When Dogs Run Wild

Wow. It seems a little surreal that this kind of thing can and does happen here in the US. After running red flag stories about stray dogs running wild in the streets, a well- reported public health and safety problem in Moscow, Italy, Australia, Iran, Iraq, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Mexico and more, the Associated Press just this afternoon reported that a Georgia couple was found dead on a rural Northeast Georgia road. The retired professor and his wife were attacked by nearly a dozen dogs.

Animal Control said there were no reports about vicious dogs roaming the area. Does that mean these were people’s pets allowed to roam at will, the “outside” dogs city people can’t even imagine? Were they former pets turned feral, dogs left to fend for themselves with the horribly wrong-headed idea that it was kinder to leave them to fate than turn them over to animal control?

Imagine yourself, enjoying a walk or run down a country road—any underpopulated area you are very familiar with–and suddenly you’re confronted by a pack of hungry dogs. What could you do? The real estate problems and jobs losses of the last several years may be the catalysts here…maybe it’s intractable poverty in the area.  Have you heard or seen this problem where you live? My friend in rural New England tells me they have had instances where packs of dogs have attacked deer.  Read Kate Brumback’s AP report here.