Having told you about the attack on Charlie, I want to keep you updated.
The wee fellow is in good form. Fingers crossed, he got off lightly. I'll take him back to the vet on Friday for a check-up.
The aggressor's owner has been in touch, apologetic and offering to pay the medical costs.
I'm trying to work out how to move forward.
The daily walk provides mental stimulation, exercise, new smells, paths to explore, and creatures to chase. Even the dogs enjoy it.
How do I keep them safe?
Nero was killed by a dog kept on a chain for days on end. Now Charlie was attacked by a dog left alone in a garden all day except for a brief walk. My anxiety has an evidential basis.
A stroll in any direction takes us past one or more houses with who knows what sort of animal caged within it. Don't get me wrong, I don't blame the hounds.
Nero's attacker, Hamlet. "The grandson's dog." The grandson was off to university in England. So, Dad agreed to take the dog. But Dad had moved back in with his parents - and grandma was scared of the big black dog. Hamlet ends up chained to the abandoned house next door, ignored except occasionally allowed free to chew up some stray kittens or on one Saturday morning to kill Nero.
Leila the Samoyed. This Siberian Husky lives in the garden. Her humans are a charming couple. They've recently had a baby.
Leila is silent. I don't know whether through training or surgery. Samoyeds are known for their persistent barking. They're also known for their intelligence and endless stamina. The ultimate multi-role working dog of the frozen north. This is a dog that needs exercise and stimulation. We've seen her on walks sometimes. She's a handful. When she is out, we give her a wide berth, cut across a field or similar. It's always been a nod and a wave type of relationship.
The culture of dog ownership in Cyprus is changing. Previously, Cypriots had hunting dogs, not pets. While this has shifted, many Cypriots still refuse to allow a dog into the house.
As far as I can observe, Leila lives in a kennel in the garden save for a short walk some days. Both humans work, and looking after a baby is no small job.
Leila is not socialised; her owners avoid other dogs. I'm sure she's loved, but she's under-stimulated and bored.
I could, of course, be completely wrong. These are my observations, not facts.
Hamlet was chained up day and night. I daresay the grandson loves him. I'm less convinced about the older generations.
How did the Leila get to us? She's allowed free in the garden, and she stays put when the humans drive the car in or out through their electric gates. Well, except...you know.
That's the thing. There's no malice. There's inexperience and naivety—a failure to recognise the consequences of action or inaction.
I'll speak to Leila's humans at the end of the week and ask them how they intend to keep her in when the gates open. I'll ask them if it's safe to walk past the house, and I'll test my theory.
Let's assume I get reassurance. What about the rest of the country? All those other snarling caged dogs around the village?
Two dogs, a staff, pepper spray and a taser? I'm going to need more hands.
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