Animal Rescue - Dumb Trucker & the Pitbull

Star*

call 911........call 911
Yesterday I passed an 18 wheeler broke down in the middle of the road. The police were there, so was this older biker dude driving the truck and out of the cab window barking, a Pit Bull. It was in the upper 80's.

I went about my business, lunch and came by an hour later. Same biker dude, but now pulled off the road into a Dollar Tree parking lot. Dog still hanging out of the cab window barking. I couldn't belive it. Old biker Dude standing there sweating, talking to tow truck drivers, dog still barking. Poor dog.

I went into the Dollar Tree and bought a gallon of water and a bowl. I came out, marched up to the crusty old biker dude and said "IS THAT YOUR PITBULL?" I think I scared him because he jumped. He nodded. I asked him if he had ANY idea how long he had been in that truck. He nodded no. I handed him the jug of water and the bowl then I said "I went by here over an hour ago. It's over 88 degrees out here and it has got to be hotter than that in the cab of that truck with a fur coat on." I stood there looking at him.

He stood there looking at me holding the jug of water and bowl. I stood there looking back at him and finally I said in a gruff tone "WELL GO GIVE THE BOY SOME WATER!!!" and with that it was like the switch in his head flipped on and he walked over to the cab, opened the jug, put the bowl on the floor of the truck and poured water in it for the nearly dying to get the water dog. I yelled over to him "Do NOT give him too much or it will make him barf!" The poor thing drank it down a little more and the man poured a tad more in the bowl for him. I just stood there shaking my head.

The tow truck driver said "You must be a real animal lover would you like two more American Bull dogs?" and I said "Nope. If I take two more dogs home to my "old man" I'll be looking for a home."

With that the old biker Dude said "I'd like to meet YOUR old man if YOU are afraid to go home and break a rule." then he chuckled. :confused: ha. ha.

I just looked at the old biker Dude and said "I live with an old biker Dude like you -but he would make SURE that his dog had a drink before ANYTHING was done to his bike, or truck or himself and if you're going to ride around with the dog in the heat - make sure you keep his jug full of water." Then I got a "Yes Maam." and the tow truck driver said "I think she could take you." I just shot a look and pointed a finger. I said "KIDS FIRST BIKER DUDE." I looked at the dog who had growled and snarled at everyone else and was now wagging his tail at me and I said - "AND WHERE IS IS COLLAR and ID TAGS? WHAT IF YOU HAD GOTTEN IN A WRECK?" I shook my head and walked away. He smiled and said thanks and I left.

What are people thinking when they head out with dogs in a vehicle with no collar? No leash? No water? No bowl? If he would have gotten in an accident how would ANYONE ever had identified that furkid?

I still want that sign that Mstangs parents have at the end of their driveway - modified to read - UNLESS YOU SPEAK BOW-WOW - GO AWAY.

:tongue:
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
Good for you Star! I'd have loved to see that. Bet the tow truck driver went home to tell his wife the story ;).

You rock! And I'm glad the fuzz butt had a nice cool drink, and that its owner got "told".
 

mstang67chic

Going Green
Star I'm surprised the dog didn't jump out and follow you home!

The cousin I went to the zoo with the other day now has 3 dogs. One (Charlie) they've had for awhile, Beatrice they got from the pound and now they've added McKenzie. Charlie is a shepherd mix, Beatrice is a Boxer/Beagle mix and McKenzie is full Boxer. My cousin M just about strangled her husband when he brought McKenzie home. She understood the reason but wasn't really looking for another dog.

Turns out, some guy M's husband knows had McKenzie. For whatever reason, he decided that McK needed to go to another home. Some stupid woman took her and then immediately left for vacation. A WEEK later, she remembered to call a friend to have her go check on the dog. Mck was in a CAGE for that ENTIRE WEEK. When the friend went to check on her, the poor thing was covered in her own waste and scrawny. The friend called the pound and the original owner somehow got her back out after paying nearly $200. Far as I know Stupid Woman is still on vacation and McK is now loving being at M's house, being fed, clean and has a yard to run in and other dogs to play with. She is the sweetest thing. Personally though, M and I want to track this woman down and bi$%^ slap her. You can see this dog's ribs AND her hip bones. Ribs are one thing but when you can see hip bones? OMG...it's awful. But now that McK is at M's, she's getting good care and like I said, she's the sweetest thing. I walked in, introduced myself to her, sat down and she immediately came up and put her chin on my leg. Once I started petting her and talking to her I didn't think she was going to let me up. She just stood there and leeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaned against me. She tried to get in my lap but they don't want her doing that so I had to say no. M has 3 kids....McK LOVES them.

