Another Reson Not to Like Pit Bulls
(THIS REALLY HAPPENED).
It was Saturday. Cartoons were over, I was bored, and Maggie was panting in the backyard. I decided that this was the perfect time to take a walk to the park. After bribing Billy with a chance of lizard sightings, the three of us (me, Billy & Maggie) set off.
It was a nice walk. I saw two pit bulls on my way to the park, and, to my surprise, they were friendly. "These dogs aren't as bad as I thought they were," said my optimistic side. We walked by and they didn't act violent at all... they just acted like dogs (which isn't an insult in this case, because after all, they were). We also say a turkey vulture sitting on the top of a hollow tree. Her babies were probably in a nest, but she wouldn't let us get close enough to look inside. She hissed like a cat until we left.
The park was no different than usual. Empty, hot. We parked ourselves in the shade of a big oak tree and watched Maggie as she ventured around on the freshly mowed grass. After sniffing the premises thoroughly, Maggie trotted back over and laid down a few feet away from me. We rested there for about fifteen minutes.
"Come on," Billy said, dully. It was hot and we hadn't seen even one lizard. I got up from my comfortable patch of green paradise and began the walk back home. Maggie trotted along contentedly, Billy scoured the trail for any sign of lizard life, and I thought to myself, Maggie is such a good, good dog.
After we walked up a gravel hill and made our way back to the neighborhood, I called Maggie back to me. "Come here, baby. That's a good girl," I cooed as she walked over, sluggishly, and let me snap on her red paw print leash. She looked at me with an expression that read, "do I have to?"
The blacktop street was sweltering. I could see the heat waves rising up and forming water-like mirages in the shallow dips. I wiped my sweaty brow and continued walking, without much to say. I could see our road up ahead. All I could picture was the fresh stream of water pouring down into a glass of ice.
Finally, we turned onto our street. Billy drudged along silently and I smiled. We were almost there. Visions of the air conditioned living room filled my mind. I could just picture mom standing there with two fresh glasses of water and a few peached for Billy and I. I walked faster.
All of a sudden, I snapped back into reality. Looking a few houses down, I saw two big, cream colored dogs. One was a German-shepherd lab cross, and the other was a pit bull. I analyzed the situation, and all thought of "nice pit bulls" left my mind. I hurried to cross the street. Hopefully the strange dog would decide to stay put.
I glanced behind me. I could see the pit bull eying me slyly. The lab cross stood and watched, looking relaxed. I reached the center of the street.
The pit bull came closer. I saw it growl, looking directly at me. Panic overtook me and I tried to walk faster. However, before I could even take a step, the cunning pit bull jumped. I saw it in slo-mo. I heard a growl and a sharp yelp. I instinctively let go of the leash and backed off, screaming irrationally at the foreign dog. "Go away! Leave her alone!" I started to cry in my anger.
Maggie's neck wrenched as she tried to escape the pit bull's grasp. I felt slight relief as she shook him off, only to gasp as he snarled and darted again, this time catching her ear. Maggie yelped loudly and ran off across the street. A black truck that was going by missed her by a few inches.
I heard the sound of a woman's voice. It was sharp and unemotional. It said, "Get over here. Get!" I turned and saw the pit bull inching over to the woman like a guilty child. The lab mix panted as he ambled over, tail wagging.
I was full of rage.
"Keep your dogs inside from now on!" I shouted. She had her arms crossed over her chest as she replied,
"I don't think so." I glared at her, asking for an explanation of her rash response.
"Oh, and besides, they're not mine," she sneered. I breathed in. Her little game was getting annoying.
"Okay then. Whose are they?"
"Someone who's visiting me." Defiant.
"Then tell your guests to keep their dogs off of the street!" I turned around and left her to her dogs. Tears blurred my vision as I reached the other side of the road. A man, leaning on his white truck, said,
"Are you alright?"
I nodded, and he said, "Go home and tell your parents about this. Those dogs are vicious."
"Okay."
I looked down and remembered; Maggie was gone.
"Maggie! Here baby! Come here!" I called, with no response.
I scanned the road and the house, seeing nothing but a little girl sitting in her driveway.
"She went over there," the little girl said, and pointed to my house. I walked up. Maggie was there, panting heavily. I could see the blood trickling from her ear onto her soft, white fur.
I was a nervous wreck when I walked through the door. Dad took one look at me an said,
"Uh-oh. Something went wrong."
I sobbed out an explanation of what had just happened. I then tried to clean off Maggie's ear, unsuccessfully. Dad told me to get in the van, and I showed him the house of the girl, the old man with the white truck, and of course, the lady with the two dogs (although I could say the three dogs. After all, she was kind of a dog herself). We drove back to the house and dad called the police. I sat on the floor next to my wounded dog.
I was still sitting there when a lieutenant from animal control rang the doorbell. She told us that she had already been to the neighbors' house, and that they insisted that they had no dogs and that no dogs had been there.
It seemed that with two witnesses, not to mention Bill and I, they could have done something. However, the lieutenant explained that she couldn't prove that the dogs were theirs. It was our word against theirs, and there was no concrete evidence as to who owned the dogs.
She left, leaving a card with her name and number on it.
We poured hydrogen peroxide on Maggie's ear. She cried and eventually laid down on the cool linoleum.
I hope that no one else gets hurt by that pit bull, but, to be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if it bit someone. Even if that someone was a child. I hope it won't come to that.
posted by Katie at 5:27 PM
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