Critter Alley

Critter Alley

Sunday, August 29, 2010

This n' That

We drove to the river Friday with plans to do some mowing and general clean up. On the trip down we clipped along fairly quickly.  There wasn't a lot of traffic and no major road construction. I was beginning to feel pretty sleepy when a red truck blew past us. It had to be traveling at least 80 miles per hour.

What I saw in the pickup bed made my eyes fly wide open.  A beautiful border collie, obviously full of border collie excitement, continuously paced back and forth. He'd put his front paws on the side of the bed and watch, then run to the other and do the same. Sometimes he even jumped on top of a tool box installed right behind the cab where he balanced precariously.

It was frightening! All I could think about was the driver swerving or slamming on the brakes. That poor dog would be skidding to the pavement in a heartbeat.

I pulled out my camera and took some pictures for documentation, planning to send that guy straight to court if the dog got hurt.  Pardon the fuzzy-muzzy nature of the photos since I used a telephoto lens in a bouncy truck through a dirty windshield.















































Eventually the guy turned off the highway and disappeared. 

You may have noted that he had no license plate on the vehicle. I suspect if he'd been caught that the fine for failure to display a valid license plate would be greater than any punishment for animal endangerment.

Why do people think it's okay for a critter to travel in such unsafe conditions? I just don't get it.

Meanwhile, I had a little surgery on Friday for one of those lovely basal cell skin cancers...my third time...aren't I lucky? It was a small spot, but they taped me up enough to look as though half my nose had been amputated. I get to take off the monstrosity today for a tiny dot-size bandaid. It will look much less dramatic, but be way more comfortable.
















Aren't I lovely? Sunglasses hide slightly swollen eye. Shots of anesthetic tend to make a person puffy, and since I'm already the reigning Queen of Poof...well, the results simply aren't pretty.

So here's my advice. Beware all you bronzed beauties! One day those delightful sun-filled, sunscreen-less afternoons may come back to bite you!

19 comments:

Frankie Furter and Ernie said...

I am sooooo sorry you had to have surgery. Glad that it was tiny though.
As for that guy in the Truck.. He needs surgery too.. to ADD some BRAINS!!! What the heck was he thinking. I hope that dawg is smarter than his master.

Bandit's Pack said...

I hope that's your final time in dealing with skin cancer, and I'm glad it was small. The guy driving the truck is a complete idiot. Good for you for being prepared in case something horrendous happened to his dog. Hopefully, he'll get pulled over soon for endangering that poor animal. Take care.

animal lover, quilt lover said...

Good for you!! I have chased a man down in a truck that had a dog in the back of his truck and told him to put the dog in the cab and if he didn't I would call the cops on him!! I told him about a dog that fell out of the back of a truck at the interstate and was dragged 100 feet and was killed!! It is now againest the law to have a dog in the back of an open truck around here!!!
I spent my life in the sun from 5 years on until 17 years old. I am very surprised that I haven't turned up with skin cancer YET.
I was raised in Daytona Beach.
XXOO, Fern

CreekHiker / HollysFolly said...

Seeing that always freaks me out! Cray people!

Doris Sturm said...

I agree about the sun - I went through a rather quick suntan phase when I first came from Germany to California wanting to be a bronze California girl, but it was too time consuming laying out in the sun and just baking - what a waste - I hope you will be ok. Good thing you got it taken care of.

This happens here all the time where I live now (in Georgia)... people are into hunting and shooting guns and pick up trucks and there are dogs on those pick ups all the time and they go fast too. I could not do that - I'd be a nervous wreck knowing my dog (or dogs) were up there while I'm flying in that vehicle...I guess some people think animals are disposable...with all the breeding that is going on around here, they'll just get another...(very sad!)

Anonymous said...

I hope that's your last surgery. People driving like that are scary.

Lynn said...

I would have been having a coronary too! Smart thinking to take a pic. Good luck with your skin cancer... what a bandage!

Anonymous said...

So you were behind a redneck dude in a red truck that shouldn't be permitted to own a dog. I'll say it for you... Dumb Ass!

Well I feel better :)

Sorry your shnoz got carved and taped up. Good news is you don't have much hair there so it won't hurt so much to take off :)

Sendin you lots of wags and sloppy kisses,
Roo

Tammy said...

Good for you for going after those bad pet owners. They make me cringe. And all the best going after those basal cellular baddies, too. Hope you heal quickly.

Ryker said...

Thank you for the good advice. Hope you heal up rapidly.
Boy, that guy in the red truck is a jerk, too bad no license...figures.

Mimi said...

That poor pooch! I hope you're totally done with the skin cancer. Luckily I never got into tanning much.

Lisa Ricard Claro said...

Wishing you a quick recovery. I do hope you visit the doc for frequent re-checks.

Poor pooch! I live in Georgia and I've seen open-bed trucks flying down I-85 with 3-4 people sitting in the back, bouncing around. Crazy. As Ron White says, "You can't fix stupid." The difference, of course, is that the people had a choice and the poor dog does not. May his guardian angel stay close. (hmmm...maybe that would be a pretty blonde lady with a camera.)

Anonymous said...

Pat,
Tell everyone you got into a fight with some idiot driving with his dog in the back of his pick up. Seriously, hope you heal fast.
Linda O'Connell

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Thanks fur kharing and sharing -

Paws khrossed that is the last time woo need the human vet fur that -

My mom works hard to stay pale -

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

Peggy Frezon said...

I just hate to see a dog in the back of a pickup like that. growl!
Best of luck with the skin. I have some sun spots too that might need to be taken care of.

Life With Dogs said...

You poor thing - I'm glad that looks worse than it feels!

I hate getting behind pickups with dogs in the back. Too nerve wracking...

Sketching with Dogs said...

Hope you are feeling much better now Pat, hugs to you xx

That bloody fool, I hope the police pull him over and give him a big fine.
Lynne

BECKY said...

Oh my gosh, Pat! I, too, have often wondered about the idiots who drive around like that! I agree with everyone,,,,good for you for photographing him! And I can sympathize and relate to your basal cell! I've had 'em removed, too. I had one on my forehead with a huge bandage, but I could at least "sort of" hide it under my bangs!

Chewy said...

Hope you are doing alright after the surgery. About the guy who let the dog hang in the truck see Frankie Furter comment. He said it perfectly.

Chewy