My dog just killed somebody's baby.
We have been watching the robin who built a nest high above our backyard, in a crook of the rain gutter. We have watched her feed worms to her two babies. And yesterday after work, I saw her perched on a branch about 10 feet away, chirping, trying to convince them to fly.
This morning, I followed the usual routine, feeding both dogs their breakfast, then letting them go for a trip outside. I could see Angus takin' care of business, but Tuesday had gone around the corner. I stepped away from the window to pour myself some cereal. Angus asked to be let back in, and I obliged him, leaving the door open a crack to wait for Tuesday. That's when I heard the frantic birds.
I went outside and saw adult robins diving angrily at our side yard. Tuesday came around the corner of the house, licking her chops.
I ordered her back inside, then forced myself to go peek around the corner. Sure enough, there lay the body of a juvenile robin.
Sometimes I really, really dislike nature. I just fed that dog a nice bowl of breakfast, yet her instinct leads her to go kill something when she's not even hungry. (I'm sure if she could talk, she would argue that she's always hungry. Bitch.)
That mama bird was doing all the right things, then my selfish dog, a ball of id on four feet, ruined it. I hope she didn't kill the other one, too.
12 comments:
so sorry. I know it puts a pit in your heart and stomach.
xoxo
Yes Nature sucks sometimes. So sorry that your morning started out like this.
But I bet Tuesday is a happy dog today.
know how you feel, about the day Scout found a nest of baby bunnies...only got one of them, thank God.
I don't know whether Tuesday is happy. I left both dogs inside so they couldn't eat the body before The Alpha gets home to bury it.
Diane, we went down that baby bunny trail a few times, with all three dogs, when we lived in Texas. I think it's even more upsetting than birds. (Also, I think it's how Tuesday once got tapeworm.)
Also: Usually, one of my consolation phrases is, "Why didn't that silly bird remember it could fly?" This time, that doesn't work, because the poor bird was just learning.
With respect, to curse the dog for doing exactly what the dog by nature and instinct is suppose to do is illogical. The dog is a predator. To the dog the bird is prey.
Bthomas, I thought I made it clear in my post that I understand it's all part of the "circle of life." A dog does dog things, and a human does human things -- in this case, a human expresses sorrow over something that she knows is natural for a dog to do.
I remember the day the WonderMutt killed a half-grown kitten. I was so angry with him for a couple of days, and I'm ashamed to admit I'm glad it died fairly quickly; it was beyond help and I hated its suffering.
It just doesn't help all that much to know that it's perfectly natural, does it? For all the silly names we call the WMutt, that day I trotted out the ones I don't put into print...
awww, that is just so sad...
It is a rough start to a day - (((db)))
Aw, man the part that stinks is that you had to watch it all go down. I'm sorry. *hugs*
It is so awful. I once SAW Riley kill a young possum. I had to tell the Scientist (and myself), "He's just being a dog." Nature, red in tooth and claw.
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