Brilliant … But Bouncy

Scott Believes He is Above the Law.

So there’s this guy named Scott. Technically his name is Charles – he is named after his father, who is 93 years old now – but Scott goes by his middle name. I wonder if his father influenced this decision.

Scott believes that he is above the law. Scott believes that what matters most is what Scott wants. He doesn’t care if his desires hurt anyone else. In fact, he expects that someone will get hurt, but this thought doesn’t change his actions.

Scott is 64 years old. He should know better, but he does not.

Scott went out for a walk with his dogs on Monday night. He has two very large dogs, pit bulls, but he does not see a need to put a leash on his dogs, even when he’s walking in a public park where parents stroll with their children and where other animals also stroll.

So when one dog – his white one – got away from him, it wasn’t a big deal to Scott. And when the white one started sniffing Loki, my poodle mix, Scott wasn’t even around. He was hanging with his black dog who, eventually, also appeared next to Loki.

Scott approached the three dogs without much concern. Loki got startled and barked; he tried to back away. But Loki wasn’t quick enough. Scott’s black dog lunged for Loki, grabbed him by the throat, and threw my dog to the ground like a chew toy.

Scott didn’t have a leash to pull back his dog. He didn’t have any recourse except to dive into the bloody mess that his dog was making, and pull his dog’s jaws out of my dog’s throat.

Loki was screaming, yelping, bleeding, crying out in pain, snapping at the air like a dying animal trying to break free from its assassin.

In the chaos, Scott was bitten in the face.

After Loki was wrenched free and being carried to the safety of his car, blood gushing over his white curls, Scott said, “Your dog bit me; I’m going to the doctor.”

Scott implied that, since both he and Loki were bleeding, we were all “even.”

He implied that being bitten in the face while wrenching his dog’s jaws out of my dog’s throat was payment enough for what happened to Loki. But nothing will ever be payment enough for what happened to Loki.

Scott took his dogs home.

We took our dog to the vet, where Loki spent hours in surgery. He came out with a drainage tube on one side of his neck, where blood was still pooling two days later. Loki has four puncture wounds from giant teeth being embedded in his skin. His neck is bruised like someone beat him with a tire iron.

Loki is lucky to be alive. We will never, ever be “even.”

Scott didn’t give us his name, or offer to pay the vet bills. He didn’t make sure our dog was okay. He didn’t even ask about Loki as he hauled his animals away. Scott is all about Scott.

It never occurred to Scott to apologize for his gross negligence. I wonder if Scott would know how to apologize for anything at all.

Loki is going to be okay. Scott’s dogs are also going to be okay.

Sadly, so is Scott.

When we press charges, Scott will have to pay a few fines. He might be ordered to pay some of Loki’s vet bills. The dog will be labeled as “potentially dangerous” and he will need to be leashed and muzzled outside.

But Scott will continue to do whatever he wants.