A Bad Thing (by Ojo)

Hi. Ojo here.

Something Bad happened today.

We were just finishing our Walk (which was pawesome up until then, with mud and rain and bunnies for chasing), when two Whippet-Dogs came running down the path. They were coming in very fast and so I froze, dropped my head, and looked away. 

But the whippets ran right up to me, and right away the female bit my neck, and then the male jumped on me, and next thing I knew they were attacking me! 

I tried to get away, but they kept following. They bit my ears and my neck and my tail and my back legs. I tried to cry for help, and I tried to cry for them to stop, but they did not. 

I tried to run into the bushes, but they followed. I threw myself onto my back and tried to be as flat as I could and show that I meant no harm, but they kept biting and grabbing.

It was terrible.

I could hear my person screaming for the Dogs' person to help, but she did not help. She just called back, "I can't call them!"

Finally the Dogs went away. I went right to my person and huddled with her leg. She checked me over with gentle hands, and while I feel a bit bruised we don't think I am bleeding anywhere, or that there are any holes in me. I am missing several tufts of fur, however.

We walked back to Car. I shook off eight times in a row, but I still felt unsettled. Our person gave me cheese. We hopped into the back of Car and I got a towel-off, and another check over, and more cheese.

Then we sat in Car. I'm not sure why. My person says it's because she was very shaky and not ready to drive yet, although I always thought that Car did the driving so I'm not sure about this.

About ten people-minutes later Car was turned on and defogging, getting ready to go, when the woman with the whippets came into the parking lot. Our person got out of Car and went to talk to her. I could only hear part of what was said, because I stayed inside Car where it was safe.

My person asked the woman if she knew that her Dogs had attacked me because she was far away when it happened. The woman said yes, she knew that. Then she said that her female Dog had been attacked a while ago and had a chunk taken out of her side, and now she is scared of Dogs, so she attacks any Dog that she sees. 

The woman said that she didn't think they would see anyone on their Walk (at nine-thirty in the morning on a main trail) because it was raining. The woman then said that she has brain damage and bad balance and so she cannot walk her Dogs on leash, they have to go off leash. And that she tries to avoid people, but we were there on a rainy day and so yes, her Dog attacked me and that's just how it is. 

She said that the male Dog is younger and does whatever the female tells him to do, so that's why he attacked me too. When my person said that this was not okay, the woman said that it's not her fault, she has brain damage and so she can't do anything about it. 

Their words went on for a while longer, but the woman was very clear that she didn't think it was her responsibility and she wasn't going to do anything about it in the future except for trying to avoid other Dogs. 

My person is still very upset. 

She is angry that this happened to me. It was not fair, and we've have done so much work to help me be less afraid of strange Dogs and she is worried about this setting me back. (I'm not sure yet whether this will stick or not. I will let you know next time I see another Whippet, or next time another Dog comes running at me very fast like that.)

My person is also angry on behalf of the Whippet-Dog who is so afraid that she attacks all other Dogs that she sees. This is not a happy way to live life. And also, my person is worried that one day the whippet will attack a big, also-unsure Dog and that she will get hurt very badly.

My person is angry that the woman took no responsibility for taking care of her Dogs, and seemed to think that it was okay for her Dog to attack other Dogs just because it had been attacked first.

My person called animal control and reported this, even though we know that without a name they probably cannot follow up. But maybe if it happens again, which we hope not but it sounds like it probably will, there will be a record of my encounter too.

When we finally got home I curled up into a very small ball. I think I will spent the rest of the day resting. I hope tomorrow will be better.