doing the right thing

[smkie]

I hate being the one that has to "do the right thing" The dog that I told you about, that didn't return the leash, was back today. HE wants to live at my house.They all want to live at my house. He stays out right in front of my door. WHen I saw him I stepped out (of course he doesn't have the reflective collar on him that I gave them) i had a leash but nothing to hook it to. I asked Bronwyn (my son's girlfriend) to hand me out Vics collar. She opened the door an inch and of course Mary and Vic forced their way through. I have slobbering snarling snapping dog by the scruff with both hands. I lift him up until he is on his tippy toes and yelled at my dogs to get in the house. Of course they didn't. Mary isn't about to, her hackles are up and she is gonna get that dog away from me...Vic is charged and jumping everywhere. I holllared at Bronwyn to put them in the car and somehow she manage to do so. I put the dog down and took him in my house. Letting my idiots sit in the car and think about what they did!!!!!
So I take the leash, and the collar, and walk this very pretty, very nice lab back to the awful people. Man answers the door and I told him we need to talk. I told him what happened. Told him we could have had vet bills and medical bills too if I got bit. Told him that they have got to control their dog
15 minutes later the dog is on my porch.
I had to call animal control. I had no choice. I don't care that it was the right thing to do. I am not beating myself up about it. I am very sad about the very nice lab that got the terrible people in life. I know that she has about a nil chance of being adopted out of the raytown pound. There are too many black dogs there. She was so scared in the box that she was drooling. I feel like hell. I just hate this. Especially knowing the two toddlers that were at the door without a stitch of clothing on (the temp today is in the 30's) wearing diapers that have balooned out and yellow. Know what that is about too. I even sat outside with the dog in my car for 30 minutes. I didn't want him top tear the car up either. She was a very, very nice dog.
Officer took her away. Why do I have to be the one over and over again to Do the right thing. Why can't i look away like everybody else does. I have spent my life taking care of people.Children others and mine, animals, the same, the elderly in a nursing home, the drug and alcohol addicted veterans, and finally the profoundly handicapped mostly mental. I have seen enough that if I don't ever see another case of abuse I would get down and kiss the ground. How the dog gods must weep each time they look down. Sorry for such a depressing story, thanks for reading. You all help keep me optimistic about this dismal ol world.
ps last time I broke up a dog fight I got 20+ stitches in my hand. If you don't know how to break one up for god sake's don't put your hands in the middle of it.

 

[Saje]

Aw Smkie. What a wonderful person you are. You care so much and you did the right thing. I really hope that dog finds a new forever home. I really, really do. We all do.

And I hope you feel better knowing how wonderful we think you are. You did the right thing. I feel bad for the children too.

God. People suck

 

[Love4Pits]

You defiantly did the right thing. That poor dog you know its not given enough attention when it keeps on shwoing up at your door.

 

[Renee750il]

You really weren't left any choice. Whatever your local social agency is also needs to be notified of the children's plight, not only for their sakes, but for your own as well. More and more states are adopting laws that hold people responsible for not reporting suspected neglect and abuse cases. You should be able to remain anonymous. If you do call, if you dial *67 before dialing the number it should block your number from coming up on any caller IDs that might be connected to the agency's office lines. Truthfully, though, I would call from a payphone somewhere just to be on the safe side.

Poor pup. It's a cold, hard world out there. Sometimes doing the right thing leaves a huge hole in your heart.

 

[smkie]

I know thatthe dog is in an awful place full of the scent of fear, that she doens't understand at all. I know that these people are poor and the 175 dollars worth of sitations they received will not help the children either. If I called to report that they didn't have clothes on and they were indoors, and that their diapers were ripe, nothing would happen. It has to be god awful and you have to have complete proof. But summer is coming and I will be watching closely. so will Keith my landlord that lives two doors down from them. We had this problem on the street where my house burned. A bad Bad two parents with 8 children. A house of filth..and physical abuse. We all reported repeatedly. Something was eventually done and the woman and man are presently serving loads of time for sexual and physical abuse counts and counts of it. They had a boxer that just loved those children. THe horrible woman knew I liked their dog and brought him to my door wanting to sell him so "she could get her children back" . Which was total bull but if I had had a dime to my name I would have bought that dog and found it the home it deserved. A better nannydog never existed. He was the best thing in theire lives. I just hope that I am not seeing a repeat performance. I don't want to know about any of this. I just couldn't risk mary or Victor getting torn up. We could be out in the yard and have the dog show up..it was really bad. I see that my psyche isn't the only one shookl up tonight by an almost dog fight. They are scary and getting bit really hurts. When I got bit in the hand, the tooth went in between my second and third finger severing a tendon. It was very deep and split my hand open in a way it should never be split. For a long time when I tried to play the piano those two fingers would respond at the same time. I had to really work to get individual motion back. Cana you imagine what damage that dog could do to poor skinny Vic that is half the weight of the lab? The whole thing really shook him up to.
Mary is still angry and looking out the door periodically.

 

[Renee750il]

This is a terrible situation for all of you. Poor Skinny Vic! I am so used to having dogs that I don't have to worry about with other dogs. I once saw Bear bowl over a Rottie that had run out and tried to bite his leg, then immediately pounce on top of the totally surprised dog and put his mouth over his throat and "explain" the way things REALLY worked to him. Rottie got up and was very polite and well behaved after that and Bear allowed him to join the game he was playing with the other dogs. He really was just the best thing with other dogs. I never saw him ever hurt another dog, but he would jump to the defense of a smaller dog without doing more than scaring the offender. And of course, small dogs could do just about anything and he'd only ignore it.

