A dog-eat-dog world
Should a reader call the police on her friend’s pet?
D ear Jenny,
I’m in a bit of a predicament and am hoping you can help. My husband, two children and I live in a small neighborhood where the houses are relatively close together. Our neighbors three doors down have children that play with our kids on a regular basis. Last week, my daughter was playing at their house and was bitten by their dog. She came home crying and showed me her back. There were noticeable teeth marks with some punctured areas that had drawn blood. Obviously, not just a nip! I waited about 30 minutes, thinking my neighbor was going to call or walk to our house to explain what happened and to apologize, but nothing. I let an entire day go by before I contacted her.
After I explained the situation, she responded by saying, “Well, it’s not like she was mauled to death!” By the way, this is the third time their dog has bitten a child in the neighborhood. Quite honestly, I want to call the police and make them aware that there’s an unsafe dog in the neighborhood. I don’t want to make things uncomfortable but fear their dog will continue to attack and harm people. Should I call the police or just keep my children away from their house? Help!
— Stacey from Omaha, Neb.
Jenny says: I understand wanting to stay friendly with your neighbors, but this is a dangerous situation and your next steps are very important.
I am a big believer in “warnings” from the universe, and whenever I’ve been able to escape real danger, I’ve stopped and evaluated how I can make sure it never happens again. Your neighbor’s response indicates she clearly does not understand her dog is a threat, nor does she feel any empathy for your child. Both suggest she will do little to prevent her dog from attacking again. Therefore, put your friendship aside and do what is in the best interest of your family and neighborhood.
I think you should tell your neighbor that you’re planning to call the police, because even if you don’t, chances are somebody else in the neighborhood will. After a couple of complaints, the police will remove the dog from her home — and I’m sure she doesn’t want that to happen. She could also be liable if the dog hurts someone. But her dog might not be dangerous; it could simply be that the dog hasn’t been trained properly. Dogs are protective of their homes, and need to be desensitized to visitors. Tell her you’ll reconsider if she’s willing to send the dog to a behaviorist who can determine the proper training to keep him from biting in the future.
With a little guidance, most dogs are loving companions. If you point her in the right direction, you’ll be doing a service to your whole neighborhood.