This Was The Pits

Monday night was an interesting dog walking night . Karma and I headed out in the coolness of the early evening to a near by little league park we had never been to before . Karma was excited and loves to meet new people and their dogs and so we did . Our first interaction was a very nice fellow in a wheelchair with a little blonde Pomerian pup . He was a little leery at first because of Karma's breed but when I explained that she was sociable and lovable like me , we had a nice chat about the park and our dogs . He said his pup was 5 months old and he was happy to have his companionship and that Max got him out everyday . Pets are such good therapy . After that came along another blonde male ..husky /retriever mix called Hunter S. Thompson..( named after the famous author and American journalist ) . Karma and Hunter took off bounding after each other like only happy dogs can do . The sounds of laughing children leaving baseball practice filled the air . We continued walking until we reached the end of the park and a trail began into the trees along the river . Now alone , I would never have ventured in towards dusk but with a group of us it seemed safe enough . Besides , I had my trusty bear horn around my neck which gave me a sense of false security . The dogs lead the way sniffing the ground while we talked and battled mosquitos . Mid way I saw Karma stop in her tracks startled by the sight of not a bear , but a big bear of a man coming out between the bushes with a large stick . Beside him was a barrel chested brown and white grinning beast of an animal . Not expecting the "gentleman " , I asked him if his dog was friendly and he said he was , so Karma hesitated but went up for a friendly meet and greet . Now at this point in time , I did not recognize the fact that this muscular beast was indeed a huge , unmuzzled and very frightening looking pit bull . The sequence of events next happened within seconds . The two -faced beast one minute smelling a leery Karma and the next , scraping my arm in a frenzy , lunging and drooling slime to attack Hunter behind me whose owner fell to the ground to protect his dog . The pit owner wrestled his dog and held him down all the while telling us he was not aggressive at all . Hunter and his owner thankfully were not injured and we made the smart decision to turn around and head back to the open area in the park . I thought about how many pit bull attacks had been published in the news . The owner hidden within the confines of the wooded area , why did he have the long stick , and how some people cruelly profit from dog fighting . I thought about the laughing children I had seen earlier and the kind man in the wheelchair with his tiny dog . Last night , I dreamt of the wide faced , grinning beast who so resembled his irresponsible owner in size and intelligence . It is provincial law that all pit bulls be neutered ( he wasn't ) , leashed (not ) and muzzled ( nope ) . I use to wonder about that law . I don't anymore .