Looking for comfort
This is Toby. He is my neighbors dog. He’s a 2 year old Husky. My neighbors have had him on a chain for most of his life. I just started noticing him about a month ago on a different walk route I take with my dog.
I introduced myself to my neighbors. For the past month, I visited Toby every day. I was trying to work with him slowly to get him used to humans again. It started as throwing treats over the fence, and progressed to pets and playing together with toys I would bring him.
On Monday last week, I got close enough to notice that underneath his collar was raw and bloody. I became overcome with sadness for him, and reached out to hug him. I moved more quickly than I normally would. He lunged for my neck (I was crouched). I sustained about 12 puncture wounds. One bite was so deep on my forearm that it went down to my bone. This was the first time Toby had shown aggression to me. Seconds before this, his body language was relaxed, and his tail was wagging. Somehow I was able to get away. His owners called my husband who took me to the ER. I’m extremely lucky to have no broken bones. My wounds have healed well.
Animal control took possession of Toby for a mandatory 10 day quarantine. That quarantine ends tomorrow. His owners have a chance to reclaim him, but they likely will not. If he is not reclaimed, the shelter will euthanize him. I’m really struggling with this. I understand that it can be a kindness or an escape from a difficult life, and that it’s better than him going back on the chain. I just feel responsible. If I hadn’t moved too quickly that day, maybe he would have a chance at a better life. But I also know that this behavior was bound to surface at some point. The shelter told me that unsocialized dogs don’t have the tools to communicate discomfort, and that’s what makes them so dangerous. They said with Toby, it wasn’t an if, it was a when.
Just feeling a lot of things about this.
TLDR: I got close with my neighbors neglected dog and he attacked me. He will get euthanized for what he did, and I’m having a hard time with that.