Dog-bite follow-up

The local health department sent a fellow named Chad out for a home visit to the dog-bite perp's owner yesterday. Chad called me in the afternoon and confirmed my suspicions, unspoken until now, that the owner is a deadbeat dog dad.

Chad said he parked in the driveway of the home and honked the vehicle's horn several times, as there were two chihuahuas yapping at him. He noticed a man, whom he assumed to be the dog's owner, inside the house, but wouldn't come to the door to personally speak with Chad. He instead sent his adult stepdaughter out for the visit. No vaccination records were available. The dog is penned and will remain quarantined until Thursday (the 10th day after the bite), and Chad said he would go back to make sure the dog is alive and kicking.

But not biting.

I don't have to get involved, which is good, but I don't want the guy thinking I'm a troublemaker. When I went to the doctor, the 'what-happens-next' part was out of my hands, as the doctor is required to report all dog bites to the health department.

Neither Chad nor I think the dog has rabies. But the front-page, above-the-fold story in the local weekly newspaper is about yet another case of rabies in our county.

The most important thing is it hasn't kept me from walking past that house. Just a few yards past their driveway is my two-mile marker, and I'm kind of definitely obsessive about doing my four-mile loop.

Thanks for your comments and e-mails about the dog.

Something else kind of odd happened at the same house two days ago. The two chihuahuas came running and yapping down the driveway as I approached the house. I'd forgotten the treats, so I was a little worried. I quickly turned and snarled at them to get back. They got tangled up with each other on their way back up the driveway, and one of them ended up yelping and limping. I swear I didn't do anything to it, but I felt a bit like Harry Potter before he knew he was a wizard, when strange things would happen that he couldn't explain. Heh.

I've finished the first HPbook and have started the second. Maybe the Canine Immobulus spell is explained.

It's heating up here in the Middle of Nowhere. The high temperature today should be in the mid 80s, and I think I'm going to walk now, while it's still cool. I had no trouble getting up early to walk when I was at my daughter's, but can't seem to get into the habit here at home.

Maybe I need a new habit?