Leash it or lose it!

Hi all! This Blog is going to be a little rough on the ears because it is a sad true story but a lesson well learned to those who need to hear it! A scary truth that can happen when you do not use a leash.

I went into work last Monday, my shift was from 12 pm to 10:30 pm, and not even 30 min into the day I heard about the morning emergency. A call came in right when we opened, a woman in panic reported her dog had just been hit by a car right outside our clinic door. A technician rushed out and grabbed a limp little body and rushed it to the back. Another Tech mentioned that the HBC (hit by a car) patient looked just like the morning surgery spay. Unfortunately, it was. Our morning procedure had arrived, The client opened her truck door, took her 1yr old Maltese out, and placed her on the ground leashless. The dog then ran directly into the street and was immediately hit by a car! With a crushed pelvis and possible ruptured bladder, the owner decided to euthanize her. Working in this field of choice is very emotional, and can feel like a whirlwind of feelings.

My heart broke when I heard the news of the day and my mind went to a vibrant, sweet little pup who is now gone. Wouldn’t you know the few days I actually put on a little makeup for work and the first thing I do is cry? My choice in career is taxing, physically, and emotionally taxing. I get angry, happy, fearful, stressed, content, whoa it’s a rollercoaster. It’s difficult to explain to people what my job entails and why clients need to comply with good protocols.

Here are a few really good reasons to keep a leash on your dog. 

1. A leash helps to prevent the spread of diseases and keeps your beloved 4 legged baby safe from contracting diseases.  On a leash, your pet is less likely to get nose to nose contact with potentially sick dogs and unable to roam free around potential places that can harbor dangerous microorganisms. 
2. A leash creates a good obedient bond between owner and pet.  A leash will acclimate a pet to get excited about walks and respect you as the master and stay by your side. 
3.  A leash is commonly referred to as “Your Pet’s Lifeline,” protecting your pet from traffic and unrestrained animals. Accidents or animal bites are greatly reduced when responsible pet owners obey the leash law.  

I can not say that I have always followed the leash law myself and I understand the feeling an owner has when they own a very obedient dog. I’ve had two dogs in my life that I frequently did not put a leash on and in all honesty, they both had incidences getting attacked by other dogs. One was even hit by a car and amazingly survived, although that is not usually the case. I was extremely fortunate not to lose one to a horrible off-the-leash incident. But when I heard of the senseless death of that innocent little one from work I gained a whole new appreciation for leashes and how much protection and good they do.

     No one can promise that if you follow the leash law nothing bad will ever happen to your pet or you. But it’s common sense that if more people comply with leashing their pets then fewer tragic incidents will happen! 

Thanks For Reading

Heidi Parker