Missing an aggravated battery criminal charge

As evidenced by the half grown cat currently trying to distract me, I do like animals.

Except armadillos. We hates them we does my precious.

But I like critters.

Got home today and saw a dog inside the fence. Said to myself, "Best be out of my yard before I find you or there'll be some regrets on your part."

Parked. Got out. Eased a gun out. - In case you wonder, when I was 8, I got 40 stitches in my head from a family pet German shepherd that turned on me. It lived less than 2 minutes because the owner Uncle Billy, 'bout blew his engine getting from the far end of the property to the house to kill it. I've had many other dogs offer to do the Violence Waltz in the past. Some survived their first and only lesson to behave. Some did not.-

I was mad. Very mad.

Rounded the corner. The dog saw me and sat down. He wagged his tail. Still holding the gun, I called out "You're a friendly boy. C'mere then."

The dog eased toward me. He lay on the ground and crawled toward me. A pit bull.

Where I was mad before, I was furious to the point of crying and almost am now.

This dog looked like he'd just been liberated from Auschwitz. If the owner had been in front of me, I'd probably be in jail right now on an aggravated battery charge.

I picked up a few things in the yard and "Pal" followed my every step. We took the garbage can to the road and back. I went in the house, still about as mad as I could be, and got some cat food for him to eat. Best I could on such short notice.

Outside, he took a few bites and then was right back at my side again.

Animal control was called. My yard is too small for a dog and he had no collar or identfying marks. He'd be better off at the animal shelter than running around the streets starved and a likely target for the infected hemorrhoids that steal dogs to use as bait to train fighting dogs.

By the time Chad showed up, Pal was gone.

I'm still mad, furious. But if Pal shows up again, I'll feed him and sit with him until Chad shows up to collect him. In the shelter, he may die in a few days, but it will be a painless death and he'll be well fed and warm until then.

Unless someone else wants to claim him. In which case, privately send me your number and if Pal shows up again, I'll call you.