Skowhegan's Stray Problem
I couldn't wait to go for a walk last night. I had a stressful day and it was beautiful out so I thought we'd do a pretty long one. Maybe 5.5 miles and I set my fitbit to update me with my progress every .5 miles instead of at every mile so I could get a better idea of the distances we are going.
The first half of the walk was awesome. We went down one side of the river, did some interval running, and kept a pace of 15 minutes per mile... We usually are about 17-18 minutes per mile so I was feeling pretty awesome. I'm in a really great part of my book too so I wanted some time to indulge in that too so we headed toward Coburn Park to run up some of the hills and take a little water break in the park.
We made it about halfway through the park when we were approached by a stray dog. He had a choke collar on and the way he was standing made me a little nervous. He came over and then wouldn't leave us alone. We walked the rest of the way through the park and down into town before I gave up on the idea he might leave us be. Finally I called Ben to meet us at the police station and that was the end of our walk because he would have followed us all the way home.
This is the third stray dog that we have encountered in less than a year. After we called animal control after the second dog we were accused of just calling in dogs from the neighborhood we are trying to get rid of. I was frankly offended and kinda pissed because we were trying to do the compassionate thing and help someone who might be looking for their missing dog reunite with it. This third time I was livid. Every time I contact the police who dispatch the animal control officer I am treated like a nuisance and I'm sure that compared to what they usually deal with I am but what the hell else am I supposed to do? When you finally get a call back from animal control it is guaranteed, in my two experiences, that it won't be until many hours later because the Animal Control Officer is only part time and gets around to the calls when she is able. The two times we had to call I felt like she returned the call when she felt like it and that we were inconveniencing her day. Then, when she finally arrives to pick up the dog she asked me 3 times if we were "sure" that we didn't know who the dog belonged to and that's when I really flipped my lid because if I knew who it belonged to do you really think it is reasonable to assume I'd give up an entire day devoted to waiting around for her to call back/show up just to get rid of a neighborhood dog? I am sure there are mean spiteful people in the world like that but I'd like to think its the exception and not the rule.
This time I didn't call in to report the stray that followed us and I don't really know what else I can do at this point except avoid that area for walking which sucks because it is a public park and that's what it is there for! Perhaps I just need to start a non-profit that can take care of the problem... you know... with all of my free time because its not like I have to work and pay taxes that are supposed to be used in part to fund an Animal Control Officer.... You can tell I'm extremely annoyed when I start to get snarky....
<3 Katie
173 lbs
6
The first half of the walk was awesome. We went down one side of the river, did some interval running, and kept a pace of 15 minutes per mile... We usually are about 17-18 minutes per mile so I was feeling pretty awesome. I'm in a really great part of my book too so I wanted some time to indulge in that too so we headed toward Coburn Park to run up some of the hills and take a little water break in the park.
We made it about halfway through the park when we were approached by a stray dog. He had a choke collar on and the way he was standing made me a little nervous. He came over and then wouldn't leave us alone. We walked the rest of the way through the park and down into town before I gave up on the idea he might leave us be. Finally I called Ben to meet us at the police station and that was the end of our walk because he would have followed us all the way home.
This is the third stray dog that we have encountered in less than a year. After we called animal control after the second dog we were accused of just calling in dogs from the neighborhood we are trying to get rid of. I was frankly offended and kinda pissed because we were trying to do the compassionate thing and help someone who might be looking for their missing dog reunite with it. This third time I was livid. Every time I contact the police who dispatch the animal control officer I am treated like a nuisance and I'm sure that compared to what they usually deal with I am but what the hell else am I supposed to do? When you finally get a call back from animal control it is guaranteed, in my two experiences, that it won't be until many hours later because the Animal Control Officer is only part time and gets around to the calls when she is able. The two times we had to call I felt like she returned the call when she felt like it and that we were inconveniencing her day. Then, when she finally arrives to pick up the dog she asked me 3 times if we were "sure" that we didn't know who the dog belonged to and that's when I really flipped my lid because if I knew who it belonged to do you really think it is reasonable to assume I'd give up an entire day devoted to waiting around for her to call back/show up just to get rid of a neighborhood dog? I am sure there are mean spiteful people in the world like that but I'd like to think its the exception and not the rule.
This time I didn't call in to report the stray that followed us and I don't really know what else I can do at this point except avoid that area for walking which sucks because it is a public park and that's what it is there for! Perhaps I just need to start a non-profit that can take care of the problem... you know... with all of my free time because its not like I have to work and pay taxes that are supposed to be used in part to fund an Animal Control Officer.... You can tell I'm extremely annoyed when I start to get snarky....
<3 Katie
173 lbs
6
Comments
Post a Comment