Simple exercises like walking or jogging can also be detrimental to your health, it seems. I am aware that the occurrence of street dogs harassing early morning exercise buffs has always been one of the risks known to all, but in the official FB page of our subdivision, this has become quite a regular news bit. On several occasions, I can personally attest to this inconvenience. One time, when my partner and I were out on our five o’clock jog/walk, we noticed some joggers whom we encountered carrying sticks. Sure enough, just up ahead from where they came was a pack of mongrels barking loudly looking in our direction. Upon nearing them, one even tried to nip at our heels before I shooed it away, acting menacingly as I could.
At another time on my way to inquire from the purok leader if our national ID had arrived, I couldn’t get near their gate because the path was blocked by two growling scrawny dogs, one with still an old leash attached to its neck. If one still didn’t know, a growling dog is more dangerous than a barking one. Suffice to say, I have never gone back that street since. On the whole, based on other accounts, even those who leave their houses early for work every morning complain of this menace on the streets. Often, they come out from under parked cars where they sleep to suddenly prey on people who walk past. To make it worse, it is a widespread phenomenon; I was told it also happens in other subdivisions of the city as well.
Not too long ago, posted on the entrance to our subdivision guard house wall was a huge canvas sign which reminded home owners of a city ordinance in effect (1457 I think it was) that required pet animals to be kept on a leash at all times if these were brought outside the family gates. Included in the ordinance was a list of penalties even, in case people were bitten. Now I’m thinking, even if this was adhered to by home owners, what of those dogs loose on the streets, should we infer that nobody must own them? The problem is not when dogs are confined within the premises. At night, they are deterrent to thievery. However, barking dogs inside private residences, irritating as that may be, we can’t do anything about; even as owners must still be aware that if not told to be quiet, the ruckus they make bothers other neighbors. In one phase near an animal rescue, if one stood near their gate, you couldn’t hear your own voice.
Still. the real issue is of those on the streets. Unpopular as it may have been, since we have set up residence here in year 2000, I can only remember of three occasions when the city dog pound had operations for catching strays. I’m now of the opinion, that even as requests have been made for them to again to pay subdivisions a visit, it has been frowned on by the rest of the community. As it stands, the question always is, where do we proceed from here? There’s this saying about the dogs barking but the caravan moves on. Stick that up where it applies. Those unaffected are also just letting ‘sleeping dogs lie’.
