Columnist to irresponsible dog owners: "I will end your pet"

I understand the reporter/columnist's new-mommy paranoia thing, which is only natural - I've got two kids. I understand being bothered by dogs not being leashed when they're not in their homes/yards.

But this column? Sophomoric at best. And, lots of people are going to be pissed off at her.

Was this column worth publishing? I think not.

http://www.annarbor.com/news/hey-ann-arbor---put-your-dog-on-a-leash-a-short-one/

 

A 20-something in Ann Arbor who sets an agenda tailored to herself and the rest of the world be damned?
Color me shocked...

 

I pity her poor child, I pity the school system she will be in, I pity those that have to fly on a airplane with her and her kids.

There are times when I wish parents would keep their kids on a leash.

 

In that whole column, which has a few problems, this section bothered me most:

Finally, I talked to the owners.
"Hey," I said. "I'm sure you're dog's real sweet and all," I lied, "but, it scares me. And I have a baby now. Could you keep it on a leash?"
"Yeah, sorry," the neighbor said.
They did.
But I was left wondering, "Why did I have to ask? "

----

So, she had a problem, she asked the owners for help, they complied -- and she still had to complain about it.

This strikes me as something writers sometimes do, which is to have an anecdote that almost fits their point, but not quite, but they want to tell it anyway, so they do and then mitigate it in some way to force that square peg into a round hole.

I'm not a fan of that approach.

 

Me to cackling mothers at local dog park where dogs run free:

" Do any of you know the little girl lying on ground crying? She just got run over by a Lab chasing a tennis ball."

 

It wasn't the best-written column in the world, by no means. But she did have some valid points, including the lack of animal-control officers due to budget cuts.

I had a neighbor who lived across the street from me (prior to the drug-dealing ones that I once put up a thread here about) who had a huge dog that would charge people. He charged myself, my wife, my kids, our other neighbors, even our mailman. The woman would say, "Oh, he charges, but he never bites. Just stand still, and I'll call him off."

Really? This 150-pound dog charges after my kid, barking, and I'm supposed to take the risk that he won't hurt him? No thanks.

I told the neighbor, essentially, that they better pray that dog never bit any members of my family. Otherwise, we were going to have a MAJOR problem on our hands. She got the hint, and the dog stayed inside, or was tied up after that.

But like the columnist, I shouldn't have had to say anything. It should have been totally obvious to the dog owner that she has this big dog that, at best, is scaring people, and at worst, is going to severely harm someone.

 

Fast-forward a few years at a restaurant, with the roles reversed:

Finally, I talked to the mother.
"Hey," I said. "I'm sure you're kid's real sweet and all," I lied, "but, it's screaming and running and jumping around and is turning our quiet dinner into a nightmare. Could you try to control him?"
"Yeah, sorry," the mother said.
She did.
But I was left wondering, "Why did I have to ask? "

 

Well said (or copied), BTE.

 

I thought this was the most singularly self-absorbed comment...
"Wrong. No one wants sloppy kisses from your pet. Keep it away from my child. And put it on a leash. "

Because, as BT said, when her mewling brats are in a restaurant and one of them says, "Mommy! Dontcha want to hear me sing" and Mrs. Oblivious says "Yes dear," she shouldn't be surprised when someone comes up to her and tells her to curb her dog....

Oh, and there's this comment...
"By the way Juliana, what exactly do you mean by "I will end your pet." That sounds like a threat and if someone posted that in a comment it would removed. I hope other staff members at annarbor.com have noticed this."

OOOHHH, OOOOH... and this one from an old friend of ours,
Jimmy McNulty at 8:10 AM on July 3, 2011

Juliana, while I agree with parts of your opinion column, I disagree with the degree of anger you convey in your writing. You come off sounding......like an angry middle schooler. The problem is usually the pet owners and the socialization and lack of exercise their pets receive. Plus, there are some great dog parks for those who want to let their pets run free. I second what others have posted here about your threats to "end your pet" just for coming near you. You can't make threats like that Juliana. Why don't you ask Rich Kinsey.

 

More goodness...

I have a job at a2.com and I will use that platform to rant on about dogs and their owners.

rant

rant

rant

Hey you, yeah you Juliana, your pregnant self with your parking spots near the front of the parking lot, not everyone shares your love of your baby, that's right, that screaming thing you drag around town with you interupting peoples strolls, shopping etc. Your child should be muzzled, please, spare the rest of us having to hear that thing gurble or cry or throw a hissy fit. Don't try to shove a stroller into a lift that is too small for it. Don't hit peoples ankles with it. Don't let your child crawl on the stores floor so that people have to not trip on it. Hey, leash your child, maybe put a bell on it so that others know it is coming.

please parents also know that why you might think your baby is the smartest, cutest, most wonderful thing there's a greater number who think it's ugly or deformed. We might also feel pity for it but would like to do so at a distance, we might also have great pity for it that it's parents have a self righteous Holier than thou complex and rant about it at work.

I agree with the other poster who said this was a trolling article/opinion.

a2.com, hard hitting news? no, soft hitting news? no, more of the same a2 attitude, sure.

---

 

Too many of today"s new mothers expect that the world needs to adapt to them, instead of them adapting to the world.

Kid has a peanut allergy. No problem, just tell the flight attendant that no one the 747 will be getting peanuts.

 

I expect everyone to be utterly charmed by my offspring. It is my gift to this planet.