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The Perils of Free Range Dogs

Aggravated People

From , former About.com Guide



If your dog runs loose, it is almost garuanteed that he has irritated another person, be it homeowner, pedestrian, or driver. Some of the worst cases of animal abuse stem from people who have reached the ends of their tempers regarding roaming dogs.

Two years ago a dog was beaten so severely with a baseball bat that he had to be euthanized, by a teenager simply because he had wandered into a yard not his own. People all over were outraged

While this dog had a loving home and family who mourn him now, it does illustrate my point rather brutally about what can happen to a dog who runs loose. Not everybody loves dogs, not everybody is willing to help a dog in need. Even a normally rational human being can be subject to fits of temper that might make headlines.

Teenagers with bats however, may be a minority in the things to watch out for, but please don't assume your dog is fine otherwise. It is a real heartbreaker when I see a dog lying on the side of the highway, the latest road-kill from zooming cars and trucks. Or hear the latest from dogs being shot by farmers because they were harassing the livestock.

It is NOT a safe world out there, and while responsible owners struggle daily to overcome what is rapidly becoming a poor reputation that covers all dog owners, people still let their dogs loose.

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