you were attacked by a shark, poke it in the eye.
The dog's eye is fine (I stuck my finger in the socket and it must have gone around his eyeball. ICK!!!). When I met him the other night (and his owner was in the bathroom), I inspected his eye carefully. It seems fine. I just didn't tell his owner what I'd done... :o)
So this will sound callous, but I've worked with animals (wild and domestic) for years, in multiple official capacities and a dog like that should either be on a farm somewhere remote or destroyed. Seriously. Those critters are the ones that start with small animals they can kill easily & move on to children. Not even kidding. Unless they're totally isolated from other animals with only adults around there will be people attacks in its future.
I've seen it too many times to sugar coat it -- that kind of dog will turn on a person, a small person, soon enough. Not to be trusted. I'm glad you went to the SPCA because they're required to report to animal control (who you might want to call also, btw), and after a certain number of shots the dog will be destroyed.
Also, it can be hard to think in that situation, but in the middle of a dogfight if there's a hose nearby those can be your best friend. Dogs can take a lot of pain when they're in kill mode, but water often does the trick. Might be good to start carrying a spray bottle of vinegar/water, cayenne/water or pepper spray when you go out with Bette. Grabbing and twisting ears like you want to yank them off their heads also works sometimes (I've been in a couple dog fights). Just watch out for the backlash.
And screw that owner. How f*cking irresponsible to have a dog like that roaming. If your dog's attacking anything it is not a nice dog, and a note isn't going to cut it.
Ugh. That just put me in a seriously bad mood. Sorry 'bout the rant. Glad you and your dog are (mostly, physically) okay...
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