"Here Doggie Doggie! Arf! Arf!"

It was a cold November evening. We were preparing to leave to head out shopping. I was at work. We borrowed the agency's lift van to assist a participant at the home where I was working. I walked out with the other roommates and assisted them onto the van when I heard it, the vicious barking of a mean, drooling dog. I looked and saw a loose Rotweiller which broke free from the neighbors house next door. I feared the worse. I jumped into the van and leaned out the door to raise the lift to prevent the dog from entering. I was not able to close the doors because these were on the outside of the van. Seconds later the dog was at the entrance barking uncontrolably. My co-worker realized what was going on and contacted Animal Control. It would be about 2 hours (how many animal emergencies are there??). We didn't have 2 hours. I didn't have the keys to start the van to warm up and like I said, it was November and we were cold! So my co-worker contacted the police and through yelling from the door of the house, 20 feet away, told me the police were on the way.

As we waited one of the participants thought the dog was cute and began to talk to it saying, "Hey doggie! Hey doggie! Arf! Arf!" This only aggravated the dog more. I was certain the wire lift between us was not going to hold as the dog hissed, growled and yelled it's ferocious bark. The the conversations turned to, "I'm cold, it's cooolllldddd." The police could not get there fast enough.

While waiting the dog ventured back home. I decided we should make a run for it. I called my co-worker using my cell phone and told her the plan. I lowered the lift and assisted the participants off the van...no sign of the dog. I told them to RUN!!!! to the house. RUN!!! must have been communicated as walk as slow as a turtle. My co-worker ran out and grabbed them by their hands and practically dragged them inside. As I was shutting the door to the van the dog began to appear again. I was able to safetly enter the house free from the dog.

Minutes later the police arrived and of course the dog was gone. We told them of the loose animal and the vicious behavior it was displaying (and had displayed in the past...a totally other post). One officer of the law put his hand on his gun and said, "We'll be fine." The other removed pepper spray from his belt. They told us they would stand guard while we got everyone onto the van.

Again we loaded, now everyone was with us...and the key to the van. As I was closing the door to the van the dog charged the officer. I don't know what exactly happened as I was running to the door to jump inside for safety, but I do know I heard a spray and the wimper of a dog.

When we returned a couple hours later, no dogs were present...and never were again. Now I don't condone animal cruelty, but I do condone strong leashes! My job never ceases to amaze me!