farmdoc's blog post number 126

I’ve never punched anyone in my life. But last Tuesday I wanted to king-hit the owner of the three dogs that attacked darling Meg when she was in her yard attending to her chooks. I’m fiercely protective of those I love. I look upon any verbal or physical insult to them as if it happened to me. As I recall, the only time a dog attacked me was in Deloraine 15 year ago, with the only physical damage a tear in my jeans. Meg’s saga, I gather, has progressed rather well. After some contact with the police (useless) and the local council’s dog compliance officer (sympathetic and helpful), the dogs’ owner was congenial and contrite, delivering a slab of beer and despatching the main offending dog to a new home kilometres away. Meg’s physical wounds are healing though she remains wary of dogs. This story could’ve easily had a different ending. In Australia dog bites cause one death each two years, and in Victoria 1,250 hospital emergency department attendances annually of which a third require inpatient admission. Prevention programs don’t seem too effective because an estimated 100,000 Australians are attacked by dogs each year. Dog bite is a significant public health problem, alright. But all I care about is my precious Meg. I can’t protect her from all bad things. But I really wish I could.