Photo of the Day: November 27, 2009
Car Pushed Into Anacostia River By Train
Morning Roundup: Black Friday Edition
Devendra Banhart @ 9:30 Club
Saturday Thanks Don't End At Thanksgiving Photo: November 28, 2009
Molly was last seen outside the P Street Whole Foods.
Area residents Laurel and Tyler Newby believe someone walked off with their 7 year-old Vizsla, Molly, Monday evening outside the P Street Whole Foods.
Tyler and the couple's daughter had popped into the store at around 6 p.m. to pick up a couple of things for dinner. It was a typically busy evening on that street, with lots of people coming in and out of the popular grocery store, as well as milling around the tables on the sidewalk. As is the family's habit, Molly came along for the walk, and like he usually does, before going inside, Tyler tied the dog up outside the store by looping her leash around a tree and clipping it back on the ring on her collar. Tyler noticed that there weren't any other dogs tied up there, which he says is unusual for that time of day at that location.
When Tyler and his daughter returned after making their purchases - he estimates they were inside for no more than 20 minutes - the leash was there, but Molly was gone. And those who know her insist Molly would not have run away.
"She's such a people dog. If she had gotten off her leash, she would have gone straight to the closest person," said Laurel Newby. "And she's so large, if she had been wandering down the street, people would have wondered, 'where is your owner?'"
Tyler also noticed that the leash didn't show any signs of Molly having struggled against it.
"The leash wasn't pulled tight like she had been straining against it. It was kind of loose," he said, noting that if Molly had pulled on it, the retractable leash lead would have been extended all the way, but it wasn't.
Molly's regular dog sitter, Art Soodsamai, agrees that Molly was unlikely to run off.
"She doesn't care about other dogs," Soodsamia said. "She doesn't try to escape. [Vizsla's] are pretty smart. She would wait, even if she wasn't on the leash."
Tyler immediately asked some people who were sitting outside on the tables if they had seen anything. One woman said she had just seen Molly a moment ago, but didn't see her run off, and no one noticed anyone take her.
"It's so strange, because there were so many people around there," Laurel Newby said. "But she's so friendly. I think she would have gone with somebody."
The Newbys filed a police report and have posted fliers all over the neighborhood. No one they've talked to, including the MPD and regulars at the nearby dog park at 11th and Q Streets NW, are aware of any kind of rash of dog thefts.
It's hard to imagine what kind of person would steal a dog right off the street, but both Soodsamai and Newby agree there is at least one motive they can think of: money. Molly is a purebred Vizsla, and Newby describes her as being a particularly beautiful specimen.
"She looks like a show dog, like she might be worth some money," she said.
The Newbys are asking anyone who might have seen Molly to email them at findmollydog@gmail.com. She's described as having short, red/rust hair, approximately 60-70 lbs, with a distinct scar from a past surgery on the inside right hind leg near her knee. She was also wearing a pink, nylon collar with cupcakes around. The dog is very friendly and responds to the name "Molly."
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aw i hope i see her so i can report her!!! i am always terrified of leaving my dog tied up outside of a store for this same reason.
all this post...FOR A DOG?
ugh please.
I remember an old Shawn Belschwender comic strip (Refrigerator Jonny maybe?) where some yuppie walked up to a lost dog on the sidewalk and said, "Hello little doggie. Would you like to come home with me?" And the dog says, "Why? So I can watch you lay your trendy lifestyle that you just charged to your AmEx down on a bed of complacency and slowly f**k it to death? No thanks."
Science can let you make a phonecall from the moon but we still don't have talking dogs. I hate America.
Shawn was at GW when I was and did a great script called Moonbaby.
Refrigerator Johnny FTW.
Good thing everything said on this comment thread is a joke... whew, I thought there were some pathetic dicks commenting for a second until I remembered that.
I never understood people who do this to their pets.
This is an incredibly busy area at that time of night. Though it's a shame that she went missing and I hope she's found safe and sound, couldn't one of you have waited outside with her? You wouldn't leave your baby sitting in the backseat of your car while you went inside to get groceries, why would you do it to a dog?
Indeed. People take more precautions with their bicycles -- easily replaceable possessions -- than they do their pets.
That said, I hope she is returned safely and soon.
Honestly, I'd never leave my dog unsupervised on ANY street - why would you trust strangers to leave your dog alone?
As awful as having your dog stolen is, these people were just asking for something to happen. What if she'd slipped her leash and gotten hit by a car? What if she bit someone? Got in a fight? I'm surprised Animal Control doesn't roll right up and toss these seemingly abandoned dogs in the back of their truck.
Hopefully these folks'll recover their dog and take a little better care of her (or her replacement) in the future.
I agree. Whenever I see a dog tied up outside a store I want to take them, just to teach their owner a lesson.
It is kind of like when people at the public library come to me to say that their laptop or bike was stolen. First thing I ask is was it locked or did you leave it? When they say no, I offer no sympathy.
But with a dog it is even more ridiculous. The danger it poses to the dog (could be harmed or taken) and to passersby (they could be harmed by a frightened dog) is not worth the convenience of taking a walk and shopping on the same trip.
I sincerely hope Molly is found and safe. I feel bad for her, but have no sympathy for her owners.
I agree-- I would be so nervous if my dog was left unattended in a public area for even a minute. I know someone who had his dog stolen from his (fenced-in) backyard, so why wouldn't someone just pluck one off the street? Aside from theft, I'd be afraid of some crazy person hurting the dog, and what if the dog were to bite someone?
Ironically, it's the people with the $1500 purebreds that tend to do this the most.
Why DOESN'T Animal Control nab/ticket/boot these semi-abandoned animals? The city's quick enough to ticket (or tow) my car if it doesn't like where I put it.
This is some prime untapped revenue.
Exact same thing happened to a co-worker of mine. They took two of her dogs right out of her yard. Sad but true!
I never understood people who do this to their pets.
This is an incredibly busy area at that time of night. Though it's a shame that she went missing and I hope she's found safe and sound, couldn't one of you have waited outside with her? You wouldn't leave your baby sitting in the backseat of your car while you went inside to get groceries, why would you do it to a dog?
I hope this turns out OK, I can't continue to take bad news and keep my spirits up.
As awful as this is, I now rest assured that if one of my two cats mysteriously disappears I can rely on DCist to raise a three-alarm call for help...
molly got sick of her yuppie owners and beat it the hell outta there
Somebody, quick! Call John Walsh. The Newby's dog has been kidnapped.
This is what happens when people use dogs as part of their public lifestyle instead of treating them like an actual pet.
Dogs don't need to go with you everywhere. They can stay at home sometimes. In fact, making them walk on paved sidewalks & streets for several hours can hurt their feet. This concept seems to be lost on people who bring their tiny-ass dogs to Pride festival every year and stay on the hard asphalt for about 5 hours.
Dogs like parks & fields where the ground is softer.
I don't have to point out the obvious that even in the nicest of neighborhoods, there are some batshit-crazy people in this city and leaving your dog tied up with no one looking after it is gambling with the dog's life.
right on. It is rather unfortunate that this person's dog was taken/went missing.
But, it's a pet. Not your child. They don't need to go with you to Yoga.
I mean boo hoo, got got lost, and I hope she's ok, but come on. This is pretty far from news.
Classify under canine/human interest.
To piggyback on a couple of comments above - if you have to go to the store *and* you have to walk your dog... that's two trips. Period.
In DC, I have seen dogs tied up to the bike rack, telephone poles, fences... even a cinder block outside the Safeway at 13th and Kentucky SE. If you are doing this, you care more for your personal convenience than you do for your dog- it's as simple as that.
I hope you find your dog and I hope this blog post will help. Quite frankly, I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often.
[snippy] If you are doing this, you care more for your personal convenience than you do for your dog- it's as simple as that. [end snippy]
Well said, volite. +1
So the meat department was a little low. Look no farther than the front door. The butcher probably thought that farmer Brown dropped off the cattle. Hot Dog!
Please - you live in a major city. How did it never occur to you that this would happen to someone eventually. Especially in the post-Michael Vick Era. (Yes, I said it, and I meant it. Bad things can happen to a kidnapped dog).
It's a terrible lesson to learn, but it's also an example of terrible pet ownership that is rampant across the city, *particularly* in Logan. Run your errands on YOUR time, not your dog's.
I'm one of Molly's owners, and we didn't ask DCist to run this story, or know that it would be such a big feature. We did talk to them because they called us and we're really hoping to get our beloved dog back. To view so many hateful comments about us from strangers is a sad window into our community and is upsetting at an already sad time for us.
I have no right to speak for others, but I would guess all of us would like you to find your dog. Best wishes.
No, what's sad is that you treat another living being like a bicycle that you can tie up while you go about your VERY important business. You should be banned from ever owning another pet.
I hope Molly is reunited with her owners very soon and that she is never, ever left alone on a city street again. Hell, even a bike owner uses a lock!
DC Code § 8-1808. Prohibited conduct.
(a) No owner of an animal shall allow the animal to go at large...
§ 8-1801. Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter:
(1) The term "animal at large" means any animal found off the premises of its owner and neither leashed nor otherwise under the immediate control of a person capable of physically restraining it...
Also, be sure to check DC Animal Control. Hopefully they have your dog...and issued a ticket for leaving your dog unattended.
http://app.doh.dc.gov/services/administration_offices/environmental/services2/animal_control/index.shtm
Don't let them get you down
Dear owner, was your companion animal microchipped at the shelter you adopted Molly from?
