# Oww....



## Avishay (Jun 14, 2014)

Had a very relaxing morning, did a little shopping, had lunch, and headed to the barn. Had a great drive with Shay, and was looking forward to my Sunday afternoon walk - my cousin and I go out, she with her dog, and I with my cow, and walk/hike for about 90 minutes several evenings a week. We then usually make dinner and then ride. 

Everything was going great until we were less than a mile from home on our way back from our walk. Harley is my 15 month old Holstein heifer. She's been walking/hiking with me since she was 3 months old, and she's better trained than most people's dogs, and is frankly quieter and more sensible than any equine her age I've ever known. We were walking down the sidewalk, chatting and enjoying ourselves, when a rottweiler in someone's back yard came running to the fence. The yard sits about 4 feet below the level of the sidewalk, and so the cinderblock fence is only about 2 feet above the level of the sidewalk. The dog is quite athletic and clearly able to jump out, so the homeowner had put up an extra layer of fencing - which was basically some rebar pounded into the dirt on the sidewalk side of the fence, with some chicken wire attached. 

I've passed this dog before (on many occasions) with no problems. My animals are well behaved and Harley is friendly with dogs. However, THIS time, the rottie had clearly been working on destroying the flimsy extra layer of fencing, and he came barreling at us, barking his fool head off, hit the chicken wire, and got his front half over the fence. My cousin hurried to get herself and her pug out of the rottie's way, and he didn't come all the way over, dropping down, only to make another attempt to get over the fence, right at my cow's face. Harley spooked and ran backwards, off the sidewalk and into the bike lane. I tried to encourage her to go forward, past the dog, still in the bike lane, with the intention to go a few yards and get back on the sidewalk. Only to have the dog make a few more flying leaps at the fence, in spite of me shouting, 'no! get down! bad dog!" to discourage him. The home owner was shouting much the same from inside the house, but even after I shouted "Help!" several times after I couldn't get Harley to pass the dog, the home owner didn't even come out to check on who was shouting for help. 

After one particularly bad lunge at the fence that made quite a bit of noise (the rebar pushed out and smacked against the cinder block fence), Harley decided she'd had enough and she bolted - away from the dog and ONTO the highway. Luckily, a driver had seen what was happening, and had stopped the flow of traffic (single lane each way on this highway). BUt when Harley turned to run, I had just stepped back up on the curb and she managed to knock into me and and dump me in the bike lane. She started trotting away, my cousin in hot pursuit- but I yelled, "Harley, woah! S. Don't chase her!" and they both stopped dead in their tracks and looked back at me from the median. I shouted, "Harley, Stay!", got to my feet, and hobbled up to her and led her the rest of the way across the road. Harley was still scared, but I had control again, and we hobbled, all of us shaking, down the road to the street crossing we usually use and back home. 

Luckily, the highway is designated for human and equestrian crossings in that area because of the bridle paths and trails that abruptly stop and start and sort of force you to have to cross the road - not everyone pays attention to the signs and most people drive too fast, so I was really blessed that the driver who saw us in trouble stopped the traffic so no one was seriously hurt or killed. I, however, am quite beat up from the fall off the curb. I ruined a new and favorite pair of jeans, and I have significant" road rash" and bruising on both knees, my right hand is bruised and swollen, and my left ankle (which I trashed playing sports in my teens and 20s) hurts pretty badly and is making a lot of cracking and clicking - I tore a tendon and a ligament in it about 9 years ago, and I'm worried that I either aggravated the old injury or re-tore the ligament. I'm sure that walking another mile home, uphill did wonders for it. >_< OW...


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

you should have a talk with that homeowner. and carry either a water squirt gun, or a pellet gun, or pepper spray (though that's hard to control due to backspray)


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Glad you're all OK! I hope you feel better soon. Aspirin and rest your leg!

Good thing for the driver!

I am SUPER impressed that your cow whoas and stays. AWESOME  You should be proud of her!


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Ouch! That sounds like an awful ordeal. 
On a side note, I LOVE that you take your cow for walks. Never seen that before, though I have a neighbor who walks her goats and it always makes me smile.


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## Avishay (Jun 14, 2014)

Thanks for the support, everyone. I've talked to a few friends, and everyone agrees that it's best to file a report and/or talk to the homeowner. This dog IS going to get out at some point, and hurt someone, their animal, or itself (or some combination thereof), and it's in EVERYONE's best interest to do something about it. I'm super cautious of just showing up at someone's home unannounced to make a complaint, so I think I'll file a report with animal control. They can do a check and perhaps encourage the homeowner to repair/reinforce the fencing, and I can remain anonymous. 

Here are a couple recent photos of Harley and Primrose Puggerdeen on a walk together. On longer walks, Harley wears a surcingle with saddle bags to carry everyone's snacks, water, and poop bags. 

