Topic: Sad Story Of An Unleashed Dog

I'm angry. And saddened.

We got word that one of our clients' dogs got hit by a car the other day and that his standard pet sitting regimen needs to be changed a bit. It seems that Ralphie* did something that he'd NEVER done before in his 6+ years of life, he darted out into the street in front of his home. And got whacked by a car. Or a truck. The driver didn't bother to stop.

I remember four years ago, when we first met Ralphie for an initial pet sitting interview, his owners bragging about how trustworthy the dog was. "Don't even bother with a leash - he'll NEVER leave the yard.", they said. "He needs to run free to get his energy out.", they added. We frowned at their words and told them that Ralphie would never be untethered while we cared for him. We told them that in our experiences with dogs, you could never forget that they are indeed dogs and will act like one at the worst possible moment. We offered free, unsolicited advice on the value of leashes and fences. I recall how they almost humored us while agreeing that Ralphie would be leashed during our visits.

Over time, we've grown very attached to Ralphie, each of us fighting to care for and play with him. I've created a game Ralphie adores - spinning in a circle holding a stick and having the dog chase it. We've played that game literally for an hour straight. After playing, we'd sit on the floor together and watch a few moments of TV, him curled up next to me. He loves treats and biscuits and would do anything for one. There's always a stock of peanut butter filled bones, ice cubes, and Frosty Paws in the refrigerator. Yeah, his owners do really love him and will do anything for him.

I just returned from a pet sitting visit to Ralphie. I'm angry and saddened. The dog greeted me with his customary wagging tail, but his head was hung low. His joyful, jumping exuberance has been replaced by a low, muffled whine. Outside, his urine dribbled out, pulsating to the beat and tempo of his heart. I wondered if the staples the vet had to put in the dog's rectum was causing this. I noticed how ugly the fist sized wound on Ralphie's shoulder was - was it a laceration, a severe scrape or a burn? Back in the house, I tried to cheer the big lug up with a treat - he didn't want one. A peanut butter bone? - nope. Cheese? - not even. How about a hug and cuddle? Ralphie couldn't stay still, but didn't seem to want to move about either. I left him the same way I greeted him - with him wagging his tail but hanging his head.

Honestly, his owners do love him and will do anything for him. Anything... except protect him from that car. Or was it a truck? For the price of his antibiotics, they could have gotten a wonderfully long leash. For less than half the price of what it costs to have staples put into a dog's rectum by an emergency clinic's veterinarian, they could have had an electronic hidden fence installed and the dog trained properly on it. For a smidgen of all the angst, worry and tears caused by the accident (and yet to come), that brief moment in time could have been prevented.

Folks, PLEASE don't let your dog get hit by a car...ALWAYS USE A LEASH WHEN NOT THE DOG IS NOT FENCED IN.

I am very angry. And very sad.

*the dog's name has been changed to protect the privacy of the client