About two weeks ago my brother was walking his beagle in their neighborhood when suddenly his dog, Shiner, was attacked by a mutt. This was no stray like the ones lurking behind every trash dumpster in the alleys of Waco. This was a much-loved mutt by an elderly couple from a nice neighborhood. This mutt was estimated to be 125 lbs and did a number on my brother’s beagle. As soon as my brother was able to get his dog’s attacker off, he naturally picked up Shiner who instinctively bit at him and caught him just below the chin. So my frantic brother sprinted back to the house with a bloody chin and dog who had unimaginable damage done to his stomach at that point as far as anyone could tell countless damage to his internal organs.
At first, the conversations were fairly predictable from what I gather. The elderly couple, shocked by their dog’s behavior, apologized repeatedly and preempted any questions about liability with a promise to pay all medical bills. My brother and his family naturally worried were more concerned about their dog’s life and tabled those conversations for the time being.
As things settled down the good news poured in. Shiner is making a good recovery and the elderly couples homeowners insurance is going to cover everything and so my brother doesn’t have to worry about their dog’s medical bills sinking the elderly them.
My brother did have the conversation, not suggesting anything, but rather pointing out that it could have been a child. The mom of the mutt felt so bad about the incident that she became sick and lost sleep. Eventually the mutt’s dad called a vet friend for counsel and the couple made the incredibly difficult and brave decision to have the dog put to sleep.
My brother and his wife felt so bad about this that they took a basket full of goodies to console the couple. During Shiner’s initial recovery and before the couple put their dog down the man and his wife would repeatedly check on the status of Shiner expressing both deep concern and a desire to be accountable.
The miracle, the real miracle is that two families have allowed the situation to be touched by grace and the lens through which they have begun to see each other is not as dog attacker owner and dog attacked owner, but those victimized the messiness of life and those victimized by the messiness of life. Their conversations have continued and they have mourned with each other knocking down the natural barriers that try and build themselves up so we can wallow in self-pity of victimization.
It seems to me that grace was offered and grace was received and then grace was offered and grace was received. And that’s beautiful. And that, I suspect, is exactly how it’s supposed be.
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2 comments:
Amazing story. Absolutely amazing. I'm inspired by the kindness shown on both sides.
But, this does highlight why pet owners must be responsible for tying up their animals or keeping them on a leash at all times. I often go running around Eugene and have been confronted by numerous un-restrained dogs. It's very frightening, especially if the dog is a boxer or other particularly vicious breed. And, I don't think people realize the legal liability they are assuming by doing so. Now when I see this, I record the address and call the police upon returning home. It's drastic, but I think it's a dog owner's responsibility. True, these two families would have never befriended one another had their dog been properly restrained, but it also would have saved a good deal of physical pain and suffering.
Tim
yeah, i suppose that when the church is what she's supposed to be, she sure is beautiful.
thanks for sharing this story.
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