Everyday Systems

Last evening I was the victim of a visious attack by an unleashed pitbull. I was walking in the same familiar neighborhood that I have for several years (not mine) because it has some good uphill climbs.
The dog came charging out of nowhere from across and down the street and knocked me over like a feather (and I'm 5'9" tall). He proceeded to take two big chomps (*edit* turns out it was actually four by the bruising - two of them badly punctured my leg - the other two more surface bites) into the back of my right leg. There just wasn't time to react at all - except to scream for help - and try to get up. He was doubling around for a second attack when my screams were heard and the owners called the dog. He ran back home when they did. Then an interview with the local sherriffs was required and of course, a trip to ER. The dog was current on his rabies vaccination, thank goodness. I won't go into graphic details, and I'm not writing this to bash dogs or dog owners. Although, I'm not a dog owner, I am an animal lover. I'm writing this to give you some good hints that might help you someday. I'm very fortunate to be writing this post this morning - it could have been so much worse. I keep thinking, what if it had been a child?
So here's what I learned:
1. Always carry your cell phone. I do. I was able to get a hold of my son to come to the dog owner's house and help However, some time ago I read about entering ICE (in case of emergency) numbers into your cell phone. Had I? No. Did I do it today? Yes. Here is the information, if you'd like:

The idea is that you store the word " I C E " in your mobile phone address book, and against it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted "In Case of Emergency".

In an emergency situation ambulance and hospital staff will then be able to quickly find out who your next of kin are and be able to contact them. It's so simple that everyone can do it. Please do.

Please will you also email this to all the people you know, it won't take too many 'forwards' before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest.

For more than one contact name ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 etc.

It’s a great idea, store it in your phone then pass on the message to your family and friends....

2. Always carry a form of ID on your person. I am not in the habit of doing this...what if I'd been unconscious or unable to speak? My purse was locked up in my car about a mile away!

3. Bring along some protection...a walking stick, pepper spray, etc. Never thought I would need such things living in the country like I do. I know better now.

So, hopefully these are some ideas that may save someone else...I guess I won't be walking for awhile, anyway...these won't be red days, will they?

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend.

Mimi

Oh, Mimi, how awful--and so scary. I'm glad you're ok--but I'm guessing once some soreness sets in, you're not going to be feeling very well. And yeah, I'm thinking these will definitely be YELLOW days like Reinhard says Sick Days are Yellow--maybe in this case, S should stand for STAY SAFE.

I'm grateful that at least in the city limits we have pretty strong leash laws and recently they strengthened them with more guidelines regarding pit bulls and other breeds more prone to attacks. And yes, I love dogs but I know you just can never know what one can do in a given situation.

I already had ICE in my phone but it's good to remind people of that and the idea of always carrying ID. Another item that might be a good idea is a whistle.

Take care of yourself -- and again, I'm very glad it wasn't worse.

Glad you're ok Mimi!

I will definitely implement those tips as I go walking quite a lot. Often random dogs will come running up to me, but on the whole they're the kind with wagging tails and an owner not far behind (luckily!).

I was attacked by a pitbull as a kid, the scary thing was it was at a family friend's house who I visited often, the dog knew me and was normally friendly, but one day I went in the backyard unnacompanied and unnanounced (something I'd never done before) so the dog went mental and attacked me. Pitbulls are certainly territorial and temperemental!

So I would add to anyone who has kids, if they're visiting people who have dogs, make sure the dog(s) sees that the owner has given them permission to enter the premises.

I hope your bites get better Mimi!

Mimi--this happened to me a couple of years back--and the dog was even on a leash! One of those long retractable leashes--he circled around behind me and bit the s&*t out of the back of my leg--I am so so sorry this happened to you--Dogs can be so very territorial. Great advice about ICE--the other day my son asked me why it said ICE in front of dad's number, and we promptly made sure he had an ICE in his cell as well!

good healing vibes to you

Marianna

Something else good to know...one of our local police officers told me this morning that hairspray is actually more effective against a dog than mace. He said that the mace you buy is not as potent as the mace that officers carry. I promptly bought two travel size aerosol cans of Tresemeé hair spray. I plan to carry one in my hand when I resume walking. I may even carry one in each hand. It may take me awhile...not only was it was a very terrifying experience, but I am so extremely sore today that I can hardly walk.
Thanks for the kind sentiments guys.

Mimi, that is awful! I wish you a speedy recovery. Take care of yourself!

Glad to hear you are ok. I hate hearing about dog attacks on the news.

ICE is international too. We use it here in Australia and I was taught about it while obtaining my senior first aid certification.

I am actually quite scared of dogs due to an attack when I was a child. I utterly cringe when I walk past an open gate with a dog in the yard. There are way too many dog owners who have no sense of responsibility or they think just because their dog won't attack them it won't attack anyone. What they fail to realise is that strangers, unlike the owner, are not an established part of the pack hierarchy so the chance of the dog attacking is much greater.

I am so sick of entering a yard and asking the owner "Is the dog ok?" and they are all like "Yeah she's right mate" and the dog is giving me the snarls and death stare. They really just don't have a clue.

