dog attack

[yagagriswold.livejournal.com]

I thought the community might want to know that I was attacked by a dog near the Lexington Street playground this morning. It was one of two medium-sized (probably around 50 pounds, I'd guess) dogs held on leash (though just barely) by a blond woman, 40 years old or so.

I was passing them on my bike, after having stopped and asked the owner and another dog owner if I could pass them. Once they acknowledged me and moved their dogs to one side, I rolled slowly by them. The dog lunged at me and took a bite out of my leg, breaking the skin.

While the cops were there, the dogs lunged at several other people, actually grabbing the arm of an older man who was walking by.

I understand from Animal Control that both dogs will now be quarantined for ten days.

I hope no one else has to experience this. I *like* dogs, and this was scary.


Edited to add: April at S'ville Animal Control was true to her word and faxed me the vaccination certificates as soon as she had them. The dogs are up to date on their rabies vaccinations. Thank you, April!

Comments

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Oh, no! I'm so sorry that this happened to you. Glad you were able to enlist Animal Control in coping, and I hope the dogs' human will be able to get them the help they need in learning to respect strangers.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

omg, how horrible. *hugs* and i hope those dogs get some real help.

[smoterh.livejournal.com]

I've been attacked by a unleashed dog on the path, however it was on the Cambridge side (between Mass Ave and Alewife), and luckily I escaped without injury.

Also, for the past 2 years I've been contacting the Aldermen, the Mayor and the Police Dept about the unleashed dogs that hang out around Lexington Park. Although they sympathize, nothing is ever done about this.

[wardv.livejournal.com]

Also, for the past 2 years I've been contacting the Aldermen, the Mayor and the Police Dept about the unleashed dogs that hang out around Lexington Park. Although they sympathize, nothing is ever done about this.

This is not true.

I used to spend quite a lot of time at the Lexington park. I have, on numerous occasions, seen the animal control people stop by to check for unleashed dogs and their owners.

Is that enough of an effort? I'm not sure - I still often see dog owners who let their dogs run free. I don't know what the fine is for not keeping your dog on a leash, but it does not seem to be much of a deterrent. Perhaps it should be raised.

[freedmam.livejournal.com]

Very sorry for you. Glad you are ok. Random thought...does this woman have to pay to have her dogs boarded at Animal Control? Does she have to pay any kind of fine? It would make me mad if No was the answer.

[yagagriswold.livejournal.com]

Apparently, they're letting her quarantine them at home. I don't love this idea, but they didn't ask me.

This is part of why I thought I'd post this. I'm skeptical that she's actually going to keep them in the house for those ten days.

[ron_newman]

Very scary. What happens next -- do you wait N days and then they tell you whether you need to get shots?

[yagagriswold.livejournal.com]

Animal Control is supposed to fax me copies of both dogs' vaccination certificates.

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

What kind of dogs? I'm so sorry that happened!

[thelauraism.livejournal.com]

I see the dogs every single day unleashed during morning rush hour on the bike path.

[smoterh.livejournal.com]

I do too. Every time something like this happens I write a quick and polite email about unleashed dogs to Ward 5 and 6 Aldermen and the Mayor. I hope (fingers crossed) if more people would do this and highlight this problem, maybe one day something would get done about this.

[darxus.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you got cops / Animal Control involved.

[brunchish.livejournal.com]

Can you describe the dogs (breed/colors)? I live in the area and would love to know which dog requires extra distance.

I love dogs, and like to think that I'm being paranoid while walking with my son (in a stroller) but this kind of story scares the hell out of me.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Me too.

[yagagriswold.livejournal.com]

One dog is 54 pounds, the other 63. The smaller dog is a brown/tan mix and the larger one looked like a solid brown.

[real-green-tea.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a really scary experience! I hope you are ok, did you get medical attention? Puncture wounds can get horrifically infected and it is best to get them checked sooner than later, even if it feels completely ok.

Any dog can get sick with a contagion or have a brain tumor, it's not necessarily normal for that breed or even that dog to get aggressive. Sometimes it's an owner's first warning sign that the dog is sick, when the dog attacks a stranger out of the blue.

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

i second the thought for followup medical attention (don't mess around with that), and of course, bill the dog owner for the trouble.

#

[yagagriswold.livejournal.com]

I did see my doctor. Thanks!

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

if the dogs are acting like that, they've already paid dearly for having shitty owners.

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

JFC. I'm glad you're alright and, to parrot a bunch of others above, glad you got Animal Control and the police involved.

[pywaket.livejournal.com]

So sorry to hear that! I hope that you're relatively OK.

It's sad that the dogs will be the ones who are punished for their owner's negligence.

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

I hear the sentiment, but given my experience of dogs (limited, with some trauma), pretty much any dog at pretty much any time can decide to attack, whether or not the person being attacked actually did anything to warrant it, or how well or poorly the dog was trained. (Last time was when a barky German Shepherd that I had been around multiple times without incident, and i'd been assured was friendly, decided to bite my husband, who was just standing there with me talking with the owners. No disagreement, no threatening moves, nothing, and *bite*. I can't explain it, but I am *very* careful to not let any unknown dog within biting distance, and to keep a weather eye on known dogs when they're in my presence.)

[alphacygni]

And this would be one of the reasons I'm very hesitant to use the bike path in the morning anymore. I do wish they would either just get rid of the damn leash law if they aren't going to ever enforce it. It irritates me to see it so blatantly ignored, because then why bother having it?

There are several regulars among the unleashed dogs on the bike path, I've come to recognize most of them, and they all seem to be completely uninterested in pouncing on or attacking humans. I do like the idea of them having somewhere to be off-leash and play together, it looks like they have a great time. I really wish it weren't where I have to walk to get to the subway without going very much out of my way. I wish they didn't have to be breaking the law to do it.

[yagagriswold.livejournal.com]

This dog was on a leash, but its owner was not controlling it. She had given me permission to pass her and her dogs, but then let them attack me.

Pisses me off

[tequilamckngbrd.livejournal.com]

A dog's behavior is a reflection of their owner.

There should be a law to make every inexperienced dog owners take mandatory dog training sessions (or at least make them watch the Dog Whisperer).

The BAD dog owners are the people that make it so that the GOOD dog owners who know how to train their dogs get targeted for fines and make cities make stricter laws against off leash policies. I could let ANY dog I've ever owned off a leash, and it would NEVER attack anyone or even another dog.

The BAD dog owners are also the ones that probably never pick up after their dog.

Some people should NEVER be allowed to own a dog.

Re: Pisses me off

[neuroacorn.livejournal.com]

YES!