In the newspaper business, different tags are applied to types of stories. 'Shorts' are filler, used mainly to fill small areas, preventing excess white space. A 'bright' is a short piece meant to make readers smile. News of the weird usually involves someone doing something unusual. You know, the man who bites a dog. Speaking of canines, I'm not sure how to categorize this furry critter story. You decide.
A man who tried to shoot seven puppies was shot himself when one of the dogs put its paw on the revolver's trigger.
Jerry Allen Bradford, 37, was charged with felony animal cruelty, the Escambia County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday. He was being treated at a hospital for a gunshot wound to his wrist.
Bradford said he decided to shoot the 3-month-old shepherd-mix dogs in the head because he couldn't find them a home, according to the sheriff's office.
On Monday, Bradford was holding two puppies — one in his arms and another in his left hand — when the dog in his hand wiggled and put its paw on the trigger of the .38-caliber revolver. The gun then discharged, the sheriff's report said.
Three puppies that had been shot to death were found buried on Bradford's property. Apparently, he believes in 'cleaning as you go.' There is no mention of the Floridian being a parent. Something can be said for his genes not being passed on.
I suppose the story is a bright because the remaining puppies were rescued, and, will likely find homes as a result of the publicity.
But, then, being shot by a dog is a kind of man bites dog tale, too. Weird.
I'm been thinking about dogs lately because people are, to put it bluntly, going too far in regard to them. Within the last two weeks, I've had to complain about persons bringing canines into three inappropriate places. Two were Kinko's copy centers. One was a Starbucks. The woman in Starbucks became quite peeved when I, and two other customers, suggested that plopping her plump Pug on the counter where people are served — where it promptly urinated — was not a good idea. She was even more put out when she was told the dog should not have been in the cafe in the first place. I don't know whether these folks mistakenly believe the law that allows handicapped people to bring their assistance dogs into public buildings applies to them, or, are just presumptuous.
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Article comments
1 - Chris Kent
Interesting post MD.
I live in a warehouse loft downtown and it appears I am the only resident without a large pet dog of some kind. Many of my neighbors are women, and suspect the reason they have such large canines is because they feel safe - it being an urban downtown area with masked burglars around every corner and all. But a few things piss me off about my warehouse of dogs. They pee on the elevator, they shit on the sidewalk and they howl at night when an ambulance drives by.
After repeated complaints to the warehouse owner, the dog owners have finally started to clean up after their overly-excited pets. I still step lightly, needless-to-say.
My sister is an obsessive dog owner and once mourned for several weeks after the death of her beloved Doberman. It is a connection I cannot relate to, though I did have four dogs growing up, and will occasionally miss them (they have all gone to Dog Heaven, one would assume).......Anyway, there is nothing quite as eccentric as a dog owner, and when it comes to urban areas, I cannot think of a worse area to try and keep a large dog.....
2 - Roland
I find this problem all over. When I had to go a Cali office the people brought their dogs to work and one was a very protective Lab. Eventually he attacked someone. I just feel that people have been socialized to regard dogs as being equal to a 5 yrear old child rather than a domesticated animal. I know a lot of people that have dogs and compare them to my sons, which I hate!
3 - jack e. jett
we have two dogs that we think of as our children, so i am sure you would hate me too. we find it is an unconditinal love that is tough to find.
i understand where you are coming from though. i see people with their five year olds, and the kids are running screaming and are far more amusing to the parents than those surrounding them.
jack