Re: My turn to bitch and moan

[Iain Mannix <mannix@privateI.com>]

On Mon, 12 Jan 1998, Jason wrote:

> 	See, when I picked up my car, I was attacked by his 215 pund (I am not
> making this up) St. Bernard watch dog.  While in the hospital, with a 1"
> hole through my right (shift) hand, I told him that if he had the dog put
> to sleep, I wouldn't press charges or sue.

Hmmm.  What's that going to fix?  This, in my opinion, is lame.  You got
bitten by a dog.  You, a human being, are supposed to be SMARTER than a
dog.  I find it hard to believe that a 215 pound dog with a reputation for
being aggressive snuck up on you and got a snack.  My mother's dog bit
some moron over Christmas - idiot was running down the street, directly
toward my mother.  He saw the dog, yelled something like "IS THAT ON A
LEASH?" and kept running toward my mother.  Idiot.  What did he expect?
Man, making loud, aggressive noises and running toward the owner?  She's a
_very_ friendly 15 year old arthritic German Shepherd, what else is she
going to think?  "This guy is trying to get my mother.....bite."  First,
the guy wanted his pants replaced.  OK, that's fair.  The dog officer in
our town(a small farm town with no leash laws) mandated that the dog be
leashed when off our property(our driveway is 200' long, closest neighbors
are 500' away), ok, that's reasonable.  She can barely walk down stairs -
not at all a dangerous dog.  Had the guy run to the other side of the
road, the dog would have just looked at him.  No, he has no legal
obligation to run on the other side of the road.  Cars are supposed to
stop for people in crosswalks, but that does not make it smart to walk
into heavy traffic, either.  I was not there, I doubt you provoked the
dog, but when I see a dog which I am not sure of, I walk away.  Darwinism.  

Then this guy came over to the house, started telling me that he wanted
the dog "put to sleep."  I was dumbfounded.  Started telling him he was a
snivelly whiner, that he should get a life, was just getting on a roll,
here comes my mother with our little Cujo.  She walked up to me, made a
noise(sorta a howl, roughly translated "give me a cookie") and bashed her
head into this guy's leg(the bitten one no less) and demanded to be
petted.  He started to freak, I pulled her away.  My mother started
talking to him, _she_ got into the "quit whining loser" bit, next thing we
know the moron's kid is petting the rabid beast.  He freaked again, his
wife had a surprising flash of sensibility, said "the dog officer is
right, she really is a nice dog."  He got mad and stormed off.  Moron.  I
did explain to him that dogs get concerned when an unfamiliar man runs
toward their owner while yelling in a stern manner.  He muttered something
about "it's not like that in Connecticut," I told him to go back there if
it was so nice.  Sorry you got bitten, but giving a dog owner an ultimatum
like that is shameful.  

  He was relieved,as his shop has
> no insurance because his last ins. co. dropped him 'cause of the dog.
> Seems he had a history of biting people.

So it is HIS fault that the dog was not restrained, not the dogs.  Get the
dog killed, that'll make things better. Great.  Not going to fix your
hand.  

> 	I'll try it myself first... but I can't do it, I'm going back to the
> sumnabitch.  If he doesn't put my car back the way he found it, I'll just
> have to see to it that his little shop goes under.

What has our world turned into?  I hope you're kidding - you are even
considering putting someone out of business over a glovebox in an old car?
Sigh.
 
> 	Being a nice person, I'd rather not do that.  <although it would be fun
> and I could use the money>  So, therefore, I ask, with a slight grin on my
> face, can anyone help me?
> 		Jason

No.  I am sure someone can.  Don't frequent this place.  Get a bandaid.
I've been bitten by three dogs, oh well.  Twice, it was my own fault.  The
other time, I scared a dog in the woods - riding my bike, startled him, he
bit me.  Can't blame him.  Everybody is so ready to sue these days -
chucklehead lawyers(only some are chuckleheads) on the TV "have you been
hurt in an accident?  I'll get you the money you deserve...."  COME ON!
What's that.  Pain and suffering?  "I can't drive my Scirocco because my
hand hurts, the mental anguish and despair I am feeling is worth $200,000"
Scary thing is, it'd probably work.  Sigh.  You got bitten.  That's a
drag.  Getting the dog killed is not the solution - getting the dog
restrained is.  "Other people will get bitten if this monster is loose."
Sigh.  A good friend's dog got killed by the parents of a girl who got
bitten - he was the best dog in the world, but was brought up by a bunch
of 22 year old guys.  He played ROUGH.  He was at his house, tied up
outside.  My friend's mother gave piano lessons in the house, the dog was
nowhere to be seen, and the kids were told to stay away from him - his
official greeting was to jump on you, typically knocking you over, and
then he'd try to bite and lick you to death.  All in fun.  He had broken
my skin several times when we were playing, he had done the same to the 12
year old daughter that lived there - we knew he could be a problem.  Kids
were told to stay away, parents too.  Kid disobeyed, was teasing him with
the frisbee, he tried to get the frisbee, bit her instead.  Nothing
crucial, just a small bite, but the parent had the dog killed(not put to
sleep).  Cool.  Bastard.  Kid does not obey, dog bites - whose fault?
PARENTS.  Not the dog's.  He was fine if the person knew what to
expect(expect that he is *going* to get the frisbee if you throw it or not
- he used to grab the sandwich out of your hand if you were not looking, I
remember the time he decided he wanted the Thanksgiving turkey, climbed up
on the counter, grabbed it, did a lap through the living room with a "look
at what *I* got, I'm the MAN" expression, and bolted.  Bad dog, but a
great friend and character at the same time.  It was hysterical).  Anyhow.
I don't agree with this philosophy - kill the dog because it bit me.  Go
bite the owner, it is his fault, not the dog's.  The dog was doing its job
- protecting its assets.  What if the dog did not care if a stranger was
messing with your car?  Maybe it is a good thing there's a 215 pound Cujo
looking after your car while you are not there.


I.Mannix

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