Man you guys are a bunch of dicks. Stop lecturing people and go look for that fucking dog!
11 paragraphs (not counting the single-sentence ones) about a missing dog.
What the fuck is wrong with running a story on a stolen dog? If you think it's so stupid then don't read it. The assholery in these comments is astounding.
If nothing else this is a good warning to the throngs of others who tie up their dog outside of starbucks, whole foods, etc.
FWIW, Molly's owner, dcist could run a story on a nun getting murdered and there would be 50 comments on how the bitch shouldn't have been outside the convent
Well, f**k yeah. The nun was asking for it.
Peace,
+++JMJ+++
Shouldn't there be a disclaimer on the DCist homepage explaining to people that we mean no serious harm to anyone or anything. We humor just to deaden the pain.
Overheard from Molly:
Hey, WTF, you leaving me tied up outside again?!? Come on!! Oh, and stop buying me that chi chi crap that tastes funny. Some good ol' Purina will do just fine. Ya know [BIRD!!] while I am at it, I got a few bones to pick. Look, I am an expensive lean, mean hunting machine. You gotta let me do what I do. Sniffin' butts at the new dog park ain't cutting it. I am a water dog, dammit! YOU may like soapy shower massages at Chateau Animeaux, but for me, its kind of humiliating. I know you are all anti-hunting and all [WHASSAT?!?] but can't you just buy me an unplucked chicken while you are in there and toss it into the reflecting pool so I can chase it?
That's it. I'm outta here. Later suckers.
1) There's no need to bring your *pet* with you everywhere you go, including the grocery store.
2) DC law requires that owners remain *in control* of their dogs by using a 4ft (or less) leash. Tying a dog up unattended outside is not a way to maintain control of an animal, especially on a busy public sidewalk.
It sucks their dog is gone, but as an owner of two dogs myself, I put the blame on the negligent owners.
Thanks for pointing out that leaving a dog unattended is illegal. It's a worthwhile for people to know.
It's really sad that the dog was dognapped BUT, I think it was highly irresponsible of the owners to leave it tied up alone! I treat my dog companions like any other human that I value and hold with high regard... I hope they don't leave their children tied up outside the store too! Again this is sad, we live in a world where you really can't trust anyone these days... and it sucks! I really hope they get their dog back! But that doesn't mean that they're blameless... leaving the dog unattended was foolish, not only because the dog could be taken, but because the dog could get frightened, be attacked by another dog, attack someone (or appear to attack someone who's lawyer is on speed dial), or any other number of bad things that could happen to an unattended dog. Take your dog back home before you go to the store, or have someone in your party (or someone you trust) watch the dog while you go in.
Wow, people. Wow. I usually expect a certain level of snarkiness when I write about local politics or voting rights, but this is a whole new level of petulant commentary where it's really not needed.
In some instances I would agree, but in this case I feel the commentary is right on the mark. It is appropriate to express sympathy for the owners (as most have done) but also to recognize the importance of the lesson to be learned from this bad situation.
If it had been a child left in a car with the window rolled up, I bet you'd feel a little more snarky toward the victims for being irresponsible...
Taking responsibility is far more mature than blaming everyone else for something you could have prevented easily enough.
I was about to say that this reminds me of those stories about harried parents that leave their infants to die in the backseat of their cars. Everybody sympanthizes with them, but most people just end up blaming the parents. Who else are you going to blame?
Not so, Martin. I have two dogs of my own, and care for them dearly. Because of my deep care for them, I'd never leave them unattended outside on a busy sidewalk.
Not only is it dangerous to both the dog and the public, but it's illegal (for that reason).
I'm sure we'd see the same level of critical comments if DCist were to report that an unlocked bicycle turned up missing after being parked on a busy sidewalk.
Would they have left their child out there unattended? If they wouldn't do it to their child, they shouldn't do it to their dog.
I'm still puzzled that dcist ran this story, epsecially with the headline declaring it a "suspected dognapping" even though there's no evidence it was stolen; "no one they've talked to" (including MPD) can recall similar dog thefts.
I feel like the owners probably recognize their mistakes here, so having everyone pile on (and do so sarcastically) just doesn't help, much less is it necessary. Does it make all of you feel better?
And I see dogs left outside of stores all the time. I don't much think anything of it. In fact, unless the dog is barking aggressively, I think it's perfectly fine. Sure, it's a risk, but I still believe that we're all kind-hearted enough not to steal dogs left outside of local businesses.
Exactly
Not to mention that running this story at least alerts the readers to someone possibly stealing dogs in that (or any) neighborhood.
I don't have a dog right now, but in the past I have tied it up outside the grocery or drug store. Probably won't do it again, but didn't think twice about it before. I'd say that goes for most people, too, despite some of the heartless responses here.
Yeah, enough of the haters. It is perfectly fine to have a dog in the city as long as you take care of it. Nothing wrong with taking your dog around town with you. They were not treating the dog like a "bicycle", they were treating it like a dog.
Are you kidding? They treated that animal exactly like a bike. Tied it up and left it unattended, just like you would your bicycle, while they finished their errands. When you take on the responsibility of owning a pet, one of the more simple obligations is to make sure it's safe and taken care of. Apparently these folks were either 1.) ignorant of the fact that people do in fact steal dogs (just like they steal bikes); 2.) willing to take the risk that their beloved pet could be absconded with just as easily as an unattended bike; or 3.) so self-absorbed that they didn't consider (or don't care about) the potential repercussions of their negligience.
To everyone but Molly's owner, you are such typical DC self-righteous people!
I am a dog owner and live next to Whole Foods. Everyday when I return from work, I take my dog on a walk around the block, passing WF; if I need something, I will leave him outside and go in for a minute. He loves this and pulls on the leash everytime we walk by the store. Sometimes it is the most convenient way to run errands, and no one else is with you to stay outside with dog. And don't even compare a dog theft to a bike; a bike is more appealing to someone than a dog/mutt on the sidewalk, so you are comparing apples to oranges. If you are so concerned about animal abuse, why don't you focus your negative energy on punishing people who truly abuse their dogs instead of owners who want to include their dogs on a stroll to the grocery store, bothering no one when they leave their dog outside for a few minutes?
Is this a joke?
To me your respnse indicates that you do not love your dog very much at all... if you did, you would not do such a thing! I don't care how important you think your errands in the grocery store are, or how safe you think your neighborhood should be... IF YOU LEAVE YOUR DOG ALONE ON THE STREET you are responsible for whatever the dog does, or whatever happens to the dog! You should be locked up for animal cruelty for putting your own selfish needs ahead of the safety of your dog and then blaming everyone else who is smart enough to realize this and call you out on your foolishness! Period!
Sometimes it is the most convenient way to run errands
Want convenience in pet ownership? One word: taxidermist.
bothering no one when they leave their dog outside for a few minutes?
Not everybody likes dogs. There's this condition called cynophobia, but you're probably not interested in it, so forget I said it.
I won't defend every comment in this post, and I definitely feel for the Newby's loss of Molly. I'm horrified at the thought of losing my dog, Ollie... he's like my kid.
That said, I would have serious reservations leaving my kid tied up to a parking meter out front, wouldn't you? Because it's a convenient way to run a few errands doesn't justify it... I'm flabbergasted that people think this isn't a big deal. You're gambling with your dog's life every time you do this.
I am an animal lover to the absolute fullest and maybe I am being self-righteous. Yet when I pass by a dog that is tied up on the sidewalk (most of the time in front of a certain bank) I feel sad. As we've learned today, not only can a dog be stolen but what if some punk kid walks up and kicks the dog in the head, or another dog attacks it? Anything could happen to an animal that is tied up and left alone in a public area.
Do us all a favor. Get past the snark and snide comments and take a minute and think about whether the opposition to leaving a dog chained up outside while you run errands is a good idea...
Do you really trust some of the crazy people in this city not to harm or take your dog?
Is your dog so docile that if a child started touching it in an uncomfortable or painful way, the dog would not bite or attack them? You would be held responsible, both in criminal and civil court.
I think this occurrence is a prime example of why your behavior is unacceptable. Instead of lashing out at the people here for RIGHTLY calling out how stupid it is, think about it, admit you were wrong and change your habits. It won't make you a douche to admit you were doing it wrong before, but if you keep doing it, you are an absolute douche.
And the next time I'm in one of these trendy neighborhoods where people think tying up their dogs while they go in Whole Foods is okay, I will start calling animal control and make sure they take the dog each time. Maybe, just maybe you people will learn.
I feel for the owners. I had a beagle growing up (named Molly as well) who would escape from our fenced-in back yard after getting on the scent of a rabbit. I would be sick to my stomach, walking through our neighborhood calling her name until she eventually wandered home. However, I would never leave my dog unattended on a city street. The Humane Society recommends that you don't even leave them unattended in a fenced-in back yard. You never know what could happen and other posts go into different scenarios. Even if your dog is well behaved, you have no idea how other humans and dogs will react. I hope you find your dog, and I hope this serves as a lesson to everyone.
haha, if my dog was taken because you called animal control, I would send in a story to DCist accusing you of stealing him. and is there a law in DC against uber self-righteous people like you????? if not, there should be because you're disturbing the peace.
sorry wasn't commenting on you...
In this case the breed was worth several hundred dollars and when comparing a bike lock to a dog leash the allure to criminals should be obvious. I hope the owners find their dog but it's not far fetched to think Molly would have been stolen for her "purebred" status. If Molly is returned to them I hope they are able to keep a closer watch and perhaps take turns watching her as they shop.
