A Dog-Gone Good Bill

A bill before the Texas Legislature would make it a felony if an unsecured and unprovoked dog attacks a person off the dog owner's property.
Under House Bill 1355, which State Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown, filed last week, the irresponsible owner could face a third-degree felony or even a second-degree felony if the dog-attack victim dies.
Having been in this business more than 20 years, I've seen my share of horrific dog-attack stories. Loose pit bulls have mauled, disfigured and even killed children. Perhaps the worst was when I was working in Killeen. Just west of the city, a trio of dogs killed a young woman out for a walk, tearing her body to pieces.
As I've written before, few things in this world anger me more than irresponsible dog owners, the kind of people who think their precious pooch wouldn't hurt a butterfly. They act shocked when their dogs attack, and they often blame it on something the victim has done.
Recently, while out for a morning run, I once again was surrounded by barking, snapping dogs. The trio of medium-sized dogs had bothered me before, but not like this time, and I have a feeling they were more motivated than usual because their owner was there, hauling his trash can to the street.
The slackjawed owner just stood there, watching, while his dogs circled, barked and snapped.
I stopped running for a moment, and when I tried to keep going, one of the dogs nipped at my foot.
I stopped again and called out to the owner.
"Are you going to do something about these dogs?" I hollered out.
He mumbled something I couldn't understand, but he did nothing to call off his dogs.
"I've got pepper spray, and if you don't get them to back off, I will," I said.
"You better not!" was his reply.
Angered, I fired back that I certainly had the right to use the public street without harassment from his dogs, and he contended it was my fault because the dogs were provoked by the flashlight I was carrying.
I told him the next time this happened, his dogs would get a face full of pepper spray - and he would get a visit from the sheriff's department. I said I'd also file a juicy lawsuit and own his sorry ass if I wound up getting bitten.
I haven't had a problem since then, but I am concerned that one day there will be a dog that really means business. Or perhaps a dog will attack one of my children.
Meanwhile, I see lots of people in my neighborhood carrying bats and sticks when they're out walking or running. I saw one guy the other day carrying a GUN.
I've never understood the mentality of irresponsible dog owners, who let their pets run loose without regard for other people's safety or just plain common courtesy. Also, if their dog had been raised correctly in the first place, it wouldn't be chasing down people in the street and biting them.
There are lots of friendly dogs that come out to greet me on my running route, and sometimes I'll even stop to pet them. Other dogs out there pay no attention to me at all.
HB1355 could make dog owners think twice about letting their dangerous animals run free. It also could avert the countless maulings and killings at the paws of bad dogs.
And if the bill passes, I might be tempted to run off a few thousand copies and mail them to all my neighbors.