Saw something outside today that I could not just walk past without saying something about it.
There was a young pitbull tied up by the neck, leashed to a small table outside, completely unattended. Another person came walking by with a smaller dog and the pitbull lunged. I do not know if it was out of excitement or something else because I did not hear any growling, but it lurched hard enough that the woman yanked the leash and the whole table moved.
Two problems here, and both of them come down to basic common sense.
First, whoever left that pitbull tied up outside alone made a poor decision. That is not responsible dog ownership. It does not matter how well-behaved you think your dog is. Leaving any dog unattended in a public space, tethered to a piece of furniture, is a setup for exactly what happened. You are not there to read the situation, redirect the dog, or protect anyone nearby.
Second, the person walking the smaller dog should have used better judgment the moment they spotted an unattended dog ahead of them. You see a dog tied up with no owner in sight, you cross the street. You give it space. You do not walk your smaller animal directly into that scenario and hope for the best.
Nobody got hurt this time. But it could have gone a very different way very quickly. If you own a dog, own the responsibility that comes with it. Read your surroundings. Make smart decisions. Not just for your pet but for everyone else sharing the same sidewalk.
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