Fruitfly- I am with you all the way. Letting your dog lay down in some shade while you run in to grab something is not animal abuse! Don't listen to these crazies!
Neglect would be a better term.
Animal abuse? Nah.
Careless, irresponsible, and illegal? Yup.
To everyone but Molly's owner, you are such typical DC self-righteous people!
I am a dog owner and live next to Whole Foods. Everyday when I return from work, I take my dog on a walk around the block, passing WF; if I need something, I will leave him outside and go in for a minute. He loves this and pulls on the leash everytime we walk by the store. Sometimes it is the most convenient way to run errands, and no one else is with you to stay outside with dog. And don't even compare a dog theft to a bike; a bike is more appealing to someone than a dog/mutt on the sidewalk, so you are comparing apples to oranges. If you are so concerned about animal abuse, why don't you focus your negative energy on punishing people who truly abuse their dogs instead of owners who want to include their dogs on a stroll to the grocery store, bothering no one when they leave their dog outside for a few minutes?
I believe that if you HAVE to leave your dog outside a store, you're better off asking a trustworthy-looking stranger to hold onto him rather than leaving the dog tied to something. You're still making the dog vulnerable to being stolen by someone, but at least you're not making him vulnerable to being stolen by ANYONE who happens to walk down the street (or making him vulnerable to any of the other horrible scenarios other commentators have mentioned).
At Whole Foods there are always a few employees hanging around outside on their breaks. Ask one of them to look after your dog (and get a good look at their nametag in case something does happen). Most people would be happy to watch a cute little doggie
At Whole Foods there are always a few employees hanging around outside on their breaks. Ask one of them to look after your dog (and get a good look at their nametag in case something does happen).
If I were said employee, I'd probably tell the dog owner in question to go fuck themselves, frankly. Not their job.
The "typical DC self-rightous people" shit is unecessary, we already know we are right all the time... but seriously the same reaction would come from any city, I remember hearing this same argument in Portland and NYC to name two. There are just some people who think is a atrocity to "park a dog", and who think it shows great neglect. Dogs get stolen everywhere, even small towns, and people have different views. There are other people who think it is perfectly normal, and leaving your dog tied up is an old tradition in most places.
Personally, I would never, ever leave my dogs unattended, I worry about them too much, and the thought of them wandering off, or being stolen makes me sick. Dogs are fairly helpless against a motivated dog thief (I remember a man caught in rural georgia using sedatives to take big dogs out of yards, and selling them for fight bait) But I understand that to some people parking a dog is normal, and in this case I just hope the dog is found- and I am sorry to hear about it, and I am glad that DCist ran it. If for no other reason, a lot of people do park their dogs, and it would be good to know if a "dognapper" were on the loose...
As for the critics- I am telling myself it is out of their deep love for dogs.
Wow NewHCE that is so hilariously clever. Please give us more. You people that spend 1/2 your lives trying to think of snarky little remarks to post on DCist really need to go douche yourselves.
Hey, I was just kidding. I sympathize with them, I really do
>What the fuck is wrong with running a story on a stolen dog? If you think it's so stupid then don't read it. The assholery in these comments is astounding.
Ditto. STFU if you don't like the story. Nobody forced you to read the whole thing.
I like that DCist runs these stories.
I really feel for Molly and her owners. I will keep alert for her. Good luck!! And thanks for running a quick story that personally impacts my life as a dog owner living in Logan Circle. It is good to be reminded not to let your guard down, even for a minute. And it's nice to know that we can alert each other so easily.
DCist folks, thanks so much for posting this. Molly is a wonderful dog and what happened is heartbreaking. Your help is very much appreciated! It's a shame so many people failed to locate a little compassion and were apparently compelled to post ridiculously nasty comments.
I have compassion...for the dog.
Hopefully the dogs can find its way to a new owner who will properly care for it by not letting it run at large in a major city.
Are you paying attention here, Murph? "Nasty" is being an ignorant, selfish, and unprepared pet owner. The heartfelt comments you refer to are coming from well-thought-out people who realize it is cruel and inhumane to treat your pets in this manner. Commentor mlswanso3470 got it exactly right a little further up the page, to wit:
"You should be locked up for animal cruelty for putting your own selfish needs ahead of the safety of your dog and then blaming everyone else who is smart enough to realize this and call you out on your foolishness! Period!"
With friends like us....who needs enemies. I joke. I joke.
With friends like us....who needs enemies. I joke. I joke.
Hate, hate, hate. Enough with the below average Silky Johnston-impersonatin'.
I've had three dogs. I had no idea that tying them up briefly while I ran into a store was "negligent". I'm lucky that I did that back in friendly Northern CA where there are less judgmental assholes and that I did it with my aloof German Shepherds. Perhaps that's why my first reaction to this post was alarm and sympathy.
This story absolutely belongs on DCist. The local dogs I know are the best part of my neighborhood; sometimes I stop to pet them when they've been ABANDONED outside of a store by their "yuppie" owners...it often means I get to say "Hi" to my neighbors, which is always nice. I'd want to know if some thief was doing the unthinkable, so I could keep my eyes open if I see someone shady untying a dog. That was the point of this post, right? To reach out to people who understand that being a good neighbor involves giving a shit about strangers vs. judging them?
Sommer, thanks for this post. To the Newbys (who may be from my hometown, judging from the 415): anonymity inspires the petty. I hope you are reunited with your Molly, soon.
To be fair, I'm not sure too many dognappers out there would be willing to try for a random German shepherd.
Very true. One of the many perks of the breed. ;)
Very true. One of the many perks of the breed. ;)
Sorry...but there is NO excuse to taking your dog along with you to a store that doesn't allow pets.
(who may be from my hometown, judging from the 415)
Oh god, you're just going to make it worse.
Didn't understand what you meant until Bethesdaist lost it. Mentioning the region DJ Qbert is from is verboten. Lesson learned.
Because we've taken issue with one's negligent behavior we're petty?
In some ways, I wish that this were like NorCal. But many of those who are commenting know the reality of an East Coast metropolis.
I am actually glad that DC is unlike NorCal. I prefer to live here for a reason. :) And after a decade of living here and in NYC, I'm well-acquainted with the realities of (the) two (best) East Coast metropolises.
re: pettiness. It's one thing to take issue with negligence, quite another to be trifling about it. I've gained a new perspective about leaving dogs outside-- but I didn't learn it from the assholes, I gained it by reading well-thought out comments by compassionate people who helped me see things differently. I think wishing that a little girl never sees her dog again is small-minded and mean...and the sort of brave sentiment espoused under the comforting anonymity of the web. That's all I meant.
Okay, now I'm pissed off. What is up with people from California posting on DCist? First the Pasadena a-hole commenting about too many Red Line accident coverage on the day the goddamned crash happened, and now some Jilly-come-lately going waaah waaah waah about how friendly Northern California is compared to here and 412 area code and I don't know what else. Maybe you live here *now*, but it sure sounds like you have a lot more to say about Cali vs. here. Maybe Molly ran away to California, it sounds so lovely there.
Now excuse me, I'm going to go take a dump in the LAist threads as retaliation.
+1
Dear "Waaah waaah waah",
I am from CA but I've lived here for over ten years. And when I say "here" I mean IN the city. Not Bethesda.
Do you really think everyone who comments on DCist is a native? Or are we just not allowed to reference other states lest it trigger some sort of meltdown from a suburbanite?
Hope you enjoyed your bowel movement in the wrong city (I'm from the land of SFists, not LAists...but don't let simple geography get in the way of blithering umbrage).
Girl Fight!
The comparisons to bikes or children are off the mark; bikes are known to be at high risk of theft; children are, well, children. Dogs are pets. They can generally fend for themselves on a sidewalk for a few minutes.
That being said, I do think running this story is a bit silly and overdramatic. Dogs go missing all the time. Pure speculation on the part of owners that this one was stolen doesn't make it any more notable than any other missing dog case.
That, I think, more than the owners' actual behavior, is what's got people perceiving a yuppie sense of entitlement. DCist's decision to run this is probably more to blame for the tone of the comments than anything the owners did. I do think some of y'all have a surplus of outrage about a frigging dog on a leash tied to a tree, though. Yeesh.
What the fuck is wrong with running a story on a stolen dog?
@ Greeper, nobody knows that this dog was stolen.
Yeah, but if DCist, a local blog, can help reunite someone with their lost pet then where is the harm? Just don't read it.
Then where do you stop? Who gets to have their missing pets alert posted to DCist, and who doesn't?
For me, it's DEFINITELY the owners' behavior that has me riled up and colored the tone of my comments. And I think the comparison to children is right on. In both cases you implicitly accept certain responsibilities for maintaining their health and well being. Jesus Christ, qbert, it's a defenseless animal TIED TO A FUCKING METER. No different than tying up your three-year-old, in my eyes. Wholly unacceptable and, as has been pointed out, illegal.
To all the people saying a dog should be treated like a child, please Google the word "Anthropomorphizing".
A child should be treated like a child. A dog should be treated like a dog.
And in many instances that standard of care overlaps. Feed them, socialize them, train them, don't kick them, and DON'T TIE THEM UP OUTSIDE THE SUPERMARKET!
And thank you for the (unnecessary) vocabulary lesson, Mr. Smarmy.
No different than tying up your three-year-old,
Yes, it is different. It is very, very different, and nobody should have to explain why.
