Margaret Christina
11-14-2005, 12:48 AM
I just need a moment to vent about a "rescue" who rescued and are adopting out dogs from New Orleans.
The local pet store is housing these rescues, and when I found out, I jumped to the idea of volunteering my services to help these dogs out. So I have been spending my time working with these guys and writing up very detailed behavioral reports that the store asked me if I would make for them.
I have abliged 40 hours so far, meanwhile turning down my own clientel to make enough time.
After all of this I find out yesterday that one of the dogs bit a handler. His name is Charlie, and he is an older 9-12 year chow mix, with relatively bad arthritis.
This particular dog I had outlined on his behavior report that he is fearful of children because of their unpredictable nature, and is it highly likely that he will bite out of fear if no "escape" route is given to him in situations where children are present. I also noted and outlined that he was very physically sensitive and feels that close handling is both invasive and intrusive, therefore any physical means to coherse him or move him should be avoided to prevent any chance of him biting.
So the bite situation as told to me kind of goes like this.
The dog was walked for 5 minutes in the morning, and was being brought back to his "pen"
(The pen is a small dog run in the middle of a busy pet store where children and people walk by and look at the "cute doggies" for 12 hours a day. The pen is desined to hold 3-5 smal breed puppies. )
When they got back to the pen, there was another dog in there as well, with a 12 year old volunteer already in there playing with the other dog.
Charlie froze at the opening and didnt want to go inside because of the volunteer. The handler then bent down and tried to push his body forward with both her hands and,
ARF
Her leg was in his mouth and his bit down almost enough to break the skin.
I know I know, you are probably thinking, "Well how can they expect anything else, there was a child there, and the handler started pushing him around! I would have bit back too!"
The reports were never shown to the people who actualy had to handle the dogs! Now I'd assume information like that would be valuable, increasing safety and avoiding the possability for someone to get hurt.
I feel bad for the poor DOG! I can't imagine how traumatizing it must be to have been through all he has, and still, no one gets it.
What hit me even harder is what I was told by the dog groomer on staff there. This woman actualy told me, "If I would have been here and seen that dog bite, I would have kicked the **** out of him, and I guarantee he wouldnt be breathing now."
At that point my mouth gaped open and all that could come out was
"I can't imagine what it's like to walk around blind folded, ignorance isnt bliss, in this case its downright abusive...."
My head is still spinning after that one... I am definatly learning more than what I bargained for!
The local pet store is housing these rescues, and when I found out, I jumped to the idea of volunteering my services to help these dogs out. So I have been spending my time working with these guys and writing up very detailed behavioral reports that the store asked me if I would make for them.
I have abliged 40 hours so far, meanwhile turning down my own clientel to make enough time.
After all of this I find out yesterday that one of the dogs bit a handler. His name is Charlie, and he is an older 9-12 year chow mix, with relatively bad arthritis.
This particular dog I had outlined on his behavior report that he is fearful of children because of their unpredictable nature, and is it highly likely that he will bite out of fear if no "escape" route is given to him in situations where children are present. I also noted and outlined that he was very physically sensitive and feels that close handling is both invasive and intrusive, therefore any physical means to coherse him or move him should be avoided to prevent any chance of him biting.
So the bite situation as told to me kind of goes like this.
The dog was walked for 5 minutes in the morning, and was being brought back to his "pen"
(The pen is a small dog run in the middle of a busy pet store where children and people walk by and look at the "cute doggies" for 12 hours a day. The pen is desined to hold 3-5 smal breed puppies. )
When they got back to the pen, there was another dog in there as well, with a 12 year old volunteer already in there playing with the other dog.
Charlie froze at the opening and didnt want to go inside because of the volunteer. The handler then bent down and tried to push his body forward with both her hands and,
ARF
Her leg was in his mouth and his bit down almost enough to break the skin.
I know I know, you are probably thinking, "Well how can they expect anything else, there was a child there, and the handler started pushing him around! I would have bit back too!"
The reports were never shown to the people who actualy had to handle the dogs! Now I'd assume information like that would be valuable, increasing safety and avoiding the possability for someone to get hurt.
I feel bad for the poor DOG! I can't imagine how traumatizing it must be to have been through all he has, and still, no one gets it.
What hit me even harder is what I was told by the dog groomer on staff there. This woman actualy told me, "If I would have been here and seen that dog bite, I would have kicked the **** out of him, and I guarantee he wouldnt be breathing now."
At that point my mouth gaped open and all that could come out was
"I can't imagine what it's like to walk around blind folded, ignorance isnt bliss, in this case its downright abusive...."
My head is still spinning after that one... I am definatly learning more than what I bargained for!