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Are you freakin' kidding me?!

915 views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  Willowy 
#1 ·
I live in a neighborhood under development, and I'm at the end of the row of houses, so there are fields of empty lots on my street and nearby streets. Earlier this week I'm on the front porch refilling the feral cat bowls in the morning as per routine, and I see this large Ford F150 coming up the hill. Right before I turn away and go about my business I see it: there is a medium sized pittie mix racing next to the truck. He's on a leash! The leash is held in the cab of the driving truck, and the dog is maybe three feet max from the truck!

At this point I step out towards this scene and must look very much like I'm about to get involved because the guy in the truck does a three point U-turn, narrowly missing the poor dog that is trying to heel to a FRIGGIN' TRUCK and he speeds up back down the street, dog running along side. Once he gets a safer distance away he opens the door, grabs the dog, and takes off.

I was so charged up I didn't even get the license plate number. This isn't a private drive, and there are other vehicles speeding through here all the time as a shortcut, but that doesn't even really matter, because even if there weren't WTF are you thinking?!

I swear people blow my mind at their stupidity. It's just amazing. Now I'm on the lookout for this guy to return, surely this has to be breaking some sort of law, right?
 
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#2 ·
That's just nuts.

I would say he is probably violating both a general cruelty to animals type law and is driving recklessly, so if you can get a plate number and even better, a video or photo of the idiot in action if he tries to lead the dog like that again, it would be worth calling the police. Unfortunately, its hard to charge these types of crimes without either video evidence or a police officer witnessing it. Worth trying though.

Write down now the date, time and everything you can remember about the dog and the truck. Bumper stickers, dents/damages, local plate or not, vanity plate in front etc. This will help you if you later see the truck and get a plate number but do not see him running the dog like that. You might consider calling the police (non-emergency number) now so they can make a record of it and it will support your claims if he does it again.

(not a lawyer, not legal advice)
 
#5 ·
He was probably going about 10mph, but I'm a pretty bad judge of speed and distances, generally, so it's a wild guess. Great advice about writing everything down and contacting non-emergency, I'm also going to let the neighborhood mailing list know to be on the lookout. I'm usually quick to grab my camera, too - it's amazing what sort of odd stuff goes down when you live by a bunch of vacant land - but in this case I just reacted hastily because of my shock I guess. I hope that I didn't scare him off, sadly he has to do it again for me to have a reasonable shot at getting him in any real trouble.

I just don't understand what must be going on in a person's mind to even come up with an idea like this. It just would never even occur to me. Does he just wake up one day and think "Hey, I'm tired, but the dog still needs to run..." Insanity.
 
#8 ·
Because they exist. I also use a live trap to catch->alter->release, but the animals are wild, re-homing (homing?) them is not an option. I'm relatively new in an area that has been poverty-stricken/undeveloped for a very long time.
 
#9 ·
wow how stupid can people be, really.

Ill let Blaze chase my boyfriend on his dirt bike. BUt he drives farrrrr off, and then I release Blaze to chase. dog has a rock steady recall, and will turn on a dime. he is never in danger. But wow having a dog tied with a leash to you in your truck is just crazy.


PS good for you for helping the feral population!
 
#10 ·
That is so heartbreaking :(

I use to work in Hackensack NJ..a rough area of it too. My JRT use to come to work with me , so I would have to walk her a few times a day. I use to see a lot of PBTs and other similar breeds in front yards..with HEAVY chains dragging around their necks. A strengthener method I have heard. A lot had visible scars that looked like they were fought :( I called a few times , but was always told that unless I knew there was a fight in progress there wasn't anything they could do.

Things are different now ..around here at least. Even dogs that look like they are in a bad situation/might be made to fight are investigated.Thank goodness.

Hope those people with the truck get caught for what they are doing to that poor pup :(
 
#12 ·
A lot of people run their dogs from a vehicle. I've done it myself, on rare occasions (like when it's -40 out there and the dogs were making me crazy for lack of exercise), although I didn't have them on leash. Can't say I've ever seen anyone do it with a short leash, but using a long line is not uncommon. As long as the dog wasn't being dragged I don't think it will count as cruelty. It might violate some kind of driving statute, though.

I feed and TNR the local feral cats as well, if we're taking a survey, LOL.
 
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