Justice for Maisie

[MarcoPoloCX]

Just read this on FB

TO THE OWNER OF THE DOG WHO KILLED MAISIE.

This. THIS. This is what you've done to this man. A widowed man in his 70's with failing sight, hearing and other health issues. The man I drove to pick Maisie up 2 days after he lost his wife. My mum. This man is my dad. And you have broken his heart.

Perhaps you did not think your dog would need to be on a lead that day at Buckingham Park when it attacked Maisie not once but TWICE grabbing her round the neck. This defenceless 4kg dog who wouldn't say boo to a goose. Who was my dad's world. You were wrong.

Perhaps you thought it was ok to give my dad abuse for pulling YOUR dog off HIS dog not once but twice. A man with sight difficulties. A man on BLOOD THINNING MEDICATION who could have easily been bitten by YOUR dog and bled out there and then in the park. You were wrong.

Perhaps you thought it was no big deal when you fucked off and did a runner without leaving any details with my dad in case YOUR dog had caused any injuries to HIS dog. In case YOUR insurance had to pay out for something YOUR dog had done to HIS dog.

For that, you were as far wrong as you can get.

I'm sure you've seen the media posts I've put out appealing for information on the owner of the attacking dog. The small, white/light coloured dog off the lead with the irresponsible owner. The owner who DIDN'T EVEN APOLOGISE. Who ABANDONED this old man in the park, shaken up, scared and angry in the middle of the park with his dogs, instead of doing the right thing. I think, perhaps, you don't know what the right thing would be. Or maybe, perhaps, you do. And just chose not to do it.

We don't want your dog destroyed. No. Although that may be taken out of your hands should your dog continue to attack other dogs, unprovoked, unmuzzled and off the lead. And especially if one of those attacks happens to be a person, heaven forbid, a CHILD.

You see, there is such a thing as DOG OWNER ETIQUETTE. It's what us decent dog owners do to make sure we are responsible for our own animals. It's much like driving a car. If your car damages another car, you swap details. You either pay for the damage, or let your insurance pay for the damage. 3rd party cover. That's what it's for. Pet insurance has that too. Did you know? Do you even have pet insurance? Are you worried you'd have to pay out for your mistake?

Because you know that's what it is, don't you? YOUR MISTAKE. YOUR POOR JUDGEMENT. Don't make out that this is the first time your dog has attacked. I know it's not. Your local community know it's not. And now, because of your decision to keep your dog off the lead and unmuzzled in a public place a beloved animal has lost her life. My dad didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve to spend a month battling infection, surviving surgery and succumbing to septicaemia and organ failure and have her life taken away from her before her time. My dad didn't deserve to have to medicate her at home. To watch her deteriorate. To lose weight from the trauma of the whole distressing situation. To say goodbye to her when neither of them were ready to say goodbye.

I didn't deserve to watch my dad struggle. To help him with Maisie. To listen to him cry over the phone when she was hospitalised, having to explain to him his baby might not come home. To feel the helplessness that there was nothing I could do to lighten this burden for him. To watch her daughter kissing her mum goodbye and trying to climb into the hole after her mum when we buried her. For us to all be reminded of the time when we picked up this little saviour for my dad at a time when we were grieving a terrible loss of our own.

To break the news to my elderly dad that Maisie wasn't going to get better. To watch him sob like a child as he cradled his dog and apologise to his baby that he couldn't save her. That he was going to miss her. That he was never going to forget her. To watch him lay her favourite toy with her.

He didn't deserve to lose his dog. She didn't deserve to die.

YOUR DECISIONS caused this.

You need to take responsibility for your dog. Muzzle it in a public place. Take it to training classes. And for fuck's sake keep it on a lead. Maybe you could even grow a pair, own your mistake and provide your details. But honestly - Make sure this never happens again. To anyone.

This loss is on your head. This pain is on you. I hope you see this picture when you go to sleep tonight.

What you did... Was WRONG.
Take responsibility. Please.

#dogowneretiquette
#justiceformaisie

[Ratbagcatbag]

I'm so sorry. There are truly idiots out there.

My dog once got out when my mum was in charge and went for another dog. My mum rang in a state. I found out where the owner lived, popped round, asked if there had been any injuries or vets bills that needed to be taken care off (thankfully no injuries) and I apologised profusely. I know mistakes happen, and dogs unfortunately can get in fights, but, as an owner you sort, apologise and then work from there.

Hugs to your family.