Day 72: Karen versus the Pit Bull

I had a scare last night that still has me a little edgy today, and I feel it’s unusual enough to warrant a blog post. 

It was my night to do the 9:30pm walk with Pugsly, wherein we routinely follow the path of our circular parking lot/drive way around our associated condo complexes.  Evening walks are usually eventful, as the bunnies are out by then, and Pugsly has a grand time chasing them around (dragging me with her).  There are usually other dogs out as well, and Pugsly gets to see some of her friends up close and personal.   When I went outside last night, however, I began to feel distinctly uneasy for a reason I cannot even now explain why.  And I’m not just saying that for dramatic effect – it was a very real feeling.

Having nothing rational to connect my feeling to, I continued our walk as normal, making our normal turns around the parking lot.  I went around the back of the building where there were a few people unloading groceries from their car.  Pugsly stopped to look at them, but was so intent on doing so it caused me to look too.  About twenty feet away, between the people unloading their car and ourselves, sitting quietly and curiously, was a pit bull.  It was a mix of some sort – having a slightly smaller/narrower bone structure than I’ve seen on pits in the past.   Thinking back on it, I think maybe it was a pit/boxer mix.  That would be about the right proportion.  

The pit bull was not on a leash, and approached us curiously.   My initial reaction was mixed.  I was hesitant, knowing that pit bulls can be powerful, dangerous animals when provoked.  But I also know that there are plenty of loveable, calm pitties in the world.  The pit bull did not seem threatening, and Pugsly did not seem threatened.  In fact, Pugsly met the pit bull and they began the typical dog sniffing ritual.   I called over to the people unloading their car and asked if this was their dog.  They said it was not.  The dog also did not have a collar on.  It was clear I was dealing with a stray or runaway dog. 

As Pugsly the pit bull were being friendly with one another, I formulated a plan: Walk Pugsly back to the building, with the pit bull following (-I assumed the pit bull would follow, given his interest in Pugsly).  Call Gary from the condo lobby phone, ask him to bring down my cell phone and take Pugsly back up to the condo in exchange.  I would then call animal control to come pick up our lost friend. 

As I turned to begin the plan, however, I realized that would not be as easy as I had hoped.  The dog, excited by our movements, took the opportunity to try mounting Pugsly.  Pugsly, being small and agile, was able to defer his attempts while I tried to push the dog away.  I tried several times to maneuver Pugsly to the other side of me to no avail.  The pit bull was quite determined.  He didn’t even notice me nudging (*not kicking*) the dog away with my foot.  I yelled at the dog, trying to get its attention, also with no luck.  Pugsly also began to get nippy with the pit bull.  Between my aggression and Pugsly’s increasing annoyance, I was worried that we were going to kick into the primal side of the pit bull we all have heard about in the news.  If this were a golden retriever or lab, this concern would not have been so great.  But I can’t help that pit bulls have the reputation that they do.  I knew nothing about this dog, which was to my disadvantage, and there’s no question – the pit bull, if prompted to fight Pugsly, would win, and I would likely be injured in some way.  Being unable to control the situation, I decided our best bet would be to run.  It got us all of twenty feet before the pit bull caught up with us and his continued attempts with Pugsly kept us from advancing further.  I was honestly quite scared at that point, and being now on the side of a building, was too far from the main entrance to hope to flag someone down to help.

At that point, Pugsly struggled enough that her collar came off.  After a moment of further panic, I decided to use it as a weapon of opportunity, swinging the leash/collar around like I had been transported off of Indiana Jones’ Cattle Ranch. (I truly must have looked ridiculous.)  The Pit Bull, though I wasn’t actually making contact with it, finally (-finally!) took notice of me and backed away.  It took a few times to turn the “backing away” into retreating, but eventually, the pit bull ran away. 

Pugsly hadn’t gone more than twenty feet off, and I was able to walk up to her, and put her collar back on (-with some difficulty, as my hands were shaking).  I ran her back to the condo, and immediately set to work calling Animal Control.  Animal Control, by the way, apparently does not “control animals” after business hours, and their voicemail directed me to contact my local police department.  I did so, and explained that there was a stray pit bull running around the condo grounds.  The woman on the phone mentioned that they had been called in earlier that evening for the same reason, but weren’t able to catch it.  She said they would come out again, but if the dog wouldn’t come to them, then there’s “nothing we can do.” 

I salute you, ye protectors of our community.  Excuse me while I go tie a doughnut to dog.

They showed up about five minutes later, but I don’t know any more of what happened to the pit bull after I chased him off.

I have truly mixed feelings about the proceedings over the entire night.  My adrenaline was pumping until about 1am last night.  Oddly enough, a lot of it is regret that I couldn’t help the pit bull.  The pit bull was not a bad dog.  It never growled, showed his teeth, attacked, or anything like that.  It was just horny and doing what dogs instinctively do.  I hope that if the cops did round him up, that he’s in a no-kill shelter, but part of me doubts that would be his fate.   I was also regretful that I couldn’t effective protect my Pugsly.  Gary asked the most logical question of the night when I was explaining what happened.  He asked, “Why didn’t you just pick Pugsly up?”  The question is so simple, it’s astounding.  Why didn’t I?  To be honest, the thought didn’t even cross my mind at the time.  It would have solved a lot of problems, and possibly would have allowed me to lead the pit bull back to the lobby. I guess that my instinct is to fight, as ludicrous as that sounds.    

Pugsly is fine, by the way, as far as we can tell.  I think I’ll be more nervous on our next walk than she will… She’ll be back in the land of bunnies and interesting smells.  I’ll be watching for danger, repeating the mantra “pick up Pugsly and run… pick up Pugsly and run…”.

And yes, I will make sure to have my cell phone on me during my walks from now on.