Aaliyah and my fear of dogs

They say dog is man’s best friend; I have heard it said over and over again. Hunters swear by their dogs, security men swear by their dogs and dog whisperers are as intriguing as they come.

In addition to all of these people, pet lovers, Vet Doctors, animal rights activists would tell you that dogs are very important to man. I do not disagree. I am also aware that the visually impaired are very dependent on their trained dogs (please note the word ‘’Trained’’).

In spite of all these, since I was a child I have always been afraid of dogs. My greatest dread is a dog bite, not just the pain of the bite, but rabies, the painful treatment for rabies which may be five or more doses depending on how high a risk of rabies you have and everything in-between. Also the symptoms of untreated rabies before it kills including being very agitated and insomnia, being very confused, frothing at the mouth and having difficulty swallowing. All these are scary to say the least.

I have seen dogs and I have seen dogs. There are those that are as huge as man, there are cute little ones that you can put in your bag (aka Paris Hilton) Chihuahuas, pit-bulls, Alsatians and cross bred dogs. There is also the rural looking Bingo in your neighbourhood. Only a percentage of dog owners really care for their dogs (take them for inoculation, feed them well etc). In Nigeria, most dogs are generally left to roam around often unkempt and not inoculated. Only the rich and middle class can really keep a dog.

Sorry dog lovers, I am still afraid of dogs and I am over 50, and I am often told “Don’t run’ it’s your fear and adrenaline that they can smell and want to chase you”. But it has not stopped me from being afraid of dogs. Honestly, I am still afraid of a howling dog who is off its leash, gnarling at me while I sit in a car.

Many years ago, my son wanted a pet dog, but I couldn’t let him have one for five reasons: my fear, dog grooming (tick and lice), who will clean the poop? Will we forget to feed it? and, will it bite us even if it knows us?

All these things playing up in my mind meant we certainly will not be efficient owners of a dog and I know most young people just love the dog but can’t do the work.

So yes we never had a dog. Although I know my son who is over 20 now never really forgave me.

Now spool forward to last week when a five year old girl in South Western Nigeria was mauled by three Alsatian dogs, one eye plucked out, and several teeth plucked out, with many cuts and lacerations.  In the end she died. The online pictures of five year old Aaliyah Masaku after she was attacked by these three dogs are so horrific that it is difficult to take a second look.

So was I right not to have a dog so many years ago? I don’t know. Aaliyah’s father, a Vulcanizer was given the care of the Alsatian dogs by his land lord who lives in London and it’s difficult to follow the story of how Aaliyah actually got attacked.

 

1) Aaliyah’s father said Aaliyah was familiar with the dogs and they knew her.

2) Aaliyah’s father had gone to purchase the food for the dogs and kept the most ferocious of the

dogs chained.

3) The story is that he broke free of his chain, went into the house, attacked Aaliyah and dragged her

to the back of the house for the other dogs to join in attacking her.

4)  By the time her father arrived, she was struggling for dear life, and by the time they got to

the hospital, in spite of all efforts, she died.

5) The landlord in a telephone conversation from London said they should ask those who are on ground (i.e. Aliyah’s father) what really happened as he had provided enough to feed the dogs.

Many questions have been running through my brain since I read the story. Those who keep these animals, what are the safety measures? Are there regulations for keeping dangerous animals at home? So many issues, some of which are:

1. a) Aaliyah’s father no longer lives with her mother, she lives in Benin republic. Oh dear!         b) The land lord seems so uncaring about what happened. Why is that?
2. c) What is the meaning of the Land lord’s comment? Is he insinuating that Aaliyah’s father has been diverting the money meant to feed the dogs?
3. d)  Were there no adults to save Aaliyah on that fateful day?

I am a mother, so this is very hard for me. While I leave you to determine the answers to these questions and issues, my heart goes out to Aaliyah’s family, her mother, and her father. Poor Aaliyah!

It’s okay if you want to keep a dog, I have nothing against them.

As for me, I am still afraid of dogs.

 

Eugenia Abu