Dog paid price for owner's negligence
The vicious dog attack two weeks ago in which an elderly Richmond man almost lost his leg was not only horrific, but avoidable.
Walking his own dogs near Garden City and Francis Road Sept. 11, Donald Douglas, accompanied by his wife Linda, spotted two other dogs, a female husky and a male bull mastiff, both of which suddenly dashed toward them and attacked one of their pets. The bull mastiff bit into Douglas' left leg after Douglas struck the husky.
Apparently the male dog was not neutered and the female was in heat, which may have led the male to react viciously in an attempt to protect his "girlfriend."
A dog-lover all of his life, Douglas didn't want the dog to be put down despite the fact he'll likely be in rehab for at least two years. No doubt he recognizes he wasn't the only one to have suffered.
The dog itself turned out to be a victim of its owner's negligence; a thicker leash likely would have prevented the incident.
It's sad to think that in the city a dog must always be attached to a leash, but it's apparently a necessary evil.
Bottom line: owners must take more responsibility for their pets and their actions or not have them.