I just don't get how people can do things like that to animals.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
I think ----when women are in the zone - the animal care zone??? Men and dogs just know. I swear I would have never EVER done or said that given any other situation other than - abusing a child or a woman. But that was just idiotic. And RIGHT THERE - was a store....with water and a bowl. DF said the man had zero class. He should have offered me my money back. lol.

If I EVER found a dog in the shape McKenzie was in? I'd find a way to find a woman on vacation, drag HER home, cram HER in a cage for a week with no food, no water, let her poop on HERSELF for a week and then hope someone found HER. The nerve. I hope she is arrested for neglect when she comes back from St. Idiot's. Few other things will boil my blood quicker than an abused animal.

This is why Pootiekins is now living at the D.A.Ranch. ;) - I wonder sometimes if DF prays we DO NOT HIT the lotto. lol. Donkeys and Dogs EVERYWHERE......lol.
 

totoro

Mom? What's a difficult child?
You must have been some kind of furry critter in past life.
husband just looked at me in that way this morning when I flipped a Kissing bug over and moved it off of the side walk.
The other night i moved a praying mantis out of harms way as well.
He is always looking at me as if i am loony.

Once K can handle being around animals... one day. All systems go!

I can not wait until Monday! We start Horse Therapy! They have a Donkey... I am sneaking over to give it love.

K is matched with am Icelandic Horse? It is named Newta? Which is Icelandic as well.
In the winter she is like a little Black fur ball! Very sweet, her ears become like a Teddy Bear!

I figured you Star* might know something about her or her name?


I would have been terrified of the Truck drive although completely ticked. You have gumption! And a wonderful heart!
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Toto - Icelandic Horses are georgeous and sturdy. I will check about the name. VERY interesting. And if it's ANY consolation....If I was a critter in a former life I must have lived around people that respected all life. We have a no kill policy - there are of course exceptions - if we are harmed first...like the wasps that stung DF in the head 4 times - they were all warned and given a days chance to vacate then fumigated. When they tried to come back they were told their kind was not welcomed in our yard for the remainder of the year. And so it goes.....fire ants...same policy. Cockroaches? No mercy---they were told up front on move in day. Mosquitos? No mercy. I will let you know about Newt...(insert whinnney)_

Abbey - didn't I tell you? I went out armed with a spork. (they sell those there) :tongue: I'm sure it was the spork that scared him. ;)
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Icelandics are really cool horses (they are only pony sized but can carry a grown-man). They do a sort of pacing gait instead of trotting, so they are very smooth and fast to ride.

Some can be really "hot" to handle, but I'm sure one in a therapy program has been screened for temperament.

I went trekking (like horse-camping) in Germany a couple of times, and got to ride an Icelandic both times. I had a blast!
 

susiestar

Roll With It
Star, you are my hero. I hate seeing any kid abused. That even goes for the goat kids my so-called christian neighbors sacrificed one summer. I arranged for a "secret intervention" for their other goat. I would not have had a problem except that the goat was not killed for food or for any reason other than as a "sacrifice" to Jesus. And they burned it to death by placing it in a cage with dry straw and a heat lamp on a hot July day. I hate cruelty and stupidity.

Esp when carried out in "God's Name". The mom knew I arranged for the goat to be gone. She consented so it was not livestock rustling. The guy who came for the goat wanted to go beat up the dad. I would not have stopped him but his wife cried.

You totally rock! I would think that bikers and truckers should tremble at teh sight of you if they have an abused pet.

As for tags and collars, some dogs will NOT wear them. But it is dangerous for a bulldog. Many police and sheriff depts here are trained to shoot a bulldog first and ask if he is "nice" later. ESP for dogs with no collars and no easily visible tags. Poor Sweetie thought she had a charm bracelet instead of a collar when I learned that. I wanted to be SURE her tags could be seen.

