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Some people may remember the woman who sold the "Ugly Truffles" at the Hilo Market. She and her husband lived in HPP. She walked with a stick, yet was viciously attacked by loose dogs owned by a 'neighbor'. Some neighbor... she blamed the Truffle Lady, because 'her dogs never caused any trouble. The Truffle Lady was hospitalized and treated but died from a condition triggered by the dog bites. Her husband moved back to the mainland.
Years before, my daughter was chased by a pack of dogs in Fern Acres. She was riding her bicycle. Again, the dog owner took no responsibiity.
My daughter was terrified. She reported the incident to the police and the dogs were PUT DOWN.
Always carry a stout stick and some doggie cookies and your cell phone. Don't feel sorry for the dogs, they have an owner incapable of being responsible. Report all dog matters to the police.
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Hawaii is generally inhumane to animals. It is hard on dogs and the dogs are hard on people. Allowing dogs to run free is common...allowing them to have run-ins with pigs, wander around, and then wondering where they could have run off to is also common...chaining them up is common...and indifference to the consequence of loose dogs is common. That said, loose dogs are not unique to Hawaii. Before I go for a walk in my genteel neighborhood in Southern California I do the following: grab my pepper spray, gather three rocks and put them in my right pocket (one of the great benefits of being a guy --pockets and fun stuff in them!), and grab a walking stick with a bronze fleur-de-lis on the business end. Not two months ago, my soon-to-be divorced and castoff ne'er do well boyfriend and I were walking with my two adorable dalmatians when, as happens, we were attacked by a loose dog. Boyfriend rather cruelly brought him down with one pop with his walking stick. The dog and the dog's owners regretted the encounter.
Sticks work. Be on the alert and pop on sight.
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agreed. MANY of our neighbors here in fern forest just let their dogs roam around. a pack of four rule the road and won't let people and/or cars pass. they charge our gate and try to fight with our dogs. on one particular incident when we weren't home, it happened and then our dogs turned on EACHOTHER. hundreds of dollars later, when they show up at our gate, i'm armed with rocks and throw them at the gate/sign on gate which makes a very loud shocking sound. all of them quickly disperse.
last night, we don't know what the heck happened, but two of our dogs got into it with eachother for no apparent reason. they have never been chained and had full run of the yard and house. both are left wounded; renee's forearm needed stitches and i'm left with bruises, scrapes and an achy body.
lessoned learned. they will forever be separated. with that said, even though the incident was with our own dogs, the hospital reported it to the police.
lastly, no matter what kind of neighborhood you live in, people think it's okay to let their dogs run loose. when we lived in kailua, o'ahu, we couldn't even walk our dogs at the beach because so many other owners thought it was okay to let their dogs roam off leash.
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In our old house there was a Rotweiler who lived in the house behind us. He would routinely get out when the owner was away and terrorize the neighborhood. We would call police. One time, this dog had a young boy pinned against the school wall next door. Absolutely terrifying. I called the police. They came, the owner came, and that darn dog sat there like an little angel looking up at his master like he was the best dog in the whole world. The police did cite him -- too many witnesses and a terrified kid - but I will never trust a loose dog again.
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I have been told by a long time resident if you carry a pop-up umbrella that they are scared of it and you should be OK.... Anyone else hear this??
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Hotzcatz,
I'm not sure your advice is the best I've heard. I've had two separate occasions where pit bulls were rabidly charging me. I use the term rabidly because they were barking, charging, aggressive, scary as hell and if I did what you suggested I think I would be another statistic of a dog mauling.
What I did, is yell very loudly and both times spray those dogs with pepper spray. One dog came within 2 feet of me until he took off and the other changed his course at 5 feet.
On a happy note, both of the dogs owners happened to hear me yelling and one keeps his dog in a kennel and the other completed the fencing on the 2ft lava wall around their yard. The same lava wall the dog "rabidly" scrambled over. Again, no pepper spray and I would bet a beer, and I'm not regularly the betting type, that I would have been mauled.