A life is a life, qbert. Are you saying that humans are the premiere species on the planet and are entitled to special treatment because we're at the top of the food chain, use tools, and have opposable thumbs? And that the "lesser" species aren't deserving of the same considerations? I’m not prepared to make that distinction. And just out of curiosity, do you think your viewpoint is derived from your experiences as a parent, or perhaps an adherent to some religious philosophy?
You are only a hair short of calling me "speciesist."
I love dogs. But as a human being, my instincts would lead me to be more protective of a human child than an adult dog. I can't help but see this as the order of things. I don't think I'm the odd man out on this, either: if I were, you'd see children tied to parking meters as often as you do dogs, and Michael Vick would've gotten the chair.
Sorry, but I value children's lives more than dogs' lives, yes.
And no, I'm neither a a parent or a believer.
Will you call 911 next time you see a gravely injured rat? They're not a "lesser species" underserving of such considerations, are they?
What the F#$%* I hope you never have children if you think that caring for a dog is the same as caring for a child. It is a dog and letting it sit for a minute is not animal abuse. Who are you crazies?
Hey! I'm like the Double Mint Twins.
and no one has commented on the fact that vizsla's are one of the highest energy breeds and are easily tempted to haul after something that peaks their interest. it would not surprise me if this dog saw something like another dog or a child and wanted to go after it.
I feel for the owners loss but would hope that through this experience they will no longer support breeders. Too many dogs/cats die in shelters every year and yet people still pay top dollar for purebred animals. It is a horrible industry and exploits animals unnecessarily. If such a system did not exist Molly would probably have not been stolen but given the price tag and these tough economic times it is akin to leaving ones laptop unattended while going to the bathroom at Starbucks.
There's no evidence she *was* stolen. She most likely escaped and ran off (the dcist entry fails to mention that this is a high-energy breed).
Although I completely agree, it may be a little soon to lecture the poor people about breeder dogs, shelters, creating a market for dogs, etc.
One inappropriate moral correction at a time please!
I really hope the owners aren't reading this post because they have better things to do with their time. This post brings up a number of issues regarding how we treat our companion animals and keep them safe. As such, I think it is appropriate to discuss methods for solving issues brought to our attend by this post, otherwise why are we allowed to comment on this topics at all. The story mentions that Molly was purebred and it's worth discussing the risk involved with "owning" animals that carry such high price tags.
Thank you for running this story...
I'm 95% positive I saw Molly this morning, walking without a leash, at the corner of 15th and Q St. NW. It was certainly strange to see such a beautiful dog without a leash or owner.
After a moment, an older woman with wild, stringy hair wearing a green dress walked by, and seemed to be "following" the dog at a safe distance, rather than actually walking it.
My neighbor has also confirmed this sighting, as well as the odd woman. Please be on the lookout!
Hi Hunter.hackett I am Molly's dog walker and am trying to help recover her, would you please email me artpongs@yahoo.com and if you spot this woman and Molly again can you call me 202-437-7472 we have other leads that describe the same woman at the same corner and time and another at Whole Foods as she was messing with her leash on the evening of. Thank you so much.
Lecture, lecture, lecture, lecture. If I want a lecture, I'll call my elementary school principal. Its a good story, I hope that they find Molly and I'm glad DCist runs a variety of stories including this one. If you don't like the stories, cancel your subscription.
I'll do all of the overly snarky commenters on this post a favor -- give them something else to bitch about.
Topic A: The baseball stadium was a monumental waste of money and should not have been built. Discuss.
Topic B: Wonderland is the best bar ever. Discuss.
Topic C: Washington, D.C. is a better town than New York, Chicago or Los Angeles. Discuss.
Topic D: I should write more posts about voting rights. Discuss.
That should do it, I hope.
The point of allowing comments is to, well, allow comments, correct? No need to get snarky yourself just because you disagree, Martin.
Sure, but just because you can comment doesn't mean you have to be snarky or righteous about it, especially on stuff like this. I'm not saying that some of the commenters aren't right in some respects, I'm just saying that the way they say it and the way they pile on is, well, sad.
If this were something of mine on a political issue I would expect it. It's fair game. But on a post about a lost/stolen dog? Have some compassion, people.
Martin, I DO have compassion...
for the dog.
Not for the owners who put him out there to be stolen. It's not like the dog was stolen out of their home or their yard... it was stolen from a public place. The snark and snide comments are 100% deserved and if you can't see that, I really hope you don't own any pets.
Wow, what a crybaby.
Just to set the record straight. I'm a dog lover. I hope and feel that your dog will be found. There are good people here and out there.
Please see my comment above. I don't want it to get lost in the jumble...
Molly was spotted this morning at the corner of 15th and Q. Everyone please be on the lookout!
Hi Hunter.hackett I am Molly's dog walker and am trying to help recover her, would you please email me artpongs@yahoo.com and if you spot this woman and Molly again can you call me 202-437-7472 we have other leads that describe the same woman at the same corner and time and another at Whole Foods as she was messing with her leash on the evening of. Thank you so much.
Wow. This thread might actually help the owners find their dog? Too bad you have to sift through 200+ hatin comments to find something useful. There definitely needs to be some followup. I'll bet the a-hole who stole the dog is some hemp-pants-wearin, theremin-playin, unicycle-ridin jerk from the Northwest who drinks snob beer brewed from sticks.
This sort of story really rubs people the wrong way (at least it does for me) because it immediately follows a story about a guy in a wheelchair on the metro tracks and another suicide. Such stories get the cursory few-sentence notice. Then this dog story gets many many paragraphs. It definitely skews the weight of human life vs. an animal. I'm also pretty sure this story is longer than the lone Michael Jackson recap. So you have a missing dog vs. 25 million Thriller albums sold. Add to this the fact that the owners essentially abandoned the dog to go shopping, and it's no wonder you see the kind of responses here.
If your pet is dear to you, keep an eye on it. It's common sense even to non-dog owners. We in the 'hood will keep an eye out for it anyway, just because we're considerate like that.
Face it, you're a minority- most people DO care more about dogs and cats than unrelated people, thus the comment thread for this reaching 93, versus the 19 comments for the poor man on the tracks. Companion animals have a universal appeal, whereas most strangers annoy us.
I think it has something to do with the human experience and pervasiveness of human death, people die every day, shit happens to all of us, celebrities come and go, but a story of animal abuse in the developed world, or theft, etc. just stikes such a low chord in society. And most of us really love dogs. Dogs are cute. Yes they are. Dogs are cute. C'mere you little cute poochey... sorry distracted by a strange dog.
Humans are animals too, I think people are responding to the social issues brought up regarding this post. When a story like MJ breaks there are a million other sources picking up the story. I don't necessarily think this story should have been so detailed or even reported on (animals go missing every day) but the issues it brings up are worth discussing in a public form. A lot of people would not see anything wrong with leaving their dog unattended by a busy street and others aren't aware of purebred dogs being stolen and resold.
Come-on the cast of the Real World are arriving as we snark. Maybe as their first act of civic duty is to form a doggie search party (with sexy results)!
DCist ran a story about something that happened in D.C.?! The nerve.
Seriously, though. I can't believe the comments on here. You can't compare leaving a dog tied up in front of a store to leaving a kid tied up. That's just ridiculous. Do you leave your kid in the backyard with a water bowl when you go to work everyday?
Holy shit, Einstein. The corollary to this story is that you shouldn't leave your dog in the backyard when you go to work every day, either! Unless said dog is in a locked, sheltered, high-chain-link-fence-protected area with sufficient fresh water.
Coucilwoman Cheh, so nice of you to join the discussion.
Nope. We leave our kids in an an air-conditioned kennel called "daycare."
Would you leave a dog in the backyard if it wasn't fenced and had about 5000 people walking through it?
Would you leave a dog in the backyard if it wasn't fenced and had about 5000 people walking through it?
Would you leave a dog in the backyard if it wasn't fenced and had about 5000 people walking through it?
Nope. Nope. Nope.
heh heh heh. (laughing at myself)
You just know this commenting sh*tstorm is going to land DC in the top of the "week around the ists" column next Monday, and the city will be reviled for being dog haters or yuppies, depending on your viewpoint.
I do hope that Molly is found and that all the new posters will stick around to see that people aren't snarky 24/7, more like 16/6.
This thread has everything the commentariat could ask for: crime, yuppies, pets, Whole Foods, narcissism, negligent behavior, righteous indignation. Definitely hits the comment sweet spot, and you can only hate on pedestrians, drivers, and bikers for so long before you get the itch to light into someone who's lost a member of their family.
If dcist had any brains they'd make missing-pet-of-the-week a regular column. Certainly more entertaining than their hockey coverage. I'll start: while throwing rocks at theremin bands in Columbia Heights, my budgie went missing. I left him outside Target with the guy poopin in the treebox and when I got back, they were both gone. All that was left was some feathers, a turd, and some chicken bones. I'd like to remember "Cheney" the way he was when I found him: doing animal porn in Tijuana. If you see a budgie that answers to the name "Long Duck Dong Silver" please contact me!
There's spit all over my monitor now. (from laughing)
The Aristocrats!
To the owners -- good luck finding Molly, she looks precious.
To the haters -- Regardless of whether I agree with you or not, they've heard enough of it by now.
Hopefully this potential dognapping is an unfortunate, isolated incident rather than the beginning of a trend.
They may have heard enough. But it needs to be repeated ad nauseum to anyone who would consider leaving their dog alone outside a store.