Keep u the good work and your husband is right. The trucker SHOULD have paid you back for the water and bowl.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Going North - Is the ride/gate similar to a Paso Fino?? How very interesting. I've seen them in shows but never plucked up the courage to ask anyone who owned them. Horse owners are not exactly chatty. We go to shows locally because our friends show Tennessee Walkers and it's a trip - literally. We call it our "put on heirs" day. lol.

Susie* - YOU ROCK!!!!! SAVING A GOAT GOAT!!!!!!! and lemme get this right.....your neighbor sacraficed a goat by leaving in a hot cage on a hot day with a heat lamp for Jesus? :confused: I'm not sure Jesus likes baked goat. Who told them that? Nutjobs. See? This is exactly WHY I do NOT have close neighbors. The fella about 1/2 a mile down the road with a coon hound got an...um....anon. note left on his dogs cage that may have said......(I think) ;) -----

Dear Dad......just because I'm out here behind the garage, where you can't see me....and I'm not in the house like the Black Lab.....doesn't mean I don't have feelings. The sun isn't any less hot shining in my pen. Actually it's really hot. Have you stood out in the sun for an hour with a fur coat on? WOW! Hot!! Since we've moved in? You've basically ignored me. You've left me out here to bake. I'm tired of being treated like a red-headed step child. Would it be asking too much for a tarp to cover my pen for shade, and a barrel turned longways with a little bit of straw in it to get me out of the dirt and fire ants? And how about some decent dog dishes? A Shed Spread Country Crock butter bowl doesn't hold much water and on a 100 degree day it gets pretty warm by noon. I know you can afford it. I saw the new tires and rims on your truck. I'm just sayin'. Love - the Barker. ps. I do bark.....All. Night. Long. For absolutely no reason. I bark at the moon. I bark at the grass. I bark just to hear myself bark. Bark. Bark. Bark. Bark. Bark. - Maybe you could spend a little time with me so I wouldn't bark so much?

And someone who shall forever remain nameless left it on Hites....I mean the DOGS cage. I drove by the other day - and that dog has a tarp...a barrel....some straw......a water bucket and a food bowl.....but....he's still barking. lol. Baaaaroooooooohhhhhhhhh Barrrrroooooooohhhhh. lol. At least he's comfy...and I'm going to get earplugs. ;) If he wasn't such a good letter writer I bet he'd still be laying in dirt. lol
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Star, the footfall sequence is exactly the same as that of the Paso Fino, but where the Paso Fino has a short stride and picks its feet up very high, the Icelandic has a long, reaching stride with no extra effort expended.

They all do what the Tennessee Walker folks would call a "running walk", the difference is in reach, extension, and elevation.

If you love TWH and have done some research on the breed, you will find that there's been so much horrible abuse of them to get the "right" gait that the Dept of Agriculture has inspectors at the shows to check the horses for acid burns on their legs, nails in the sensitive parts of their feet, etc.

There is an organization called Friends of the Sound Horse (FOSH) that has details on this and promotes the natural Walking Horse.

I had a natural TWH years back and he was a wonderful boy. The best pleasure trail horse I've ever had. Smooth, calm and very sensible. His only vice was stealing baseball caps off of people's heads and refusing to return them unless bribed with peppermints.

Sadly, I lost Monty in his late teens when arthritis and foot problems from originally having been a "padded" (high weighted shoes in front, heavy pads, and "soring") show horse caught up with him.

We worked through a lot of it, but when Monty started having trouble getting up after laying down, I had to put him down.
 

Abbey

Spork Queen
There's no way you had a spork, but I do appreciate your efforts. I'd probably snatched that dog out of the truck and high-tailed it off to nowhere. Poor guy. The owner is just a dufus.

Abbey
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
Living up where I live, we get all-season idiot dog owners. It's either the ones leaving their dogs in vehicles on hot summer days, or it's the morons leaving them chained out when it is 20 below.

I've intervened in both cases. I don't hesitate to call on these idiots.
 
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