Yesterday I watched as a man yelled at his dog to come. The dog was running, playing and didn’t come immediately. The man yelled several more times, each time getting more insistent. Finally, the dog did come, somewhat hesitantly but happy and smiling. As the dog approached the man, the man slapped his dog on either side of his face. I yelled at him, 3 times, “Don’t you hit that dog!” and he said, “Leave me the f*?k alone.”
I watched as he walked away, the dog following him obediently, as they both headed toward a woman who was waiting for them. As he got closer to her, he said to me, “I’m sorry, ma’m.” It didn’t make me feel any better. I’d rather he would have hugged the dog and apologized for being impatient. I really can’t stand people being cruel in any way to an animal and whenever things like this happen, it sticks with me for quite awhile. If I had kept a cooler head, I could have told him that dogs are more likely to come if they know they’ll be treated with kindness than cruelty.
The worse part is that this wasn’t the first time I’ve seen and responded to someone being cruel to their dog and I usually get the same response as I got from this guy. I don’t get it. Dogs ask so little and give us so much. They want nothing more than to please if they “misbehave,” can we be forgiving and teach them? I guess it’s easier for some to strike out.
I look forward to a day when “being treated like an animal” means the opposite of what it means now – animals treated with kindness and dignity not cruelty.
0 Responses to ““Treated Like an Animal” should mean the opposite of what it means now”