Damn. Somebody Really Is Trying To Tell Me Something

*UPDATE BELOW*

I had a great post all ready for today. It was about health care, which, some of you know, is one of my hot button issues.

But instead, I'm going to rant about being attacked by dogs yesterday. Because I'm really pissed off.

Fall has FINALLY come, which means, temperatures have finally dropped below 80 degrees. Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day; sunny, but breezy and cool. I decided, instead of doing my usual in home work out in front of the television, to take a walk. I was really enjoying the weather, grooving to my walking tunes, and enjoying life in general.

I was so incredibly buoyed by the nice weather. Summer can be interminably long and terribly oppressive for me. I'm a transplant to the South and even after 20 years, I have not acclimated.

Because I had headphones on, I didn't immediately realize that I was being attacked. It wasn't until the dog was mere inches from of me that I saw him. He was a very large Shepherd mix and there was a smaller dog of similar color and parentage on his heels. His hackles were up, he was barking in a very menacing manner. He was not simply issuing a warning. He intended to hurt me and his cohort was similarly inclined.

I was frightened, but I did manage to remember not to run. I knew he would take me down if I did that. He circled me, growling and barking. I had absolutely nothing with which to defend myself and I realized that my only chance was to scream loud enough that someone might hear me and come to help.

So I did. I have never screamed that loud or that long in my life. I screamed and screamed. I felt like a pure fool standing there in the street screaming like a girl, but it was the only thing I could do. The big dog went behind me and the smaller dog took position in front of me. In complete terror I realized that they were working in tandem to subdue their prey....me.

The big dog attacked me from behind. He bit me on the hip, and then circled for another pass. I didn't feel any pain, so I assumed that I wasn't badly hurt. Later I realized that so much adrenaline was coursing through my veins that I could have been hit by a bus and not felt anything.

Clearly, standing there screaming wasn't goiing to help. It was 2:00 in the afternoon and most people in the neighborhood were at work.

The dog readied for another attack. I could see the tension in his haunches as his muscles bunched and he prepared to launch himself at me. I could see his slavering jaws working up and down as he barked, and the hair standing up in a stiff ridge along his back.

I decided to switch tactics. I stood my ground and said in the meanest voice I could muster, "NO NO! BAD DOG! YOU GO HOME!" He backed off a bit and I felt quite proud of myself. But then I realized the dog wasn't cowed by me, but by the man that had come out of the house behind me weilding a rake and shouting.

"Get the hell out of here, you lousy fleabitten piece of shit!" the man hollered, brandishing his rake.

The dogs ran. And I suddenly felt as if I might faint, throw up, or both. I realized then that I had been in fear for my life.

"Are you hurt?" the man asked.

I assured him I wasn't, and thanked him profusely for coming to my rescue. He was MAD. He told me that the same dog had attacked another woman a couple weeks ago, while she was out walking her own dog. He said he wished he had had his gun handy. He saw the whole thing from his window, including when the dog bit me.

"I'd have shot those damned mongrels without a second thought." he said.

He was very dignified looking. His hair was silver and he wore a pair of bi-focals low on his nose. He was dressed in a black button down shirt, black and grey houndstooth patterned slacks, and black loafers. I later found out that he is a professor at the local college and that certainly fit with his appearnace.

He went to investigate where the dogs had gone. It turned out that they had retreated to their fenced back yard. The gate was standing wide open and nobody appeared to be home. Neither he nor I wanted to approach the house to shut the gate or knock on the door. He advised me to call animal control and offered to walk me home. I declined his offer, but thanked him again.

I hurried home to call animal control. The elementary school bus was due to arrive and one of the stops was right at the corner where I was attacked. I was extremely worried that a child might be hurt. After 2:30, the neighborhood is crawling with kids of every size.

Animal control said that I was the "next priority". The officer was at a vet in the neighborhing town and would be over when he was finished there. I told the dispatcher calmly, but firmly, that that was not acceptable. There were vicious dogs loose in a neighborhood and children were at risk. He said the officer would be there as soon as he could.

TWO HOURS later the animal control officer had still not arrived. While I was waiting I had contacted our HOA president to inquire about any vicious animal clauses in our covenants.

In my opinion, a dog that will attack a person completely unprovoked has no place in an urban neighborhood, fence or no fence. I was not in this dog's yard. I was not anywhere near his yard. I was not doing anything threatening. I was simply walking.

I called animal control again. I explained the situation again. I made it clear that I was not happy it was taking so long when there was very real danger. He apologized, explained that they were short handed and contacted the officer in the field to see when he would be getting here. Turns out, there was some kind of miscommunication, and he had never gotten the original call. Ididots. Don't you think such a call would warrant some kind of priority or red flag?

HELLO. Vicious dogs running loose. Send help.

I was peeved.

Finally he arrived. I explained what happened and then we went to the home where the dogs had come from. There was a car in the driveway, the gate was now closed and CHILDREN'S toys could be seen in the open garage. The dogs there matched my description and when he approached, the dog did behave aggressively toward the officer. However, as he noted, he was in the dogs' territory, so aggressive behavior was not necessarily an indication of viciousness.

My witness was not at home and as it turned out, the woman at the house was only the grandmother, not the homeowner. He issued a citation and that was that.

That. Was That.

Had the bite broken the skin, the dog would have been removed immediately. But since I only had a bruise, they couldn't and wouldn't.

So in other words, an animal has to hurt somebody before it can be removed, even though it has repeatedly demonstrated aggressive behavior. Does that make any kind of sense to you??

I am very angry. I'm not sure what to do next, but I will not let this go. The HOA president was horrified and upset and assured me that there were covenants to that effect, but of course, they are not without their caveats. There is protocol that has to be followed.

I got nothing from the homeowners, though my name, address and phone number were on the citation. No word of apology, no offers of recompense. Nothing.

This is unacceptable. Dangerous animals have more rights than my children and those in the neighborhood? Don't get me wrong...I love animals. I really, really do. But I also have a healthy appreciation for the fact that they are, above all, animals. People have a tendency to project human thoughts and emotions onto them, but the fact is, that they are just animals. Predators.

I won't walk outside again without being armed with something. A stick. Mace. A cattleprod would be good. And that's wrong.

I shouldn't fear for my life in my own backyard.

Post Script: I called the HOA president, explained that Animal Control had been issued a citation and that I did not find that an acceptable resolution. I told her I was considering writing a letter to the homeowners asking them to voluntarily to remove the dog, and if they were unwilling to comply, to proceed with legal action.

This isn't a matter of revenge. But there are small children that live and play right next door. My sons play at the house accross the street. The bus stops at that corner every day. Also, there is a very frail man with a cane who walks there daily. If I don't do everything I can to take care of this problem and a child is hurt, or god forbid killed, I could never live with myself.

Anyway, the HOA president is taking this very seriously. She did some calling around and found out that there have been not one, but two previous attacks. Why those individuals did not contact animal control is beyond my understanding. But, she is going to contact them personally tomorrow and ask them to write a statement. She will also contact my witness and ask him to write a statement. I know he will be willing.

Then, they will approach the homeowners, explain that because of the number and severity of the attacks the dogs will have to removed as per our HOA covenants. If they will not comply, the HOA will begin legal proceedings.

The HOA president has been wonderful and she expressed disbelief and outrage that the owners have not contacted us to apologize.

Mrs. Chicky..I do know that if he wanted to hurt me he would have. That little bite was just a warning. But I also know that he was preparing to launch a second attack and goodness knows what he would have done. My witness expressed the belief that the dog had deadly intent as well.

Thanks to everyone for your kind words and well wishes. At this point, I'm over the panic and just pissed as hell.