OMG, How terrible!! I hope you heal up fast!

Wow Mimi I'm so glad you came out okay!!!! That sounded terrifying!!!!!
Much love and healing prayers!!!!
Debs xx

Mimi,
I am so sorry this happened to you. You are in my prayers for a speedy and complete recovery.

I do have ICE in my phone, but thanks for the reminder. I will be sure to pass it on to others.

I walk my Chihuahuas daily but I have never thought to carry a stick. I do have a pretty good sized tree banch in my courtyard. I will strip the bark off of it and carry it wirh me from now on. Thanks for the hairspary tip. I will pick up a travel sized can today.

Again, get well soon.

Thanks all for your concern and well wishes. I so appreciate them. We just can never be too careful. I believe if we are informed beforehand, perhaps we can avoid circumstances like this in the future. And if we are pet owners, we can be more careful to secure our animals in a proper way. I would never want this to happen to anyone else who is out getting daily exercise. I know it is a big factor for most of us following NoS to make it a part of our daily habits.
Again, thanks...I keep chuckling about carrying a shovelglove...it would definitely get some looks, I'm sure!

Oh, that's terrible. Getting attacked like that must be pretty traumatic.

I'm sure some dog owners would yell at you for using mace or any aerosol on their beloved pet, even if you have the right to defend yourself when you are attacked of course.

Hopefully you recover soon from all this ordeal.

Another tip, dogs can attack when they are surprised .... so it's a good idea to make a bit of noise, especialy in the wooded areas (Applies to BEARS too !) Walking stick, good idea as well, I like this idea, walking around with a BIG STICK, brandishing it high !!

I always carry a piece of paper with my name and address when I go cycling by myself, forgot to mention it. Also ICE information of course (Ice Ice Baby).
Blood type, that sort of thing. Other things I always have : A few quarters (I don't have a cell phone) and the quarters jiggling in my pocket act like a bell, really ... clearing the slower people in front. Water bottle. Helmet, mp3 player.

Cheers !

Marc

Disclaimer : I am following a more extreme version of the 'No-S' diet.
I made my own personal modifications to the original plan (Diet & Exercise)
What I am doing should not be misinterpreted as being a typical 'No-S' diet experience.
11/01/2008 : 280.0 pounds
07/01/2009 : 208.2 pounds
( 8 months / -71.8 pounds )
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Goal : 11/01/2009 : 193.0 pounds ( 1 year / -87.0 pounds )

bluebunny27 wrote:Another tip, dogs can attack when they are surprised .... so it's a good idea to make a bit of noise

This is indeed wise. I will often step heavily or scuff my feet and cough as I approach a yard with a dog in front so it knows I am coming, especially so if it happens to be asleep and the gate is open right beside it!

Very good suggestions guys - thanks! I will remember them from now on. In this case, however, I was the one who was surprised! The dog didn't make a sound - no barking at all - when he charged across the road full speed at me. I didn't even know where he came from and had absolutely no time to react. I keep replaying the scenario in my mind, trying to think what I could have done differently. The sad truth is, I can't come up with anything - there was just not enough warning or time.
But... from now on, I will be much better prepared.
Good news - I returned to the ER this afternoon for a follow-up check on the wounds, and they are looking much better - terrible bruising, but no signs of infection. That's something to be thankful for!

Mimi

I'm so sorry this happened to you, Mimi, and so glad it wasn't worse. Thanks for the suggestions!

Liz

Hi Mimi,

I am SO sorry to hear this. I am quite glad that you were not killed or critically injured. I would however like to slap the owner on your behalf. Are you pursuing any legal action?

When walking my own (submissive, sucky, gentle) 90lb dog, I usually have some good, stinky dog treats (aka mind control in a bag), a small flashlight (doubles as weapon) and my cell phone and keys. I sometimes also carry something weapon-ish by way of a stick or an exceptionally large Nylabone I have (if I go to the park). Thankfully I haven't had any real problem, but I have seen some really UGLY dogfights involving my neighbour's vicious chihuahua. (Don't laugh, it is known in the neighbourhood as "T**** the Terrorist.")

That is horrible.


I am a big beliver that dogs should be on leashes, when outside the house or a closed gate, at all times. This makes me so mad when stuff like this happens!

Wow, that sounds terrifying. I was not prepared for that kind of a story from the subject!

(Though the ICE tip is great -- never heard it before.)

I hope you're recovering well? Sounds like it's better than it look initially, that's a relief at least.

I guess we should carry the urban ranger metaphor one step further and carry a sword (or equivalent).

