I often wonder: Do the Doggers really
think their consumer product can make its way in the world as well
(or better than, as they would like to think) as the rest of us
sentient beings? I figure they must, as they let them run off leash
at every opportunity.
I spent New Years holiday up in
Brevard, NC. I have a little travel trailer I use as a base for day
hikes and I stayed in the Davidson River Campground. It was a great
week, and I had some friends come out to hike with me.
One of the best hikes in that area is
Johns Rock. The Rock's prominence is over 1000 feet (~300 meters)
and is probably one of the highest cliffs in the eastern USA. In
any case, we had a great hike up to the top. The view from up there
is spectacular. It can be a very dangerous place, as many wilderness
areas are – the vantage point is a granite outcropping that slopes
gently downward at maybe a 1-2 degree angle. Given that it is not at
the very top, during cold wet weather water will flow over this
granite sheet and FREEZE making it a literal skating rink with a
slight downward slant.
Everyone have a good mental picture?
Super.
So, after we finish up we stop by the
forest ranger's office to get more hike info and BS generally. The
ranger tells us that a dog had died on the hike just recently.
Apparently, some genius had let his dog off leash up on the Rock, it
was running around, hit that ice sheet, and slid over the cliff.
This would be roughly equivalent to falling off the Empire State
Building. More interesting was the fact that this was NOT the first
time something like this had happened!
What is the terminal velocity of a dog?
More than fast enough to kill it.
I wonder what the genius owner had been
thinking... that Dog is is really God spelled backwards and that a
God can defy the laws of gravity? Perhaps after destroying his
neighbor's property values and quality of life with his yard barker
he figured that that, similar to the laws of man, the laws of nature
did not apply to him and his Dog? Perhaps he anticipated that Fido
would hang in midair, and even fly like Superman? As we all know,
Dog created nature: How could the laws of nature apply to Dog?
All that is irrelevant. What is
relevant is, there are a lot of things out there that can kill your
dog. Don't believe me? Hang out at the bottom of Johns Rock for a
while.... the answer will literally hit you on the head.
terminal velocity of a dog!
ReplyDeletea sad story made funny. i am surprised some idiot hasn't tried to sue the parks department and force them to put up a sign warning them of the danger.
a while ago, someone sent me the story of an idiot who wondered outside of the FENCED off leash area that abutted train tracks where his dog wandered onto the train tracks and was killed. the "victim" claims that the city was negligent. and apparently won.
People who permit their pets, both dogs and cats, to run at large do not really love their pets. Period. If tomorrow, the leash laws were all repealed, I would still keep my dog on a leash when out in public because I do love my dog. What is the matter with people? I simply do not know.
ReplyDeleteI'm of the mind that the dog owner should be licensed as well.
ReplyDeleteBTW, glad you're back in blogging action, Uncontrol. I've missed your posts.
Dog owners don't THINK, that is the problem. I guess their entitlement attitude crowds out the thinking part of the brain.
ReplyDeleteIn my experiences, dog owners are some of the most self centered, entitled people on the planet. I'm an avid jogger, and I do most of my jogging on a shared user trail that goes through a park. Dogs are legally required to be leashed on this trail, but because most dog owners seem to think that the rules don't apply to them, I routinely have to deal with off leash dogs charging at me, or chasing after me as I run by. It's infuriating. It would be nice if dog owners realized that they aren't the only ones using the public space, and that not everybody appreciates being pestered by dogs they don't know.
ReplyDeleteThe trail is also used by cyclists. A dog could be seriously hurt(or worse) if it runs in front of a bicycle, or the cyclist could be injured by falling off their bike. Really it's not rocket science. But dog owners seem to reside in their own little universe where fido can do absolutely no wrong, and somebody else is always to blame. If you dare remind the owners about the leash law(even if you do so in a polite manner) you're most likely to be met with hostility and defensiveness.
@ANON @3:27 - Yes, I think what you have encountered is called "secondary aggression". They turn their dogs loose in the park to chase people, and otherwise act aggressively, and the owner then treats anyone who takes issue as the aggressor. They behave passively-aggressively (at best) and then paint themselves as victims. Sick puppies, indeed.
ReplyDeletehow can a dog can participate in Training dog for a leash
ReplyDelete