Think of the stress it can put on the dog. Even though they may pass the area every day, it's NOT their territory. And now the one thing that is familiar to them - their owner - has gone out of sight.
And what happens if your dog is greeting by someone who they suddenly decide they don't like and nips at them? Just opening yourself up to a potential lawsuit.
Regardless of whether I agree with you or not, they've heard enough of it by now.
Apparently not if they haven't realized that what they do is wrong.
This is an issue as clear as day and so far all I hear is "what's the big deal?" instead of "I admit, I thought this was okay - but if I think about it, it's not and I will change the way I handle my dog walking and errands."
I imagine there are a number of dog owners in and around the Logan Circle area who might like to know about this.
I don't own a dog here in DC, but I have elsewhere and never would've thought twice about leaving it outside. My guess is that the owners did learn a big, tough lesson, and I think the purpose of the post was, more than anything, to help them find the dog and to let other owners know what might be going on in their neighborhood.
You know what's really irresponsible. Replacing a well used outdoor, pavement, soccer field with a dog park.
like at 11th and Q: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=38.911944,-77.026611&spn=0.00101,0.001282&t=h&z=19
Like, of all the places to put a dog park, it had to be on a frequently used soccer, albeit pavement, soccer field?
like WTF?!?
Is logan circle straight up owned by the gays or something? I went to play pick up soccer there the other day, and to my surprise, the soccer field was gone. And the short latino dudes, now have to play on the skate park, which, is already kinda crowded.
and the beloved soccer area has been replaced by a pick up spot for gays with their dogs. Like, you can't just walk the dog on the street?
I know I know, I'm making some crude broad generalizations. But in effect, the latinos and skater kids are gettin f'ed over by the gentrifying white folk (and mostly gay-not that there's anything wrong with that)
I like diversity, not domination by one group or another, whether they're gay, straight, creative, dark, light, what have you.
And leave your dog at home. He doesn't need to go shopping.
The latinos who played in shaw were mostly sporting MD plates. 'nuff said.
Wow, just wow. So all dog park supports are gay? And even if by some magical reason that were true, using gay in a derogatory way is discriminatory. The street is for cars in case you hadn't noticed. Cars are also dangerous, fyi. Why don't we compare the number of dog parks to soccer fields, the outcome will be fascinating. Dogs need exercise, especially larger breeds, and a walking them or taking them to the dog park is what responsible caretakers do.
Do you know what the word "discriminatory" means?
I may have chosen my words poorly, but, even if I am "discriminating," my discrimination harms no one.
I'm not making a frickin 14th Amendment equal protection claim here. I'm just pointing out the obvious. The City/ANZ/whoever preferenced the interests of [warning: generalization coming] primarily rich and white professionals over those of primarily working class and Latino.
a) Aside from the fact that the topic is dogs, this is relevant how?
b) Your attempt to paper over your homophobia with a PC disclaimer: Fail.
c) Learn to, properly use a, comma already.
Hey NattyB
If you really did go to the park yesterday you would of know that they are now playing in the grassy field right next to the dog park and not in the skate park over a block over.
And more so, if you read the thread you posted to you would find out that many people that lived in the area immediately next to the dog park actually prefer it to the soccer drunk homeless hang out that it use to be.*
*Well, we still have people there all day getting wasted and littering, but it seems to be not as many of the belligerent drunks hanging out there as there use to be.
Yah, I'll check it out tonight when I head home, but, the grassy field, has, like, no grass. And I don't know if it's called "visiting the area" when I live 4 blocks away and pass by it everyday on my bike.
And the old soccer area, the pavement part, was really good in of itself. It had walls and nets, and was good for futsal and small sided games. It's not easy to get enough ppl for full sided games all the times. And that pavement part was real good for small games, opposed to having to set up cones or bags as nets.
"The gays"? Who even says that? I would call it discriminatory, but it's more pathetic than anything.
Totally. The correct spelling is the "geyz"
Regarding usage of the phrase "the gays." It's called being tongue-and-cheek. Doesn't anyone here read Gawker? I'm sorry, it just happens to be that 80% of people who use the dog park happen to be gay. Can we make light of this observation without going all Lamda Legal on someone.
I went there last week and the short guys soccer players weren't playing on the grass/dirt, they were sharing the skate park space.
My issue is that the land was being used by humans. And now the land is being used to benefit animals over humans. And it just happens to be, that the people indirectly benefiting (b/c it's for the animals, the people vicariously benefit through their dogs, which is just creepy to me), tend to be the gentrifying folk, at the direct expense of folks, who aren't so well connected to Jim Grahem's office, or whoever it was who decided to authorize this change in land use.
Wow, and now we're adding classism and homophobia into the mix, not to mention soccer vs. dogs. To paraphrase an old Pixies song, This Thread Will Last Forever.
The comments, for the most part, on this story are horrifying. The people who clearly love their dog and are devastated by her loss have to read the rantings of complete douches like yourselves instead of support in finding what boils down to a death in the family. I am at a loss for what motivates people to just say cruel and totally worthless things in the anonymity of the internet.
If anyone that is not a jackass is reading the article, please keep your dogs safe and keep an eye out for Molly. My sincere condolences to the family that lost their pet!
They didn't lose their pet. They abandoned it outside.
finding what boils down to a death in the family
And leaving your family member loosely tied up outside a store is like leaving your child locked in the car in the sun when you go shopping.
Of course this is a terrible loss, but, let's not absolve the owners of their contributory negligence here.
If some black chick named D'[insert a name]'s 2 year old suffered heat stroke when she went into the store to get chicken, this blog would be on fire with rage as well as questions of society & nature addressing how we can stop this pathology.
When some yuppies do some equivalent shit, it's like holding hands across America on DCist.
Yah, I hope they find their dog, but, I can't refrain from commenting on their stupidity. If this is like "losing a member of the family," then maybe you shouldn't leave said family member strapped, unattended to a pole, in a neighborhood, where, true, is relatively safe, but still has numerous car break ins and muggings, and damn, even the occasional shooting as well.
At a minimum, and extra PC points, ask a guy selling street sense to watch the dog and then give him a $1 when you get out.
Or, if they want to give lucy some playtime, go 4 blocks to the dog park for yuppies that replaced the soccer field for Latinos.
They moved over to the field and actually can have bigger and better football games now. If you actually visited the area that you keep on talking about, you would know this.
This thread is better than being on Hollywood Squares.
Hot damn! Over 125+ comments on this story. We are some sick fucks.
I know I know, I'm making some crude broad generalizations. But in effect, the latinos and skater kids are gettin f'ed over by the gentrifying white folk (and mostly gay-not that there's anything wrong with that)
Uhh..the skater kids are the gentrifying white folks. And I used to live there and confirm that the latinos there are mostly from Maryland, so f'em.
I hope that poor dog is found soon so it can promptly be taken and placed with a family who cares enough about it to take care of it properly.
you reap what you sew... i never understood how people could leave their dogs tied up alone like that, then disappear. i feel sorry for the dog, but not the owners.
"Sow" (as in plant seeds vs. "sew" (as in stitch fabric.) And here come the spelling/grammar fights!
There's a possibility that it's an anachronistic sewing reference that we don't quite get.
Well if I did reap what I sewed it would be pretty ugly, as I can barely sew a button.
The problem with DCist's post is that if we accept this call for help in locating a lost pet, then we should expect DCist to post similar calls for help for all the other lost pets in DC. DCist could be the next listserv for DC pet owners looking for their lost pets.
The negativity of the responses to this posting are directed at two issues: (1) the owner's handling of the dog and (2) the relative triviality of the article's focus compared to everything that goes on in DC. My feelings correspond to the latter.
There are rapes, murders, kidnapped children, lost dogs, etc. all over DC, and one website isn't going to be able to chronicle it all; there's nothing callous about that. In fact, it can be a little insulting to think that this one dog owner deserves so much more attention than every other DC pet owner that has lost a pet.
If anything, the problem with DCist's post was that it failed to generalize the story about Molly into an issue about leaving pets unattended. The post could have been more topical, but it made the story entirely about Molly and left the focus too narrow.
For those arguing the harmlessness in leaving your pet outside for a minute while you run into a store, please note that Molly's owners admit to leaving her outside Whole Foods for 20 minutes. That no longer qualifies as a quick trip into the store, notwithstanding the constant crowd of shoppers at the P Street Whole Foods.
I do hope she's found.
Sommer, if you are reading this- please post something about bicycles and MD drivers combined with gun control and reality shows somehow? You have to distract the mob from this thread before we all post things we will regret in the morning... we are busy crucifying neglectful pet owners here, and I think some gay bashing somehow slipped in! quick, spare us!
I'd like to buy a vowel!
Name that Tune!
Survey says ...!!!!!
the password is....
I'll take what's behind Door Number Three Bob!
MONTY!!!..not bob.
Bachelor number two. It's a cold September night and I'm getting the chills, how would you keep us warm?
DCist Commenter: It's your own goddamn fault you're cold! Eat some fucking soup or put on a sweater. Why is everyone making such a big deal of this? There are bigger problems you know.
No whammies, no whammies!
A dog?
That would be "in the butt," Bob.
"Is that your final answer?"
"This is Bob Barker reminding you help control the pet population, have your pet spay or neutered. Goodbye everybody!"
