Editor’s Notes: Our four-legged defenders
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Perusing a few news items this week, I came across an item about a 12-year-old Ohio girl who was followed by a man in "a 1970s model Ford pick-up truck, who then got out of the car to chase her, according to a police report obtained by WKBN." (WKBN is based in Youngstown, Ohio.)
According to the report, the girl ran up to her father's house, where she was met by the family dog. The dog knocked down the driver of the pick-up and, according to the report "got him pretty good."
I'd imagine that pooch is in for extra treats for a while after that bit of heroism. The story didn't say what breed or size the dog was, but it doesn't really matter. A good dog who has decided to protect its loved ones is going to do some damage at any size.
Not too long after I read that item, I got an email from an organization that listed the top ways to stop a home break-in. The usual ideas were given: security systems, plenty of exterior lighting and security cameras, etc. It reminded me of a conversation I heard years ago in which a reformed thief was talking about the kind of home security he most feared when looking for easy targets.
He said if he heard a dog barking, it made him hesitate, and often just walk away. (Bear in mind, of course, this person had seen the error of his ways, and therefore likely had a heart and/or was never as willing to hurt a pet or a human as some other criminals might be.)
Still, it's something to think about. And the family of that 12-year-old girl is probably glad she had a four-legged defender that day.
Home and personal security is about the last thing on a long list of good reasons to have a dog, if you are financially able and willing to put in the work to give it a good home. That's why it bothered me so much to see another news story from just a few days ago that said across the country dogs (and cats) are being returned to animal shelters in upsetting numbers, because their owners don't need "lockdown buddies" anymore, and are going back to work outside their homes.
Best Friends Animal Society reports owner surrenders are up nearly 83 percent compared with 2020.
It doesn't seem quite right to shame those who now feel forced into giving up their pets, so I'll try to put a positive spin on this. Maybe it means there will be a few more dogs in shelters who are already trained and know how to live with families. Maybe that will provide a good excuse for families who have a better idea that they'll be in it for the long haul to go to their local shelters and consider adopting a pet.
I hope so. Whether they are defenders of the home … or just the good spot on the couch, pets make a house feel a little more like home.
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Clarification: Last week I wrote about a situation involving Ioneer and the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project in Esmerelda County, Nev. It seems as though I made a mistake in interpreting the research I did on the matter. A representative of Ioneer has clarified for me that there are no lawsuits against Ioneer, and that the lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity is meant to push the federal government to make a decision on the status of Tiehm's Buckwheat.
Further, the representative said "no one is actually accusing Ioneer of criminal activity. CBD has suggested human involvement, but not directly pointed the finger at Ioneer."
Christina Myer is executive editor of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. She can be reached via e-mail at cmyer@newsandsentinel.com