This posting was on NYC craigslist. Please read and if anyone knows the legalities of how to best intercede in this situation, please post.

EDITED TO REMOVE PROFANITY!!!!

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I usually don't walk the block from my apartment to Prospect Park on the weekends b/c quite frankly, it's filled with animals. Extended families of intoxicated maniacs roasting pigs and beating their kids while they tether their rotties to poles in the sunlight with 2 feet of rope and nary a drop to drink. It's disgusting. I decided to take a chance, however, at about 5 or 6pm and headed over to "dog beach" so my lab can swim for a bit, while my fiance went for a bike ride.

For about 15 minutes we played our typical game of fetch, with children and strolling couples stopping by to watch her enthusiastically swim. All heads turned upon your arrival: the sound of your terrified young pit clawing the concrete in fear to get away from the water was unmistakable. To everyone's horror, you rolled up your five and dime jeans, tucked the skank thong back into your waistband, and proceeded to throw your dog, high and hard, into the shallow end of the water head first. After the young pup shrieked in fear and got his bearings, he darted from the water and hid under the bench, cowering in fear. Did you feel sympathy for your sweet, terrified dog and try to calm his nerves? Of course not. You grabbed hold of his hind legs and pulled him out from the under the bench....his nails scraping against the concrete in terror, and tossed him in head first again, this time in the deep end- all the while muttering something to your Federline looking ghetto boyfriend about "toughening up your boy and teaching him to like the water". It was at about this point that all the friendly people who had been casually watching my dog swim, walked away shaking their heads in disgust. After watching you throw the trembling puppy into the water 2 more times, I grabbed my dog, called you a "***** psycho" and began to walk away. It was at this point that your frightened, off-leash dog ran down the path baring his teeth at my lab as we tried to walk away. After yelling at you to get control of your dog, you proceeded to drag him back to the pond and torture him awhile longer.

By this point, a small crowd had gathered in the distance, watching this blatant, insensitive animal cruelty taking place before their eyes. People began shouting out to you, pleading with you to stop: you told them to "**** off", and goaded us to call animal cruelty if we want. At one point, after I yelled at you for being cruel, you threatened to "sic your dog on me and my dog". It was at this point that I took off in search of a police officer, as you were obviously insane. Unfortunately for your poor, terrified puppy...it took me about 10 minutes to find any cops to send your way, and you had apparently moved on.

Here's a message for you, from those who witnessed this horror, from the dog-loving residents of Park Slope, and from your own dog: you're a pitiful, worthless excuse for a human being. You probably purchased that animal through the benefits of some social program which I paid for, therefore I have a say in how you raise it. Considering you're probably illiterate, know this: if I had the ability to reach you through the 15-inch plasma tv that you bought on layaway that is now bolted to the ceiling of your bathroom, I would say this very slowly, in the filthy gutteral patois you call a native tongue, so you can understand- you're an *******.
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I cant imagine if I was witness to an incident like this I could restrain myself from confronting the owner. Given that, how should I go about it?

Thanks.

QUOTE: This posting was on NYC craigslist. Please read and if anyone knows the legalities of how to best intercede in this situation, please post END

I don't know about "legalities," but I know what I'd do. I'd move far enough away to keep them in sight but get me out of their hearing and call 911 on a cell phone.

I want to reply only because I know that much abuse happens to animals in more ways than one.I am glad that I didn't witness what you described.I would have lost it and purely went into offense.My father(marine) taught me a trick or two up my sleeve. There are laws out there but they are minimal.The best thing you can do is Hook up with other responsible dog owners in a circle..and have a great day with your dogs.

Can't give you legalaties, but if I were you I would have called the police and made sure I knew where that Ahole lived and followed through to see that the poor helpless dog was free of the devil that it has for an owner. This makes my blood boil.....

The best thing you can do is Hook up with other responsible dog owners in a circle..and have a great day with your dogs.

Actually, I was so upset when I read it that I forgot to read all of the posts. I really liked Candy's reply. That would have probably been the best thing to do as the law really doesn't do much to conrol animal cruelty.

While its easy to not associate with these sorts of people, we really should. They're not necessarily mean - just uneducated. It's a clear profile!