I'm confused about all the people who are advocating for dogs never to be left tied up outside. How is this "abusive"? In a large city where people work long hours, it seems much more abusive to leave your 4-legged pet trapped in a small indoor space for 8-10 hours at a time. If you're going to have a dog in the city - I fully support taking it with you whenever you're outside. Everywhere else I've lived it's totally normal to see dogs relaxing on a sidewalk outside a coffee shop, store, or library for 10-20 minutes. I'm not sure why people are so incensed about this. I even think I've seen this dog - a cute, well-behaved dog enjoying normal dog behaviour of sniffing passing scents, watching people, and enjoying being out of the apartment. Not to mention, since I don't own a pet I like seeing a friendly dog once in a while when I'm walking or doing errands.
It's illegal, as was mentioned probably a hundred comments ago.
DC Code § 8-1808. Prohibited conduct.
(a) No owner of an animal shall allow the animal to go at large...
§ 8-1801. Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter:
(1) The term "animal at large" means any animal found off the premises of its owner and neither leashed nor otherwise under the immediate control of a person capable of physically restraining it...
(hat tip, deesee)
Aside from the illegality, as mentioned, which personally I think is the worst reason not to do it (stick it to the man!)
Some people see it as neglectful, and straight up irresponsible. I too like seeing happy dogs lying on the sidewalks, in an ideal world it's great. I see them all the time outside my video store, and grocery. But I also know that the dog could be hurt, it could run away or hurt someone else (even the most reliable dogs are still dogs), another dog could attack it since it is helpless and tied up (pretty common actually- just spend the night at a 24 hour animal hospital), it could be stolen, etc. So although it is quant, I find it too irresponsible to do with my dogs. Basically why leave something you love so much unattended? Dogs, no matter how big and fierce they may look, rely on us for care.
I'm 90% sure I witnessed an attempted dog-knapping two weekends back in front of the Target in Columbia Heights. A white dude was chasing an older "urban gentleman" down the street shouting after him and then snatched back the dog from the other man. He then berated the man and consoled the dog. Then he began shouting again for the police, who after a few minutes came and questioned both men. Anyone have more info on this???
Holy mackeral! Here is the comment to end all comments:
1. Sorry you lost your pet, regardless if you tied it up or left with a clerk who's not responsible to watch your dog, rather than stock the food, etc.
2. I think we all know now that it's a) stupid to tie your dog up (whether you knew this earlier or just after reading this) and b) illegal
3. NattyB is a sad donkey
4. That somewhere in Chinatown, tonight, Molly will be served for dinner.
Oh c'mon people you know I couldn't let this comment thread end...look at my damn username for crying out loud
gentrification makes nattyb a sad panda
Let's see... so, from this -
commment #1:
"aw i hope i see her so i can report her!!! i am always terrified of leaving my dog tied up outside of a store for this same reason."
comment #146:
"somewhere in Chinatown, tonight, Molly will be served for dinner"
... I can see why you waited so long to post... wait for the crescendo to build, eh?
and who would be surprised if all the comments on here led to a mass liberation of dogs tied to posts, trees, etc. in the city?
I just realized the name of the owner is Newby! Newby!!! I can't believe we're still talking about dogs and not gentrification. Or maybe it was just thinly veiled under the surface and the true reason we hit 160 comments. Oh the irony...
Only if the dog had a carry and conceal permit, this would not have happened.
I live near the Whole Foods on P Street and although the neighborhood is "relatively safe", there are a lot of unsavory people that loiter around it. I see people leave their dogs tied to bike racks and other poles and it is irresponsible. Not only because it's illegal but because it puts both the dog and the public at risk. Twice I've seen dogs left unattended at this very Whole Foods snap at children walking by and on one of the occasions, almost bite the child. The parent of that child waited for the owner to come out and proceeded to dress them down. The parent happened to be a lawyer and threats of suing came up quickly. Not only that, I have also seen 1) teenagers poking an unattended dog with a stick 2) a homeless guy try to take a dog off its leash 3) an unattended dog pass out on a very hot day after being left outside the store for over 35 minutes and 4) an animal control officer cite an owner for leaving the dog unattended.
If you truly feel like Molly is a part of your family, you should not have left her unattended for 20 minutes on a busy street. I'm sad to hear that Molly is lost and I really hope she is returned safely. But in the future, please refrain from leaving your dogs unattended in the city. If you choose to own a dog in a city (I personally chose not to get a dog when I moved to DC because I didn't want a dog cramped up in a small condo), accept the full responsibility of pet ownership and stop leaving them tied to a pole for your convenience.
I totally agree, S_Newman! I've been snapped at while passing tied-up dogs on the sidewalk. They give me the heebee-jeebies, and I often cross the street or walk out beyond the curb if I see a dog so irresponsibly left unattended. My son loves dogs and wouldn't give a second thought to petting one; many dogs are unpredictable when their owners aren't present (snapping/biting if seemingly threatened) & I'm trying to teach him to be more discerning.
Agreeing with many posters here, I say that leaving your dog unattended is irresponsible for the dog AND passers-by. I hope the owners find their dog and learn to keep hold of its leash from now on.
A pig is a rat is a boy!!!
Whatever happened to Ingrid Newkirk?
Free Molly!!!
I'd like to hear from Sideshow Mel.
I'd like to hear from Sideshow Mel.
I'd like to hear from Sideshow Mel.
I think Billy sums this up:
Whoa whoa whoa, Miss Lippy. The part of the story I don't like is that the little boy gave up looking for Happy after an hour. He didn't put posters up or anything, he just sat on the porch like a goon and waited. That little boy's gotta think 'You got a pet. You got a responsibility.' If your dog gets lost you don't look for an hour then call it quits. You get your ass out there and you find that fucking dog.
I'm sorry Molly has such careless owners.
I'm surprised you didn't consider tying your daughter to the same tree with the belief that she'd be safe there. They're both valued members of your family, no?
And I agree with most of the negative comments. It's (I) illegal (2) lacking in common sense (3) unsafe (4) lazy and probably many other things.
I've seen dogs tied up outside the whole foods and have strangers (especially young children) run up to them. What if this story was "DOG, MOLLY, BITES YOUNG CHILD OUTSIDE OF WHOLE FOODS ON P STREET" there would be no sympathy for the owners of the dog.
As to the question of why it's abusive. I don't think abusive is the right word, instead I use the word "lazy" -- don't try to multitask when walking your dog. Either walk your dog or go grocery shopping.
You had two adults on hand, and between the two of you all, you didn't think that maybe one of you should stay with the dog while the other one shops. Seems like you have to suffer the consequences of your actions.
"Seems like you have to suffer the consequences of your actions. "
Sadly - it's Molly who has to suffer the consequences of the owners' carelessness and naivete.
who knows -- maybe molly will get a home with more responsible owners.
This comment thread makes me love DC a little more.
Frankly, I don't see how people are being "snarky," or 'boo hoo the people in the community are such meanies.' Many commenters are, quite rightly, criticizing the owners, but are still caring and compassionate people who hope they are reunited with their dog.
This is a city. You have to share this space with many diverse people. There's a reason we have these laws about leashing and supervising pets.
Really...come on...
Hello. Well, guess what? my CAT Thumper went missing last Friday afternoon and I have a witness that a Caucasian woman was walking away from my location with my cat in her arms (she was walking eastward on the southside of Q Street N.W., between 12th and 11th). I live THREE 3 blocks from Whole Foods, at 1517 12th Street N.W., which is between Q Street and Rhode Island Avenue (one block east of logan circle). I myself tried to get the police to write up a stolen pet report on SATURDAY 6/27, but they blew me off. They said, only if my witness was right then and there with me, will they make a report. I tried logic on them, that if there's one stolen pet report, and then, if there is ANOTHER stolen pet, then maybe there is a pattern, and, therefore, there might be a repeat-thief in our Logan Circle neighborhood stealing pets... maybe even a RING of pet thieves who will turn around and sell our pets for profit (animal dealers, research labs, other private citizens who are just innocently purchasing a pet). however, the cops did not see this logic of mind (that my missing cat report might add to a bigger picture of stolen pets in the area, if there are other reports, too). Therefore, imagine my consternation when lo and behold, NOW THERE'S MOLLY WHO'S BEEN STOLEN OVER AT THE NEARBY WHOLE FOODS JUST LAST NIGHT, 6/29!!! Everyone, please check out my website www.thumpercat.webs.com for info and Thumper's pix (I've also added info about Molly and will add any updates, too!); if you see my missing cat (even inside a house, unable to get out maybe???), please contact me anytime so I can research your lead. Also, if my cat IS found with someone, then maybe Molly will be there, too, AND, vice versa, if Molly is found with someone, then maybe thumper my cat will ALSO be found in the same hands/house, etc...!!! I've already talked to Art, the dog walker, and we are keeping each other apprised of info--the more eyes, the more who know about both our situations, then maybe our beloved pets will be found... and PREVENT OTHERS FROM BEING STOLEN, TOO! Also, be aware that your pet IS considered "property" in the eyes of the law and the police ARE supposed to take down a report. unfortunately, they don't take animal theft serious--hence, it's recommended that owners have to be quite persistent; it is very annoying, that they won't take a report!!!. After all, if someone breaks into your house and steals items, the police will make a report on the theft of these belongings, correct, without any witnesses, too... Any info on Thumper, my missing, I may be called at 310.895.3464 (dc-based cell) and 202-683-0130. THANKS for watching out for our missing/stolen pets!!! = mariannalafollette@yahoo.com
Meanwhile, this kid's frog is still missing:
http://www.lostfrog.org/
Him name is hopkin, green frog.