Wouldn't this world be a superior place if people just acted more like dogs? You'd still have the occasional obnoxious smart-aleck, but things like that would be taken care of without so much angst. [sigh]

 

[smkie]

Good news..for an old post..mom showed me in the paper this morning that Wayside waifs is going to take a more active role in dog adoption and fostering for the raytown pound. This place had a 60 percent kill rate and put some 8000 dogs down last year. I think that is the right number. That is why I felt so sick about the dog going there. They started two weeks ago so there is a little bit better chance for her. Part of me wants to call but when you really don't want to know bad news.....

 

[bogolove]

Oh yeah that is hard. You want to know, but do you really? I don't know if I would call or not. I found out there is a no kill shelter here, and I am so glad for that. They even have a website, it is

www.happytaleshumane.com

They foster out all of their animals and you have to make an appointment to meet them so it even makes for less chance of someone underserving to get one of those animals.

But on another note, I hope everything worksout for the lab.

 

[Renee750il]

Smkie, maybe you could sponsor her; work out something where you'll sponsor half of her adoption fees or something. I've done that on occasion (during periods where I've been half-way flush, lol) and it really can help to get those adult animals looked at.

 

[smkie]

GEeeee it is 11 am.I was trying toa catch an extra snooze cause I worked late last night and all of a sudden Victor is racing from window to door (and over my head) mary is talking her worried talk..guess why..he's back! His people are chasing him around my yard now. oh boy..guess I am up for the day now.

 

[bogolove]

Apparently that dog wants to live with you or he would not be at your house so much. He seems fascinated by your house and your animals.

 

[smkie]

I am so sorry but I she can't. When my daughter brought home two dogs from her father's house I had the same problem. I had the limit allowed by the city. She was suppose to find homes but hadn't so they were with us for 30 days. I gave them to a no kill shelter. Wouldn't it figure that the people directly across from my Mother's would adopt one of them. A place that I drive to everyday. She is overfed and has to be chained to the porch when she goes out, but other than that she is a house dog. They often let her run at night....so everytime i am there she sees me and I know she remembers how much fun she had with the other dogs in the enormous back yard. Poor ol Chewy, other than the running at night they seem to take pretty good care of her. I always say hello to her and try to drive away quick enough that she can't follow. I have a collection of photos that i have taken of each transiet we've housed, We have been a port in the storm for several animals. Maybe it is written in that doggie graffitti that they leave on my trees!

 

[candy722]

I think you did the right thing and I would do the same.

 

[smkie]

BUT oh what do I do now? Mom suggested that if she comes back I find something to scare her away..like an air horn. What I am afraid of is I work outside a lot. I garden (flowers and tomamtoes for Hyia) and have a collection of little trees. Some bonsai and some just little trees. If I take the dogs out Victor is always on a leash, but that has never been necessary with mary and I can't work holding two leashes. IF this dog runs down here (he is only two doors up) and starts a fight with Mary, I cannot hold them responsible because she will not be on a leash. I do not want to have to imprison her to the house because of this, but I don't want her hurt either. This just so totally sucks! Guess time will tell. They only ran through my yard once today, but this is the day the man of the house is home. It is during the week while he is gone that the dog runs the neighborhood. When this dog bit my landlord's sheltie, putting four punctures in her back (a vet trip) the city said even though his dog was on his own property because it was not on a leash he could not hold the lose dog reponsible. That doen'st seem right, but I asked the dog pound lady and she said yes that is the law. I do not have a fence, and do not have the means to put one in right now. Besides that if Mary saw this dog coming she would fly over arthritis and all. She never leaves the property and loves to sit out in the sun, or enjoy soaking in their dog pool.

 

[cincodahlila]

ok question theres a dog in my neighborhood that the owners din't care about and always runs particlary when my pups are out and cinco does NOT like this dog and from what I can tell they have the dog out hours on end with no food or water. what can I do? the only place that we've gotten newhere with is elmbrook HS (if they wind up taking him he'll have a fairly good chance since theydon't many dogs due to the location of them)

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

Don't feel bad. You did the right thing. It was wrong of them to keep that dog, and now he has a chance to get a better home. I wish him luck with that .

 

[smkie]

The bad thing Gaddy is they got him back!!! He has visited us twice today..this morning they were right behind him..but tonight he was solo in my carport. I asked aaron (who saw him by the car and gave him a good pet and its no wonder he likes it here) if he had his collar on but he couldn't remember, he thought so. The truth will be Monday when the man goes to work, cause wife hasnt even tried before..this should have a title like as the world turns... maybe as the dog roams? I got it, Return of the Artful Dodger!
IF i am approached by a dog while walking Vic we ignore it completely unless it forces it's way and can not be avoided. then I step one leg over Victor putting myself between the two dogs and I tell that dog to GO HOME firmly. If that doens't work, I will say it a lttle meaner and with a real business tone to my voice. I might lean a bit that way. Still with Vic between my legs..I do not want him to move a muscle and he is more than happy to comply. I try to think myself very tall and mean looking. Vic and I had this happen recently and it was a boy howdy big dog. That usually backs off most dogs, if there not getting that close I'd chuck a rock at it. Don't hit it, but get real close.There was a dog that hid when I was a kid riding my pony that would jump out and snap at the hindquarters of my pony. This usually ended me up on the pavement and one time knocked me out. AFter that I carried a good sack of throwing rocks when I had to go down that road, if I did hit the dog, i didn't permanantly hurt it, and I didn't get thrown anymore either.

 

[Barb04]

Smkie, you did do the right thing. I wish there were more responsible owners out there.

 

[Renee750il]

Wish I could loan you my pack of Monsters for a day or two to convince the dog that your yard really isn't all that hospitable. That Collie doesn't even look at my car anymore, lol!

 

[smkie]

woulnd't that be GReat? One of Shiva's little looks would just do it up right! lol