Yet Another Post about Dogs

Post by **maine** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:44 pm

Yesterday my husband and I were climbing at Drive By with our 6 month old daughter. He was climbing while I belayed and the baby was on a blanket at my feet. About a half a dozen unleashed and unsupervised dogs went flying by her while she was playing quietly on her blanket. One stepped on her head.

Wake up people!!! Had she been trampled by all six dogs it could have seriously injured her or even killed her (remember the
walmart employee?) She is only 15 lbs so obviously 40-50 lbs dogs running over her could cause significant injury!!!

What is most appalling is that NONE of the dog owners apologized!!! A fact I find incomprehensible!!!!!!

I feel compelled to warn all those with a dog(s) that should your dog ever hurt any one of my children (and yes, I have 4 of them that are out with us most every weekend) -you will no longer have a dog!!!

And before this post gets derailed about wether kids should be at the crag let me just say this. Any human being regardless of size has a right to be at the crag or anywhere for that matter without fear of being injured from someone's dog.

Leash your dogs!!!!!!!!!

Post by **Wes** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:49 pm

Maybe you shouldn't have left her on the ground? Or stayed at a crag with such danger? What if a rock fell, or someone dropped a draw? Sorry, but while it would have been nice if they had said sorry, I don't think the dogs were in the wrong, but that you were.

Post by **bcombs** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:52 pm

maine, I'm really sorry that happened to you. I would have helped out (as anyone on here likely would) if I saw something like that happening. Which may or may not have been limited to kicking people's asses.

I will say this though, and don't take it the wrong way. The fact that your 6 month old has a right to be at the crag is not going to save her when your husband pulls off a 20 lb hunk of choss and crushes her skull. You won't be able to react fast enoigh to do anything, mostly because you'll be getting jerked around by his fall. The sandstone we climb on is shit. The most bullet proof crag you have been to so far probably loses a hold or two every week. Wait until she is old enough to run around and stay back away from the cliff a bit. At your feet is ground zero and a moving target is much harder to hit.

Post by **Crankmas** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:58 pm

don't ya just miss dinosaurs?? if nothing else we can legislate evolution- its about the hope brah

Post by **maine** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:59 pm

The dogs were not misbehaving prior to my husband starting to climbing and if they had been leashed then my daughter would not have been in ANY danger. They literally came running out of nowhere and even if I hadn't been belaying, I could not have prevented the dog from stepping on her. She was not where a rock or draw would have fallen on her.

What kind of mentality puts a fucking animal ahead of a human? I seriously do not get it. And yes, as a parent I do understand that being outside with your children poses certain unavoidable risks but unleashed dogs should NOT be one of them.

And Wes, no the dogs weren't wrong the owners were. And I am not wrong. You are seriously misguided. And should you chose to have a child one day . . . well we'll talk then.

Post by **Wes** » Mon May 11, 2009 9:00 pm

Seriously, you have no real right to be pissed - you were acting selfish by climbing with a 6 month old and not having a third person there to watch them. How is that any different then letting your dog off the leash? Baby's don't auto-magicly get priority over everyone else at the crag. So, next time, hire a sitter or bring along another person. Hell, I don't even like to bring my dogs out on leash with just two people, since if something happens while one of us is climbing, it can get tricky quick.

Post by **maine** » Mon May 11, 2009 9:01 pm

BTW I have been climbing in the Gorge for 16 years so don't preach to me about soft sandstone, where I should put my baby etc . . .

This is about unleashed dogs

Post by **Wes** » Mon May 11, 2009 9:02 pm

Sucks to be a bad parent, doesn't it. Baby's have much less reason to be at the crag then dogs.

Post by **maine** » Mon May 11, 2009 9:03 pm

We did have 2 other people there to watch her That doesn't mean that she has to be held the entire time!

Again, unbelievable.

Post by **Crankmas** » Mon May 11, 2009 9:05 pm

Wes if you do decide to have that baby I hope it doesn't look like Jeff Goldblum