btw, for all the hateful comments, why not be more proactive and help FIND THE DOG, instead, of being so incredibly judgmental with your comments here! It serves no purpose except to spread the hate around. Remember the addage, "once bitten, twice shy" meaning that when someone makes a mistake, then that person will learn from it and not do it again. I'm sure you have made mistakes, too, and people have positively helped you to learn and grow from those mistakes; can't you show the same consideration and also help the owners grow from their mistake, rather than just verbalize your hatred and judgments? Are you so perfect that others are not allowed to make a mistake? Furthermore, you don't know the owners, so how can you speak as if you know them, and, therefore, generalize that they are "yuppies" and treat their dog awfully, as ornaments for their yoga trips?? Obviously, they love their dog, because of all the information out there, and their hard work to find Molly. Also, it does more good to focus on THE PROBLEM THAT A THIEF STOLE MOLLY--never mind the past of "what you should've done' etc. It's more important to find the thief, because this person can steal other pets, too, and THAT person is NOT right-in the-head, for thieves never are, and needs to be caught. People who steal pets will also do other illegal things--ESPECIALLY violence to humans! So, yes, attention to a stolen pet IS worthwhile because the pet-theft points out to bigger problems that involve HUMANS! There IS a connection. Furthermore, it's more helpful to find Molly by focusing on the thief, and not what led up to the opportunity for theivery. And NO, no one 'deserves' to get what they asked for (such as leaving the dog outside without anyone); that's just plain mean and unhelpful to all parties involved, and also ignorant of the situations. It's like saying "Well, look at the short skirt that woman is wearing; she deserves to be raped!" SHAME ON YOU, all the judgmental haters. Molly's owners, IGNORE THEM! they aren't helpful, and caring--instead, they're making their comments to get attention and for their own self-gratification, and they are NOT the ones who will help find Molly. Focus on THAT--FIND MOLLY!!! Thank you everyone else for truly helping out with our stolen pets...
Wow, so I guess then I'm *not* to blame for leaving my now-stolen $500 cash on a bench outside CVS last night. My money had a right to sit there, totally alone and unwatched by me, and should've been there when I came back out of the store twenty minutes later. All this time, I thought it was my fault. Good to know it's the thief's fault and I bear no responsibility.
Thanks!
...aaand now we have an excessive use of capslock and a rape analogy - people, we are so close to Godwin's Law here I can taste it. Tomorrow when I'm stuck in meetings, I will think back on this and smile. For that I thank you.
Dear Thumperowner: I am sorry your cat is missing. I am also sorry the dog is missing. Although there are some interesting possible connections here (location, stringy haired dog-stalking woman vs. a caucasian cat-snatching woman), it hasn't yet been established that the animals were stolen; in fact, there were possible sightings of the dog wandering alone today. I really hope that both you and the Newby family find your pets, but using capslock and ranting is not going to rally anyone to your cause.
Good luck to you.
James von Brunn is still in the hospital, so we can rule him out.
The Aristocrats II: Dog Thieves Are Worse Than Hitler Edition is in the muthaf**kin HOUSE!
Sadly, DC has a thriving underground dog fighting industry. I truly hope this dog wasn't stolen to fight or serve as training bait for the bastards who view this depraved activity as "sport." But PLEASE people - don't leave your dogs unattended on DC's mean streets. And that means ANYWHERE in DC.
Ah yes, the underground pure-bred Vizsla and Weimaraner fighting rings. Going on in the well-appointed party rooms of loft condo buildings all across Dupont and Logan Circle.
More of a "finesse" dogfight than what you'll see in SE with pit bulls.
Too soon?
Actually, dog fighting rings use the kidnapped dogs as "target practice." The target dog is muzzled and the fighting dogs tear it apart to give it the bloodlust for the real fight. While all this is going on, the inbred "audience" is jerking off on pictures of Benjy, Lassie, and Rin Tin Tin being shoved through meat grinders.
I'm going to hell for laughing as hard as I did to that.
You know, we had a lot of fun tonight. But, there is nothing funny about... vapour lock. Its the third most common cause of stalling. So please, take care of your car and get it checked. I'm boondoggle. Good night!
oh, brother. The person who steals, it IS his or her fault, not the victim, due to the thief's lack of morals. And, yes, your money SHOULD still be sitting on the bench--but unfortunately, there are many dishonest people who will steal that money sitting there by its lonesome. It's a fact, people steal, but it should be the thieves with the bad morals who should get the blame, not the victims. You all are quite unhelpful. You so dislike the fact that myself and the Molly owners are focusing so much--rightfully--on our stolen/missing pet (and yes, there is not a connection yet, just leads, although you are reading that I, for example, are saying there's a definite connection, even though I do use the supposition of "if"), you just stop reading and go somewhere else that catches more your fancy; your thoughts are quite plain that you are not interested in any way. There ARE other people who are concerned and ARE interested. Fine, I like mountain biking, you like golf--we are interested in different things; I don't have to like what you do, and be like you, so stop lecturing and trying so hard to make yourself right. Also, funny, that you read my caps as rants and raving. I use caps as an emphasis--not yelling--since I can't use here in the comment section the usual italics that more properly indicate an emphasis. It's sometimes also much harder to communicate with the printed word, rather than the actual verbalized word and phrases. Funny that I even have to point out this communication difference. Again, you are jumping to conclusions and making points based on your own bias, by saying that I'm ranting (it also seems to you that I'm ranting because you so dislike my viewpoint; quite funny for your strong belief that your perspective is the truth and the only opinion full of rationale, rather than a difference of opinion). If you read my posts, I did mention "IF" Thumper was stolen. My website also takes this position; though I have an eyewitness, I don't have other evidence (video, still picture, Thumper in a person's possession). There's always a possibility that the cat wasn't Thumper. I believe that my public information service--to tell the public about missing animals and the POSSIBILITY of pet thievery--is desired by people interested in this information, in the Logan Circle area, such as other pet owners in the area...if, for anthing, to warn them about the pros and cons of certain actions. My non-ranting and raving certainly won't rally anyone such as yourself; however, my actions of spreading the information, and providing the heads-up to others, will get other people to watch for the missing animals; those are the people who will help, not someone like you. Again, the focus should be--please help to find Molly and Thumper (stolen or not).
Wow. The trolls are out today. How many of these users are new?
To the dog's owners - Sucks to here about your dog, hopefully things work out.
For all the people citing the legal stuff or condemning the owners you sound like a bunch of douchebag Manhattanites. You can safely leave a dog outside a store in most towns and cities across the country. It's not inhumane or a threat to public safety as long as the owner is responsible to begin with and the dog/breed isn't aggressive. It's sad that from the comments it looks like DC has no sense of community or concern for others, but i guess that's what you get from the me-first capital.
All that being said, this flame war is beyond stupid and appears to be the work of a bunch of juvenile/unemployed trolls. For the regular users acting like ASSHOLES, I know the article is a little unsual for DCist, but just scroll a couple inches down and your day will be saved.
Cover up...your ignorance is showing. Most dogs bites are from "non-aggressive" breeds.
Breed has very little to do with this, except that this dog breed is high-energy, making it likely to have escaped or act out while its owners abandoned it outside.
Woman Says Misogynistic Cop Arrested Her, Punched Her, Grabbed Breasts for Carrying Pug in Subway
Dog Day Afternoon
Speaking about dog posts on the ists New York's Gothamist has its own dog tale:
This 145 comment story tells of a transit cop who harrased a passenger who was traveling with her dog.
"Greenpoint resident Chrissie Brodigan says she was riding on the L train between Bedford and First Avenue when her pug, who has health problems, overheated and began vomiting in the tote bag she was carrying him in. As she was leaving the subway station with the dog in her arms, she says a police officer's attempt to issue her a ticket turned ugly, and when she became upset the cop began saying, "If you're going to act like a woman I'm going to treat you like a woman." [We've updated with photos of Brodigan's arrest.]
According to Brodigan, the arresting officer's name is Witriol (badge number 942838). After seeing a photo, she identified him to us as Joel Witriol, who in 2006 became New York's first Hasidic cop. Brodigan, 32, says Witriol would not accept her explanation that she was carrying the pug because it was sick, and she believes that the disturbed crowd that gathered to witness the arrest only made him angrier. She tells us, "He punched me in the back (there are bruises), he handcuffed me, and in the scuffle grabbed my breasts and pinched them."
Melissa Randazzo, a speech language pathologist who lives in Williamsburg, witnessed the arrest and tells us, "something about it seemed very wrong. The cop's tone seemed really inappropriate and he kept saying things like, 'Are you going to act like a woman?' She tried to walk away, and then he grabbed her and pushed her against the wall outside the turnstile." Randazzo ran up to the street level to call 911 to, as she says, "call the cops" on Witriol, and soon some 20 officers had descended into the Bedford station. They then ordered the witnesses to disperse. Brodigan describes what happened after she was arrested:
They took my pug and he told me he was taking him to the pound where he would be "put down." I was taken to the J stop headquarters. I wasn't allowed to call a lawyer and I was put in a cell with handcuffs on with two other women who spit on me and hit me in the head, because they weren't in handcuffs and I was crying so much it bothered them. I was given 3 tickets: failure to produce ID, disorderly conduct, and failure to have dog in a container. I have a court date in August. I asked for a pen to write the badge numbers down before I left and they refused to give me a pen and covered up their badges. My pug was returned. They had him behind their desks and were playing with him."
