Share ko lang tong true story ko ha mga sis (mahaba so pasensya na). Kasi napaka life changing at traumatic sakin nito eh. Ang mensahe sana na gusto ko iparating regarding this story is yung pagiging responsible dog owner at huwag hayaang pakalat-kalat sa kalye yung mga alaga nila. Because if your dog bites another person, the blame is not on it but on YOU.
2 years ago (October 2010), I was attacked and bitten by a German Shepherd of one of our neighbors. Sa isang subdivision kasi kami nakatira. I had no idea na may aso pala because as I was walking my pet, bigla nalang tumalon mula sa talahiban yung German Shepherd at sinugod kami. He was initially targeting my Shih Tzu. But being the protective person that I am, I immediately lifted my dog as high as I could. Napakalaki kasi nung aso. Hanggang waist ko sya on its 4 legs. Hindi ako tumakbo. Because I've been reading a lot of stories that if a dog senses your fear at nagtatakbo ka pa, the more it will attack you.
So I stood still lang. And I tried to drive away the dog by stomping my leg. But what he did was circle around me and he never left his eyes on me as he was growling. Tapos bigla nalang akong kinagat sa hita ko. Buti nalang nakita ako nung isa naming kapitbahay and he immediately ran out at tinakot yung aso. If not for him, ewan ko nalang kung ano pang damage ang nakuha ko.
The dog ran back in front of its house. Ang tagal tagal nya dun. More than 5 minutes na, wala pa ding tao dun sa yard nila at nakabukas lang yung gate. Btw, thrice ko nang nakitang nakakawala yung mga aso nila so this isn't the first time that this happened. The scary part is, aggressive yung mga aso nila eh. Tumatagatak na yung dugo sa hita ko and people are panicking. Pumunta yungneighbor namin dun sa dog owner para sabihin yung nangyari sakin. Pero imbes na magmadali sila na ihatid man lang ako sa opsital, it took them almost 30 minutes bago ako pinuntahan.
The owner brought me to this hospital na hindi man lang naka uniform yung doctor. He insisted na anti-rabies lang daw ang kailangan sakin. I remember that when I was bitten by another dog during childhood, binigyan din ako ng anti-tetanus (lalo na kung malalim yung kagat). Pero since that doctor insisted na anti-rabies lang, tumahimik nalang kami nung mom ko.
So nakausap na namin yung dog owner at nag-apologize naman sya (she even gave an idiotic reason na kesyo baka daw naaamoy nung aso nya na dog lover ako kaya ako inatake. gag0 lang eh). Sabi namin, sige ok lang so we headed home nalang. Pero di mapakali ang mom ko so we asked a second opinion from a more reputable hospital. When the doctor there saw my wound, he said na ang lalim at hindi pwedeng hindi ako bigyan ng anti-tetanus. Na sop sa kanila na magbigay ng anti-tetanus kasi pwedeng di nga ako ma-rabies pero ma impeksyon naman sugat ko. So we called the dog owner and told her that I also needed an anti-tetanus.
Eh aba. Ang yabang pa ni dog owner eh. She said "No! 2 of my brothers are doctors in that hospital (yung unang ospital na pinagdalhan sakin) and they insisted that she doesn't need anti-tetanus." Aba'y sya pa ang galit at mataas ang pride. You know what mga sis, she even sent me a waiver and a letter of her attorney (she's THAT paranoid), forcing me na pirmahan yun. If not, di nya daw babayaran medical expenses ko. If I signit, abswelto sya sa kahit anong liability.
So imagine. Nakagat nako. Hindi makalakad. Isang araw lang after the attack, papadalhan nya ako ng letter of attorney. So just imagine HOW i felt. Obviously, hindi ko pinirmahan and we filed a case against her. To make this already long story short, umabot kami sa korte and this year pa lang lalabas yung resolution. But obviously, talo sila. Hanggang sa courtroom eh ginisa at pinaiyak pa ako ng attorney nya (na kapatid nya din). She even boasted that they are a good family because they are a family of attorneys and she has relatives in the BIR, sa customs, at mga officer dito sa subdivision namin. Her brother also bribed our attorney (pero he failed). So kayo na bahalang mag-absorb kung anong klase syang tao.
Her daughter even accused me na ako daw nagpa dampot sa German Shepherd nya dahil may kumuha daw dun. Sabi ko kanya, "Miss, animal lover ako. Pinayuhan nga ako ng brgy. officials na ipahuli sa dog pound yang aso mo pero tumanggi ako. Dahil alam kong kawawa sya dun at dahil alam kong hindi naman yung aso ang may tunay na kasalanan." Turns out, mommy nya pala ang nagpakuha sa aso nya at nagpalipat sa ibang lugar dahil sa sobrang paranoia.
It's been 2 years but the trauma is still fresh. I used to be very brave sa kahit anong uri ng aso. But these days, makakita lang ako ng asong nakawala, nanginginig na ako. All because of one irresponsible dog owner.
There are people who want their dogs roam the streets freely dahil daw naaawa sila na ikulong o itali. Or "tinatamad" silang maglinis ng dumi at ihi. Or dahil mabait naman daw ang aso nila. Pero ito lang ang masasabi ko. Kahit gaano pa kabait ang aso, there will still be times that it will be unpredictable. After all, dogs are "instinctive" animals. At may mga lugar na bawal ang stray dogs (like dito samin) dahil sa risk na makasakit sila ng ibang aso at tao. Not to mention their risk of contracting sicknesses and rabies dahil madumi sa labas. So if you really care for your dog, walk it outside, let it experience freedom, pero wag mo hayaang pakalat-kalat sa kalye.
This is my actual wound from that dog attack (my left thigh):
http://i.imgur.com/Y4Tl0.jpg