Last night, my friend and I walked by a convenience store where a dog was tied up. The dog was jumping up and down and making squealing noises, so I thought he was being friendly–but on closer look, the leash was tied too tightly (to a stair railing), so he was jumping up and pawing the top step because just standing seemed too painful for him.
When we realized what was happening, we went inside the convenience store to ask whose dog it was. The person inside said he was fine. We weren’t sure what to do and sort of stood around staring at the dog for a minute or so, but eventually she asked us to leave. He didn’t look like he was going to die and I guess she was coming out eventually, but I felt kind of bad for leaving him all alone.
I mean, it wasn’t as clear cut as a toddler locked in a car on a hot day, but I did feel bad…
Untie, and retie the dog up. I wouldn’t care what the owner said. I used to be an animal control officer, and if I had seen this, I would have told the owner to adjust the dog, or I would.
I have five dogs, and hate it when other’s stupidity affects their pets. Just like locking them up in their car with the windows rolled up in the summertime.
After the person said they were fine, I would have gone back outside and untied the leash, then tied it back so that the dog could stand comfortably. Then I would have walked back inside and said “don’t worry, I fixed the leash so that you’re not choking your dog any more” while looking at them like they were a moron (also making sure to say it in a loud enough voice that anyone else nearby could hear it). Then I would have walked out.
Calling the cops or getting animal control involved seems like going way overboard to me.
My brother used to sit on me and stick butter in my ears and up my nose and get the dog to come and lick the butter out which was gross and dog-breathy and ticklish as hell. It was a convenience store and likely had butter.
Allow me to point out however, inc ompliance with the SDMB rules, that I am not advocating this behaviour.
Man, Attack, you had a weird brother. Although based on your description, a totally normal dog.
I would have untied and retied the dog. I do things like that periodically on campus here. Sometimes people hitch their dogs outside of their class buildings and the dog, being a dog, knocks over the water bowl the owner has left for them. I always refill the bowl and leave a note. I figure as long as the dog is still where the owner has left him, and in the same or better condition as when the owner went to class, I’m probably not going to tick anyone off.
I would have pressed the issue after the owner said he was fine, e.g. “you really should take a look – his leash is really tangled and I think it’s hurting him” and offered to fix it for him if he didn’t want to. If he rebuffed both follow-ups, I’d have given him a look of disgust and dropped it. It doesn’t sound like the dog was in any serious danger, just uncomfortable, so I don’t think I’d have the right to interfere with it without the owner’s permission.
Yeah, Giraffe, and since she was coming back out…but I felt bad. I asked my friend if she thought we should just go ahead and retie it, but she pointed out that we’d been told to leave it…I felt torn.
Plus I was a bit intimidated. It wasn’t my usual area of town, plus I was assuming we’d be profusely thanked for letting people know about the dog. To be told to basically fuck off kind of intimidated us, I think…