The NYPD press office declined to verify any information about the arrest; the spokesman told us that because these are misdemeanor charges, they "usually don't hear anything about that." Brodigan adds that, "So many people saw what happened that I just would really like for everyone to submit complaints, because this man shouldn't be able to do this to women—to anyone."
Your DCist login and password work on all "ist" sites. Feel feel to comment there.
Wait, isn't this the script for the next Woody Allen movie? I hear it will feature Paris Hilton as the dog owner and Matisyahu as NY's finest.
You may be right. The working title is "Pugs Under Broadway".
First!
With regard to DC Code § 8-1808. Prohibited conduct.
(a) No owner of an animal shall allow the animal to go at large...seriously. Are you kidding?
It's sad that responsible pet owners must take on this consequence as a result of the irresponsilbe scum which mandate this law. Please, save me from myself because I lack the skill to breathe on my own.
The people who accuse the owners of Molly as being irresponsible, I find, to be heartless and cruel. Way to be a good neighbor....gosh, I hope you live on my block so when something terrible happens, you can point you finger my way and say "you deserve it for being."
I hope you live on my block so when something terrible happens, you can point you finger my way and say "you deserve it for being."
Maybe if more people did that, we wouldn't need stupid laws like DC Code § 8-1808.
Using the word douche is now officially douchey.
I once found a dog tied to a railing in Adams Morgan. It was early evening and very crowded so I decided to stand beside the dog and wait for its owner to return. I stood there for about half an hour (as people came up and pet the dog, asking where the owner was) and a woman walked up to me and said that the owner had been in the bar directly behind me for over an hour. I was pissed that the owner abandoned his dog in the middle of a buzzing sidewalk during happy hour where anyone could steal it so he could take advantage of a few drinks.
I marched into the bar searching for the dog's owner. Once I found the owner I politely asked him when he was going to return to his dog. No doubt on his 4th or 5th draft he ranted that he was allowed to leave his dog wherever he wanted. "Aren't you concerned that someone is going to steal your dog?" I asked. Apparently he didn't think so. "Too bad, perhaps I will," I said, turning on my heels and marching back out. I could hear him yelling "Don't you dare steal my dog- I'm calling the police on you!" I laughed, "I'll be long gone by then." Within a minute the owner was back at his dog's side. Somehow I doubt he ties his dog up anymore while frequenting the bar for happy hour.
What is the dog's status?
Probably LOST/escaped (not stolen).
i am stunned at the utter lack of compassion present in so many of these posts. how is it so easy for so many people to moralize, accuse, blame, and otherwise insult people who have just had a horrible thing happen to them? is it really so difficult to say something constructive or helpful? or not say something at all? the callous hatred of so many people, so casually inflicted on people they know nothing about, is mind boggling. is our community really this cruel and dysfunctional?
my sympathy goes out to the owners, who are wonderful people and fantastic dog owners, and of course to the dog. i hope she is found soon.
How about compassion for the dog? When you take in a pet you are responsible for their well-being. I wouldn't even leave my iPod locked in my car, and that's not a living creature.
No one is saying it's not a painful lesson for the owners, but nonetheless, they are responsible for their pet.
i would be happy to leave you locked in a car though.
Not at all hypocritical.
I am a guide dog owner in DC, and I am lucky enough to be allowed with my dog anywhere I go, for the obvious reasons. However, if my dog was not given this privilege I would've never thought to tie her up outside a store. She is like a child to me and I would die if she was ever hurt, lost or stolen. I very much feel the pain of Molly's family, but that sympathy extends only so far due to the fact the entire situation did not even have to happen.
I hope this article serves as a warning to those people who do this; I see it all the time and I always feel so nervous for those dogs left alone. People have already mentioned its illegal and how stupid it is, but I always wonder why people do it in the first place? It doesn't matter if a person has done it a million times before and nothing's happened. Dogs can be items of value to others and especially the kinds I see tied up.
Every time I see this, I want to personally take the dog myself, wait a couple hours, and then report it to an animal shelter saying "oh, I thought someone abandoned the dog". Because isn't that what it is? Temporary abandonment?
I hope that Molly comes home safe and sound and I also hope that many people have learned a lesson here.
You speak wise truth sir/madame! I grew up around others like myself who have bad eye-sight, many were blind and now have guide dogs... Perhaps that's why I am so strong on this issue that you cannot just leave a dog alone--ever! I think as to what goes through their heads is that they're typical urban yuppies who just assume the world is a safe and good place and are totally oblivious to any harm that may happen; they are only focused on their own tasks and needs--after all, one reader admitted leaving the dog outside was "the most convinient option"... Their convinience outweighs there commen sense!
And, is this a record for posts on a single article?! Wow!
Perhaps the dog's leash was untied by a passive-aggressive vegan grocery cashier who thought he was teaching the negligent owners a lesson?
Damn those passive-aggressive types, lol bunch a hippies! :-p
Has anyone heard from Molly's guardians yet? Did she have an ID chip?
Sometimes it is the preventable tragedies that are most upsetting.
Hi this is Art, her dogwalker and I am trying to help locate her. Here is the Craigslist link for more details and updates. Please contact me for sightings of Molly or this woman:
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/pet/1246354269.html
artpongs@yahoo.com
202-437-7462
Thank you all for your support
Any updates on poor Molly? I hope she's safe.
Good lord people JUST DONT LEARN!
On my walk into the office just a while ago I passed a bench with a dog sitting on it, completely unattended; this one was not even leashed to the bench... It was a beautiful dog too, I sure hope it's still there when the owner gets out of the store...
What a damn pitty that dog owners are so careless--maybe we should have "dog owern's licenses" so people who are irresponsible won't be allowed to have another dog.
@mlswanso3470:
I stopped by for some stuff at the P ST Whole Foods this morning... saw the same thing. A girl tying up her dog to the damn parking meter. I told her about Molly and how she was either stolen or somehow managed to escape while being tied up in that same place... she continued on into Whole Foods.
I truly hope she is found, but it seems like a goodly portion of the public still doesn't think this could happen to them.
As a member of the family that inspired this outpouring, just wanted to check in to see if you all are finally finished. Maybe it's not enough punishment that we spend every minute missing our sweet, funny, smart and wonderful doggy, who we've loved and shared our life with since she was seven weeks old. And it might not be quite enough pain that on top of that there are 232 posts from strangers, almost all of whom are attacking and blaming us. You should probably add that 233rd comment, just to be absolutely sure. Be sure to repeat the EXACT same point as all the other posts, but in a slightly more hurtful and more personal way. Bonus points for referencing our baby daughter. I'm more saddened than I can possibly express.
Had there been no comments you wouldn't still see this story at the top of the homepage. The popularity of this story means more people know what Molly looks like which can only help your chances in someone recognizing her and contacting you. I would suggest you refrain from posting your personal data on the internets though, email is sufficient but phone numbers can be abused by those less interested in helping.
A good percentage of the people on this post are hurting for your loss. We want you to be reunited with your dog because a lot of us also have dogs and are horrified at the thought of losing our own. I refresh this page quite often, hoping to see an update that Molly has been found.
Many of the folks here are definitely being jerks. Don't worry - they'll wonder why there's no one around when they experience a loss of their own.
Getting lost in the mix of the commentary are a lot of people who aren't trying to point fingers, but instead are trying to help others understand that this could also happen to their dogs. What has happened to you is terrible - but it's also an opportunity to educate others who own pets they love. I've already told your story to someone this morning (see above)... hopefully the news will continue to spread and prevent this from happening again.
I was laying in bed last night thinking about how sick all of these comments made me. I truly hope you find Molly and that those who have blamed you aren't one day faced with a situation where complete strangers criticize, judge and hurt them because they made a decision which resulted in one of their loved ones being harmed.
Some people seem to lose common decency when online, know that not everyone does, though. Good luck.
I don't need to go on a guilt trip here. I am so sorry about this whole situation and I hope Molly is found very soon. Having said that, DCist is NOT the Oprah Winfrey Show or Dr. Phil.
Life is hard enough without taking everything so damn seriously. (It's not as if somebody's freaking grandmother died.) If it wasn't for DCist I'd be out on a ledge somewhere.
Happy Fourth!
For all you child/dog equalists, we all agree that you should not tie a 3 yr. old kid to a tree. According to Dr. Spock, you should wait until the kid is at least 5 until you do that.
Silly Molly, Independence Day isn't until Saturday.
I hope this isn't why they took her...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/30/AR2009063002924.html
Well. Now that a couple of days have passed, I would like to ask if any dog owners who usually tether their pets to an outdoor fixture while shopping have modified their canine-parking habits.
Per the Craigslist link, she has been sighted several times in the area with a crazy, unkempt lady at 15th and Q, as well as 16th Street southbound between Q and R. Petco in Cleveland Park has also made contact this evening saying the two have been in the store twice already.
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/pet/1246354269.html
more than 250 comments on a lost dog and so little conversation on the lost kids (now found, thank you very much)
cross-posted from that comment thread: everyone needs to lay off. Regardless, it is WRONG to steal a dog, even a dog you think should be pampered like a queen. More time to educating kids and less time to ranting at Whole Foods shoppers and the world would be a better place.
We now have serveillance photos of the woman seen with Molly at Cleveland park Petco. Eye witnesses as well as employees there confirm that Molly and the woman matches the descriptions that we have provided. Please email for pictures if you live in the Logan area, specifically Q and 15th/16th.
Art
Wow, you people are assholes.
Wow, you people are assholes.
Somone loses their dog and all some people can do is give them shit. No wonder I cant stand all the assholes who have moved into this city.