Photos and blog post by John HoffYesterday, while taking a jog around the Jordan Pond, I was intercepted by a young black female who walked up and asked me, "That your dog?" I looked in the direction she was pointing, where I saw a young black man holding a terrifying pit bull. In close proximity was another young black female, and another young black male.
At first I was confused. Why would this young woman be asking me about the leashed pit bull? Then I saw...
A small white dog, some kind of stray, standing near the group. I told her, "No, sorry, that's not my dog."
At that moment, the young man with the pit bull proceeded to sic the pit bull on the small white dog. However, the young man didn't let go of the leash and the small white dog fled, terrified, just beyond the grasp of the pit bull's jaws. The guy in possession of the pit bull wasn't kidding around or merely teasing the small dog. Only the quick response of the little dog saved it from becoming the pit bull's chew toy.
At that moment the young female who had initially asked me about the little dog began shouting at the young man and, in fact, claimed a kind of protective ownership of the small dog, saying, "That's MY dog! Leave my dog alone!"
Realizing I was right in the middle of some kind of ridiculous hood drama which seemed about to turn violent at any moment, I ran back to the other end of Jordan Pond where I procured a cell phone and called 911, explaining how the young man with the pit bull had tried to make his "pit" maul a small, defenseless dog. Squad 420 responded in an especially quick manner and, in fact, the dispatcher helped guide the squad car right to the group as I kept the group in sight as far as 27th and James.
The first squad waited for back-up before leaving their vehicle, since the pit bull was, for all intents and purposes, a deadly weapon.
Another squad showed up, and then Animal Control arrived. About 20 minutes later, the police and Animal Control were still dealing with the group as I cruised by and took these pictures on the way to a delightful buffet lunch at Banana Blossom restaurant on Lowry Ave. N. The two males were in the back of the squad car, the two females were on the sidewalk with one of the females holding the pit bull in question.
This is a classic case of a "thug acting thuggy" and ignoring community standards of law-and-order, safety and decency. If these standards ever slipped in NoMi, they are certainly making a powerful comeback in recent years. These values are particularly strong and entrenched around the Jordan Pond, where litter hardly remains for a day until neighbors pick it up, where even stray branches are gathered up for community bonfires. If thugs want to act thuggy, they would be better off doing it somewhere besides the perimeter of the Jordan Pond.
Readers will, of course, want to know the fate of the small dog. I'm sorry, but I don't know. I went by and looked, but didn't see him. I hope he was merely out of his yard and is safe.
That young girl is a hero and should be commended for her actions. Who is she?
ReplyDeleteDon't know. While she is being commended for her actions, what should be said about her choice of companions? She wouldn't even be in that position if she were hanging out with better friends.
ReplyDeleteDoggie update: I saw the small dog at the same location. Apparently he has a home somewhere near, and gets out sometimes...causing chaos and arrests without even trying.
ReplyDeleteThank god! I was so worried after not hearing any further updates. I hope that owner can find a way to keep that little dog on a leash. Thanks for the update John! Great to have you back in NOMI.
ReplyDeleteThe young girl was just practicing her heroic efforts for when she needs to put them to good use doing CPR on her girl friend who has just been hit by a stray bullet late at night on the sidewalk outside some teen thug party when rival gang members shot at the punk ass boys she chooses to hang out with.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, seeing her guy friends sic a pit bull on a stray lapdog and get arrested for it will help her take pause and reconsider next time she is invited to hang out with them.
It would be even better if her mother somehow learned of it. Assuming her mother gives a damn.
ReplyDeleteJust so you know, I had seen that little white dog numerous times, roaming the streets near the park pond. Shortly before she left the NoMi area for good, my cousin Julia picked it up, took it to Wisconsin and loved the shit out of it for years. That dog ate better than most CEOs, had his own feather comforter to sleep with, and was taken to the groomer's monthly. He lived a long and happy life in the country, died of natural causes in his sleep and was never bullied by another thug for as long as he lived. He was loved and cherished and spoiled rotten. To whoever owned him prior, if you wont look after your dog, there is someone somewhere who just might, and if the dog catcher doesn't get him, a swift and unrepenting dog lover like Julia will!
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