We have permission (and are encouraged) to visit this Starbucks in our town









Harley and Prim are the best of friends









The time we were invited to Chick Fil A









It all started when I was using walking her as part of my weight loss program, and it's truly inspiring how many wonderful people we've met. SO MANY people in our town have never had the opportunity to be up close and personal with farm animals, or if they have, it's been seeing horses at local barns, or animals in petting zoos. It's great to be able to provide a free, casual, safe, and educational experience for people that helps the community realize that preserving our local heritage is IMPORTANT. It's also been a real eye-opener for me just how much seeing and petting a cow can mean to some people. I've had numerous women of all ages break down and cry, throw their arms around Harley's neck, or simply stand petting her for 10 minutes in silence - all because she reminded them of special moments or people in their lives, or just because they have always LOVED cows, but never had any real opportunities to interact with one in a positive, personal way. People tell me their stories. They tell Harley their stories. She's gentle with the elderly, children, and has safely interacted with people with mental and physical disabilities. I'm PATH certified, and I've been honored to work with people with all sorts of challenges using horses, and I've used therapy and service dogs as well, but it's definitely a unique experience to interact with people using a cow.  I'm high functioning Autistic myself, and struggle with in-person communications and don't generally have an easy time interacting with people, particularly adult strangers, so it's a bit therapeutic for me to use an animal of some kind when I'm interacting with the public as well. 

So no matter what, I don't want to let this incident with the dog in any way negatively impact my walking/hiking routines.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

That is amazing <3!


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## dernhelm1984 (Dec 19, 2013)

Harley is gorgeous! I love that you go on walks with her!

Totally agree to report the incident! And I am glad everyone is relatively okay. Sorry to hear about your injuries! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Avishay (Jun 14, 2014)

Good news!  My road rash has scabbed over well, the bruises are starting to yellow, and my ankle has been steadily improving. It's still stiff, but has stopped locking and crackling. I had a busy week, so I'm glad I mended so fast and that my big fear of my ankle being screwed up seems to be *knock on wood* resolving with a minimum of pain and inconvenience. 

Got the incident reported, but looks like nothing will come of it, because no one was hurt, so it was a "nuisance report" only. BUT at least I feel I did the right thing.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Even though it is just a nuisance report, that is good that you got it filed! Enough of those pile up and if/when someone has a more serious encounter there will be sufficient evidence that the owner was not taking proactive action.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

I hate stupid dog owners. 

Sounds like that dog was awful close to biting you, your friend, or your pets. 

I'd file a nuisance report every single time something happened. I don't care if I was "that person" to call the police all the time. Because if it keeps me from getting bit, then I'm going to do it. 

Glad you weren't seriously hurt and neither was Harley. Cute cow.


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## frlsgirl (Aug 6, 2013)

Take your cow to Starbucks? That is the coolest thing ever!


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## Avishay (Jun 14, 2014)

frlsgirl said:


> Take your cow to Starbucks? That is the coolest thing ever!


Haha, yes. It's so insane I'm usually embarrassed to admit it to someone who doesn't really know me 

However, I met my dad for lunch yesterday at a little cafe next to the Starbucks I take Harley to, and when one of the guys who works there was on his break, he came over and was all, "I saw you and I was so sad you didn't have Harley with you today! I have the worst luck, I always miss when you bring her. Can you bring her on your next day off, PLEASE? I'll switch shifts to be here if I have to!" He was so cute and earnest, so of course I promised him.


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## livelovelaughride (Sep 13, 2011)

I'm curious - do you take a crop when you walk with Harley? Not for her, but for dogs who might be aggressive? I always take a crop when out trail riding. 99.9 percent of the time its not for my horse!

Your cow looks to be a real sweetie.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I had a problem with an aggressive dog down the road from me. I called the dog's owner and politely talked about his liability risks and he actually went to the trouble to secure the dog. I have no doubt that the dog would be dead by now if he had not because out where we live, people don't tolerate viscous dogs. The owner is happy. I am happy. He has his dog. I have my legs in one piece. 

Cute cow. Are you going to train her to ride?


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## Avishay (Jun 14, 2014)

Good for you, Celeste!  I'm kind of a timid person, so confrontation is hard for me. But I'm also very much in favor of humans and animals not hurting one another, and that usually takes some pretty direct action. I'm so glad your situation worked out as well as it did. 

Yes, she'll be trained to ride, and to drive. I anticipate driving her more often than riding, though, because while cattle are VERY smooth gaited, they're not super comfortable to ride for those of us who are accustomed to horses lol. Cows are naturally lower in the front end than most horses, and they have a very flat pelvis, so when riding one, you pretty much always feel a bit tipped forward. Not to mention that she'll spend much of her time pregnant and/or lactating, and I feel like pulling a cart will simply be easier on her body.


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## clumsychelsea (Jul 9, 2014)

You and your cow are my new heroes! 

Very unfortunate about the dog situation... And I'm shocked (Appalled might be a better word) that the owner didn't come out when you were calling for help. Hopefully it never happens again! I would start taking something to scare the dog away if you ever needed to... Although scaring a dog away can be quite a feat when they're in any kind of aggression mode.


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## loveduffy (Dec 22, 2011)

Glade you are ok I love cow also I use to ride my Hereford around the collage people told me I was crazy but other like to see her up close


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Haha didn't think you were serious about riding 

Sounds like she's your baby!


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