Remember to watch your dogs outside if not in a secure area

[Barb04]

My stepson let his pittie who is very sweet outside by himself, unobserved because he was too tire to walk him. You can guess what's next, his pittie ran off. My stepson & his friend finally found him 4 miles from the house in water with pigs (oink oink) on someone's farm. Thank God for miracles that the farmer didn't see this or a cop didn't see a pittie on the loose because he may not be here today. What I wouldn't give to see my stepson so I can give him a swift kick in the rear and hit on the head for doing this. Being lazy is no excuse for not walking your dog when you don't have a secure area for him to run in.

Please remember that your dog may be the friendliest dog around, but if someone doesn't know him/her, it may be the end.

Thankfully, this story had a happy ending.

 

[Dangels]

I am always telling people the exact same thing! There are far too many things that can happen to dogs that are allowed to run free wherever they please. I know several people personally, who have lost dogs because they were allowed to run loose outside, and they sadly ended up getting hit by cars. I wouldn't say that I totally think that anyone is completely to blame, because it's still an accident, no one really knew what was going to happen. BUT, in my eyes it is better to be safe than sorry.

I agree, dogs should never be allowed outside unsupervised without being on a tie out, in a kennel, fenced yard, ect.

 

[Lilavati]

That goes double for any of the "scary" breeds. I was walking to the metro one day, while I was living in the District, to see a pittie literally sniffing daisies. No sign of a aggression. Occasionally looked around, wagged his tail vaguely, and back to the flowers. Surrounding this innocent and unsuspecting creature were two ACOs, with catch poles, and a police officer WITH HIS GUN aimed at the pitties head. The dog had tags and collar, looked to be in a good health, and wasn't, that I could tell, bothering a soul. They double catch poled him and tried to drag him to the van (I say tried to drag because he came along quite peacefully, looking confused). The gun was on him the whole time. As far as I know, that dog had done nothing but be a pittie. But they handled him very roughly, and had a gun on him. I suspected that had he as much as sneezed, they would have shot him, right there on the median beside 20th street.

The point is, if your dog is "vicious" by virtue of existing, it may be treated in ways that can lead to its emmenent death.

 

[bubbatd]

Wow Barb ... I don't blame you for being upset !!! Can Carl knock something into that noggin !

 

[Sweet72947]

My sister's boyfriend's family has a chow mix, and she sometimes gets out of their electric fence and will be gone for half the day, and then comes home by herself. But its ok because "nothing bad has ever happened' and they've "never gotten any complaints". So I guess they want to wait until their dog gets hurt before doing anything about her escaping.

 

[ACooper]

Thank goodness alls well that ends well this time............it could have went so differently

 

[Punkygirl0101]

I used to have neighbors who allowed their chows to wander the neighborhood....A city neighborhood with busy streets all around.

I would NEVER allow my dogs to be off leash in an unsecured area.

 

[King Pup]

It riles me to see dogs tied up outside of stores in the city, especially cities with a lot of crazies like NYC. I saw a crazy guy unleashing a dog outside of a Gristedes last winter, it obviously wasn't his so I asked him what he was doing. He told me "setting it free, man". If I didn't intervene that dog might have bolted.

 

[wishbone]

Your stepson really deserves some training...

 

[Lilavati]

It riles me to see dogs tied up outside of stores in the city, especially cities with a lot of crazies like NYC. I saw a crazy guy unleashing a dog outside of a Gristedes last winter, it obviously wasn't his so I asked him what he was doing. He told me "setting it free, man". If I didn't intervene that dog might have bolted.

I'd say the problem isn't people tying their dogs up for a moment . . . its psychos who want to set them free . . . though that IS why its unwise to leave your dog tied up. Sigh.

 

[mrose_s]

it also goes double if your in a rural area, I know most farmers here will shoot first and ask questions later to protect their stock. Then people are annoyed at THEM when they loose their dog.

 

[smkie]

Hopefully this experience will scare him straight.

 

[Jules]

Unfortunately, in these crazy times I would not tie my dog outside of a store (as owner of a pit mix anyway) and I do not leave her unsupervised in the backyard at all either.

She is not a jumper at all, doesn't even jump up on the fence.... but you never know. I am also terribly paranoid of someone stealing her. I would never forgive myself.

ETA: Barb, I am glad all turned out okay and that they learned their lesson!