This is not a bashing of dog lovers or dog haters, just a question:
Why do dog owners bring their dogs to Art Festivals, Farmers’ Markets, etc.? Is it because they need to bond with their dogs on weekends because they have been at work all week? Do they feel the dogs will have the opportunity to meet other dogs and thus look forward to this kind of activity on weekends? Surely the dogs aren’t curious about the artwork or the vegetables.
This question has been in my mind for some time, but a disastrous occurrence this weekend made me wonder about it even more. Today, at the Malibu Art Festival, sponsored by our Chamber of Commerce, one of the sightseers who brought her dog decided to tether it to the leg of a lightweight chair in the food eating area. When the medium-sized dog suddenly saw another dog, it of course started to give chase, but immediately became hysterical when it discovered this bouncing chair at the end of its leash, and literally “ran amok.” Speeding around tables and between two booths, eyes wild with fear, the frantic dog turned into the main pathway, its horrifying attachment swinging wildly out of control like a flying weapon crashing into display tables and artwork in its wake. People jumped up from their seats trying to catch the tragically out-of-control animal, and one finally was able to jump on the leash to stop the rampage. But not before an artist from the Malibu Art Association’s booth was hit by the chair-leash-dog combination and knocked to the ground, writhing in pain with massive bruises and friction burns to feet, ankles, hands, wrists, elbows and hips.
The dog’s owner did all the right things from then on, taking her dog to her car, coming back, identifying herself and apologizing to the injured woman, saying over and over that she did a stupid thing to tether the dog in that manner. But the fact remains that this Festival worker could have landed on her head instead of her hip, and been much more seriously injured than is apparent so far. We don’t really know. She hasn’t been X-rayed yet.
So, back to my original question. People, why do you bring your dogs to events like this?
Jean Stephenson, president
Malibu Art Association