The best camera to have is the one with you when something happens. And you always have to be ready to shoot. Didn’t do so well here as far as taking the gritty, emotional shots but, at least I got a few shots which show part of the story.
On May 26, Sharon and I went for a ride on the bikepath. We went North to the Colchester and then went back past the Boathouse to Oakledge Park, a distance of 12 miles or so. A seriously glorious day for a ride to nowhere in particular, we were just breathing deeply, singing, smiling, just loving the fact we were out and on our bikes.
I entered the parking lot ahead of Sharon and headed towards the entrance to the bike path. Even though the park hadn’t opened for the season, there were a number of cars, bicycles, and picnickers. All of a sudden, I heard a kid who was standing in the road in front of me screaming hysterically. “Help. Help. Help…. My sister has been bitten by a dog. He tore her teeth out. She’s bleeding. Help. Help….” A little kid, three, four or something, was standing near her crying, her hand over her face. Two older kids stood nearby. At least two cars which were even with her, seemed to ignore her, and turned away to find parking places. Two couples on foot, who were closer to her than I, just turned and looked at her. Remember Kitty Genovese?
I could see in the distance, maybe 50 yards away, a dog standing on his hind legs, barking madly. I rode up to near where he was thinking he was loose. I don’t know what I was going to do, but I read somewhere when we went on a bike ride through the National Parks in Utah, a ride on which we faced a bull in the road, that you get off your bike and put it between the animal and you. Who knows? I figured I was going to put myself between the kids and the dog. If the dog charged, I would throw my bike at it. Then I saw the dog was unattended, tethered to a fire hydrant.
Knowing Sharon’s inveterate fear of dogs, dogs big and small, I looked back for her. She was riding away from the girls towards the entrance to the park. I yelled to her to tell her that the dog was tied up, but she didn’t stop. So, I rode back to the kids where I would make sure they were OK and then call 911. One kid was dispatched to get Mom. I could see Sharon and some guy facing one another about 50 feet ahead. He had a cell phone to his ear.
I rode up to them. He said the dispatcher said to keep an eye on the dog and that EMS or whatever they call it here was on the way. We walked back to the kids. Mom ran up as we reached the kid. Sharon hugged the older girl who had sounded the alarm. She jabbered about how it was her fault, sobbing, and crying, as Sharon patted her on the back.
A woman had paper towels or tissues. I took my water bottle out of the rack and handed it to her. “Is it clean,” she asked? Huh. We poured some water on her bloody hands to see where the wounds were and if they were spurting. I would have applied pressure or something, I guess, but I didn’t have to. The rescue truck and an engine and a police officer on a motor cycle arrived. The kid had been bitten on her hand and mouth. She was shaking, but the rescue guys and her mother calmed her.
We stayed around with the kids, waiting for Dad, while Mom and the little girl went to the hospital. He was at home asleep, having just returned from third shift. I retrieved the kids blanket, ball, and Cheetos which were near where the dog was. The cop stood near the dog, waiting for the owner to show up. He couldn’t get close enough to read the tags, because the dog continued to strain on his leash. Dad arrived. We gave him the car keys and then we rode back home.
I took a few pictures using Weegee, a compact p/s I carry in my bike bag. Allison Redlich, my photojournalism professor, said that photographers have to shoot, but there are times when they have to make a decision about whether to help or to get the image. I got caught here, but still remembered to take the shots without scaring the kid or interfering. And I didn’t shoot until everything seemed to be under control. Not Pulitzer quality, but a notable day, both as a person and a shooter. And, of course, Sharon, again, earns a good citizenship award.
Hello there! It seems aas though we both have a
interest for the same thing. Your blog, “Dog Bites Girl