Reinhard

Yes, thank you Reinhard! I am recovering well...physically, at least. Mentally may be a little tougher for me. It was all so horrifying that it may take some real work on my part. But, I refuse to live in fear. I will be out walking again as soon as possible, although not in that neighborhood. And I will be well armed...midtownfg suggested that I carry a shovelglove. What do you think? I could cover it with the NoS insignia and be a walking advertisement for you!
I was contacted by the animal control officer this morning and we are working on getting the animal put onto Virginia's Dangerous Dog List (started a few years ago when an 80-something year old woman was killed by three unleashed pitbulls). This requires the owner to carry $100,000 liability insurance for animal bites (which is very difficult to get - few companies want to take clients of this nature, particularly when the animal is an agressive breed). It also requires muzzling when out on a leash and all kinds of other restrictions. We'll see what happens.
Thank you again for your well wishes. And get your cell phone updated with ICE numbers!

Mimi

Just think what a workout you would get carrying an 8 lb sledgehammer and swinging as you go!!!
Or even better, two 4 lbs mini ones.. One in each hand!!!!

Glad you are healing up Mimi!!!!
Hugs again!!!
You are very brave and strong!!!!
Debs x

One of my biggest pet peeves are people who do no leash their dogs. I live across the street from a beach, and in the summer, I can barely walk my dogs on the beach because of all the idiots that unleash their dog(s) on the beach---even though there's an ordinance against unleashed dogs. At the very least, this behavior is extremely inconsiderate. When I see unleashed dogs on the beach (if I'm fortunate enough to see them), I can't tell whether they'll be obeident to their owners or not, so that means that I have to avoid the beach. It's extremely selfish on the owners' part to assume that they own the beach. Even worse, though, is if a dog goes on attack mode. My husband has had that happen once to him, and I've had it happen twice (fortunately, with smaller dogs).

Mimi, I'm so glad that you're okay. I wish the cops would crack down on these idiots who don't leash their dogs. I carry pepper spray w/ me when I walk, but I walk two dogs, so it would be very difficult for me to aim and spray if I were attacked.

Oh mimi I am so happy to hear that you're alright! Thanks for the excellent tips.

Mimi -- I just got back from a two-week internet-less vacation and am just catching up on the No-S boards: I am so very sorry to hear about this incident. I think it is a good sign that you have responded by posting those very sensible tips as that shows you are taking a pro-active approach to the problem, at least on one level, anyway. I can appreciate that the emotional healing might be a far more difficult undertaking, and applaud your decision not to live in fear.

Your tips (cell phone, ICE, ID, etc.) are things many of us may have read about and thought to be good ideas but never implemented -- thank you very much for bring them to our attention.

I'm not anti-dog either, but there are leash & roaming laws that need to be enforced! Irresponsible owners who permit their dogs to be in a position to attack passersby simply have no excuse for allowing that to happen. I support rigorous enforcement with significant fines and other consequences, such as the "Dangerous Dog" list if not jail time, for these people. As with so many things in today's world, the clueless, stupid few spoil it for everyone else, other dog owners as well as walkers.

Anyway, enough of the rant (I am just outraged on your behalf!) ... as you can see, many of us are keeping you in our thoughts and wishing for your speedy, and complete, recovery. Very best wishes, Winnie

(Sorry for all the underlining, but having been plagued by two particular loose dogs, and having a friend who has been bitten twice by roamers, I feel very strongly about this issue. "Please keep your dog tied in the future" is not enough of a response to the havoc that is/can be caused! And enforcement needs to be applied before an incident occurs. I have complained about these dogs, yet they still roam free in a town that has a no-roam law!)

Thanks for your concern Winnie! I hope you had a wonderful vacation - I've missed you! We're getting ready to go next week.
One of the town police officers contacted me on Tuesday to let me know that they are pressing charges against the dog owner on the leash law violation. I will also probably be subpoenaed to appear in court to show the pictures of the injuries. (I'm so glad we were advised to do that by the deputies, otherwise I probably wouldn't have thought about it.)
I will also be subpoenaed to appear for the Dangerous Dog hearing - that's a different charge. From what I was told, the judge could order the dog destroyed immediately, rather than go the dangerous dog registry route. It just infuriates me that I have to be drug through all this - but if I don't, the owner gets off with just a fine, and nothing is done about the dog. I don't have much choice it seems...

I can sympathise with your feelings. The legalese of the modern world is tiresome. Two generations ago some neighbour probably would have just shot the dog right there in the guys yard after this incident back in ye goode olde days.

I'll settle though, don't want to get started on how bad the modern world is. I'll sound like one of those guys on the Grumpy Old Men show even though I am under 30!

Sorry that you have to go through all the legal business -- it hardly seems fair that the injured party has to face all that, too! Set it all aside, though, and have yourself a wonderful, relaxing, stress-free, healing, fun vacation!

I'd like to start off by saying that I love dogs...

But this type of situation is one reason why I always have a handgun with me when I'm out walking (l have a concealed weapons permit). I've only been close to needing it once, when 3 very aggressive rotwiellers came running toward me from behind their house (I was on the sidewalk). Luckily for me and them they stopped at the end of their driveway. Good dogs!! The only other time I had a dog problem I was chased a bit by a very cranky Beagle, but he was old and I was faster!!! No harm no foul...

Please look into carrying some sort of protection, and get some basic training with it, even pepper spray has a learning curve (tip, be mindful of whence the wind blows).

Be careful everyone,

Dave