1. unvaccinated, unaltered, unlicensed dog (usually pit/GSD/rott types and mixes)
2. fed Ol' Roy or Gravy Train
3. owner thinks that if you breed the dog once it will live longer
4. owner thinks that teaching a dog to bite on an Ace bandage is making an "attack dog" and the owner does other stupid stuff to make the dog "tough"

What I have found effective is:
1. Impress them by your dog's superior manners, shiny coat, clean teeth etc.
2. Become "friends" so they trust you. (THE HARD PART)
3. When they ask about how wonderful your dog is, tell them about the differences in food quality etc. Make it simple and relate it to things the person already knows like McDonalds vs Organic food. If the person doesn't have alot of money, don't tell them about Innova Evo - mention Diamond... etc.
4. Give them the resources they need. I let them ask about the food, then tell them about the food, give them a sample and tell them where they can purchase it and how much it is.

So, I would go over to those people, ask them about where they got the dog, say how gorgeous he is.... blah blah blah - and petting the dog is keeping it from being tossed in again. Start up a conversation, establish myself as knowledgable. Then explain how they are not going to toughen the dog, but break it down. Then, explain toughness (defensiveness) can be best acheived in a pit by bonding closely with the dog But also make them feel good - tell them that swimming is excellent exercise for the dog, and inform them that if they use a doggie lifejacket of just hold the dog it will paddle faster and get stronger faster - and then the perfect time to talk about food - as a dog really won't gain muscle mass on poor food.

Now, I'd love to toss the owners in the water face-first <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> but it's not going to help the dog much is it?

QUOTE: So, I would go over to those people, ask them about where they got the dog, say how gorgeous he is.... blah blah blah - and petting the dog is keeping it from being tossed in again. END

You know, I know people will think this might be too dangerous, but in many situations, I think you're right.

I've seen parents in a store angry and hissing at and dragging their children, and one thing I've done was to stop, smile, and mention what a beautiful child they have. It sounds crazy, a little, but that intervention (which does not increase the aggression against the child or the animal, because it "softens" the aggressor) can work. If nothing else, it can be a very unexpected intervention.....enough to stop the escalation of emotion. But I'd still be VERY CAREFUL about confronting aggressive and/or violent people; you can't help if you are disabled by an attack.

But the whole thought about NOT increasing or provoking the anger of the aggressor is a good one to consider.

Anne you must have patiences of a saint....

now myself i would walk up to that guy and take his dog away from him...give him my address and tell him to call the police...and we could sort it all out that way...that's if i saw it without my dog...if i was with my dog (Hoss) i would ask if he would like to throw his 100 plus A$$ in the water since he is such a tough guy or maybe my 220 A$$ in the water then i would take his dog and give him my address and then he could call the police and we could sort this all out together

And as far as with the yelling at or man handing the kids in public..well that i tell them the story of someday there kids are going to bigger than you and stronger than you cause you will be old and they arent going to forget what you did to them and how you treated them when they were little...it might be 20 or 30 years from now but it will happen and they might not be there for you in your old age....What goes around comes around...i do beleive is the old saying

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But I'd still be VERY CAREFUL about confronting aggressive and/or violent people; you can't help if you are disabled by an attack.

I guess I wasn't completely clear. I'd didn't mean the angry, violent people - just the really stupid ones. The post seemed like to me it was describing two people that were undereducated and insensitive. My take is that they're not trying to hurt their puppy - they think they are teaching it the "facts of life" They think the pup will be better off for it. Like the person that breeds the dog - not because they want pups, but because they truly think the dog will live longer for it.

So Connie's right - if it is an angry or violent person(s) call the police - they are more equipped to intervene. But when it is undereducated people that think their neglectful, abusive actions are in the best interest of their dog, a little flattery and "friendship" goes a long way!

A REMINDER FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO USE THIS BOARD! We don't allow profanity here, there are children (one of them mine) who read these posts.

If you are cutting and pasting something into a post, please read it and edit accordingly or plan on the moderators or Ed giving you a warning.


Ed's addition to this :

I will only offer one warning on profanity and if it happenes again the person will be permanently gone.

Ed