Two Dogs, Two Fates

Twice my heart hurts today over the fate of someone else's dogs.

We stop in Lake Charles, LA, because my two dogs need to run, and run
and run. After two days of restraint (always on a leash), they need
their freedom to restore their sanity.

So we stop at the Calcasieu Parish Animal Shelter, which maintains a
public dog park. I go inside to sign in and stand behind a tearful
woman. Her heart is breaking and she's shaking. The story she tells is
about her dog, a brindle pit bull, who twice now has attacked a
person. She's agreed to have her pet euthanized. "I can't trust her
anymore," she lowers her head. She wants to sign the papers before the
police arrive with the dog. "I don't want to see her eyes," she cries,
softly.

I donate $5 to use the park and leave the building quickly. I don't
want to see those eyes, either.

I free my dogs into the park area and they immediately start romping.
To my left, I notice a police officer unleashing a dog into an
adjoining fenced-in area and I hold my breath. Is it the doomed dog?
No, well, not yet.

The office is unleashing his partner to run. His partner is Berry, a 3-
year-old robust Belgian Malinois that cost the force $7,000. The
officer jokes that if a suspect shows signs of running, "I warn him
that the dog doesn't give up until this chubby cop catches up with him."

I laugh and watch the blur that is Berry ricocheting off the four
corners of the fence.

The officer's radio crackles. He answers, Then he grabs his cell and
dials: "Suspect is armed and dangerous. Don't even think about going
in without backup. I'm on my way, with the dog."

He commands Berry to come! And the two take off.

We pack up our two dogs and take off as well.

We know our fate, for the moment at least. And that's all we know.