For the record, I have had a few friendly loose dogs come up to me, my wife and our dog during our walks and they didn't get sprayed.
See you in the surf
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Rocks for distance, pepper spray for when they get within 10 feet, walking stick with heavy pointed ornament on the end if they keep coming....and a cell phone in case things get really ugly. I have been attacked numerous times in my Southern California neighborhood (that Sean knows well). I always scream at the top of my lungs, stand up tall, get my dogs at close as I can and then unleash these weapons in succession. Was walking with my soon-to-be ex partner not long ago...he carrys a shovel without the head. I hated to see him use it but, I was caught off guard (that can happen when you are enjoying your walk instead of bracing every single moment for a frightening encounter), and I dropped my walking stick. Pepper spray not in convenient place. The dog had already engaged my dog but went down quickly when my partner whacked him in the middle of the back. I felt very bad. He went down immediately and was very stunned. I would not have hit him in the back, but he turned tail and walked away from the incident. His owner was mystified "Why'd you do that, man?". 20 seconds before, his owner was laughing as the dog escaped from his grasp as he rode a skateboard and headed straight for us.
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I'm reading all these post with great an open heart & mind. I have been on both sides of the fence with regards to pet behavior.
You all are aware that dogs are one of two animal/insects that sense our feelings & emotions. Bees,are the other one who can sense our emotions. So with bees I'm 100% completely relaxed around them. Because of that I have only been stung once in the past 15 years or so. That was because I stepped on the little buggar too.
As for dogs biting good people on evening walks after dinner. It happens, and it happens probably more than it should too! But people also have to remember. For all the innocent individuals who walk past the dogs daily without an issue arising. There are tenfold who go by teasing these very same animals...daily! A lot of individuals do so thinking no one sees them. Then when the dog does get lucky enough to scare it's tormentor , this individual now becomes the passive tree hugger and wants to complain to the authorities. These said individuals can "piss off" as far as I'm concerned! Sure my yard is not gated(right now can't afford to chain-link one acre yard!). I have three "PitBulls",two on leashes. The other is my 50-50 dog. He's only a puppy so I put him on leash part of the day . The other part of the day he roams the property, and on occasion goes out and greets passerby's. But this practise is quickly coming to an end. Seems there is some jerk from another street who likes to drive his car down our street with his dog chasing his car unleashed. Well you can imagine the impact this has on my dogs!?!?
The two that are leashes about snap their necks trying to get loose. While my pit puppy is gone! He's flying after the car and dog, looks like a fun game to him? For almost two years this fool has been do this down my street! For almost two years I have tried to catch this bastard and tell him what time it is! If I was a real jerk, I'd release my other dogs right as I see his car heading my way!
People have got to understand that there are many dog tormentors here in Puna. Not everyone is innocent, or a victim by man's best friend in Puna!
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So this guy's unrestrained dog is having an adverse effect on your unrestrained dog?
You're contemplating letting more dogs loose to retaliate?
I'm not sure this will solve your problem.
punatoons
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The issue with "unleashed" is this: Some dogs are not good with other dogs. That is pretty typical of my breed of dogs -- great with people, unpredictable with other dogs. Your unleashed dog comes up to mine and they go ballistic...then your dog goes ballistic and then i am in the middle of a three-way dog fight.
The rule is very simple, not matter what state or territory: The guy with the unleashed dog is always, always, always wrong. It is not okay that sometimes people get bit when out for a stroll. It is also certainly not okay that some guy invites his dog to "trail behind" his car.
Accidents happen, but they should be accidents -- not accidents waiting to happen because the owner took a cavalier attitude toward possible harm to other people or animals by unleashing their dogs. Everyone can afford a small dog run if the dogs must be outside. These are available at pet stores and shade for them can easily be provided. But bring the dogs in. They are no filthier than babies.
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