Hi all,
This is just a story about a close encounter that I thought I'd share. Enjoy.
On a lovely day in May Baley (my big, black Greyhound) and I went to the park for a nice long walk. We were far back on the trail and hadn't seen anyone for a good twenty minutes. At the intersection of two trails in front of us was a *big*, unleashed, unaccompanied, Pit Bull.
Now, I'm sure you've heard of Pit Bulls. They are fighting dogs and they tend to hate other male dogs. I thought: "@#$%!" I mean, really, what am I going to do if this dog decides to attack us? No Greyhound (and certainly not Baley) would ever win a fight with a Pit Bull. Now a Pit probably couldn't kill me, however, I was in definite fear of a few holes and a rabies shot or two. But Baley was in real trouble.
So the Pit Bull comes running full speed at us. I put Baley between me and the Pit and put my knee up (Pits often jump up when they go to attack so the best thing to do is knee them in the chest when they come at you to knock the wind out of them, of course it just buys some time and pisses them off). The Pit screeches to a halt and starts wagging his white tipped tail.
To my utmost surprise he was friendly! Thank all the Gods, because there was seriously no way I could have won a fight with a 60 pound Pit. So, now what? Well, the dog starts to follow us. He and Baley seem to really get along. The run around peeing on thing and smelling each other all over. And I mean *all* over. Dogs.
Then it comes time to turn around and go home. Well, I can't leave such a sweet pup in the woods. I was sure that he'd eventually find his way to the near by highway and: Smack! But at the same time I couldn't grab his collar (which did have tags) because if it is one thing that will get a Pit to snap at you it is going for his neck. They hate that.
Well when we turn around I tell the Pit to "come" out of pure optimism. And it worked! He turns around and runs at me, jumps up, and receives a knee to the chest. He didn't seem to mind, afterwards I realized that he wasn't attacking, he was just pleased to be asked along for the ride. Still, what I wouldn't have given to have a rabies stick with me (the sticks with the loops at the end to catch dangerous animals, I've actually never used one, I just dive in there. That's why I get bit). When we got to my car he jumped right in.
So I took Bubba (I got a look at the tags) to the local animal shelter. We pulled into the parking lot and he started to whine. I got the feeling that he'd been there before. I was right, he'd been found by someone else just seven days before and picked up by the owner. Now he'd gotten away from him, again.
Unfortunately the number on the collar and the one the guy had given (same number) was disconnected. So Lord only knows what is going on with the owner. Very strange. It the guy wanted to dump the dog don't you think he would have taken the collar off?
Anyway, I'm sure if the original owner doesn't come forward that they'll find him a home. He has to be the sweetest Pit Bull ever born.
Lucky me.
Cheers,
Tigeress
