my dog was hurt

I walked towards home with my dog along Joslin Street, a street in the suburb of Newcastle where I grew up. It was late afternoon and the light was fading. My dog, Billie, was off-leash. We passed a house on the opposite side of the road where an elderly woman lived with her three small dogs. We’d walked only a short distance further, when behind us we heard the lady open her front door and call to her dogs, ushering them inside. Billie ran back along the path and crossed the road to play with the little dogs in her front yard. I felt worried about Billie being on the road and also anxious the lady would call Billie inside and attempt to take her from me. I wanted Billie back by my side.

At the same time, ahead of me, another dog walked along the footpath towards me. I was alarmed by this dog’s energy: it was menacing and dangerous. I noticed its eyes were different colours – one blue, one brown – and its thick, bristly coat was shades of grey, brown, black and white. It was a strong dog and, as it reached me, it jumped up at me. I kept my voice steady and told it to stay down, then I turned around to see where Billie was and what she was doing. I knew I shouldn’t turn my back on this strange dog but my instinct was to protect Billie. I called for my dog.

Billie ran back across the road, narrowly missing a car driving at speed. When I saw she’d made it safely to this side of the street, I turned around again to see what the other dog was up to. It wasn’t there. I turned back around again, only to see my girl Billie surrounded – the dominant dog and its pack were advancing on her, about to attack. Billie’s tail was down and she was visibly shaking. I called her and she darted between them, finding the courage to run to me. I shouted at the other dogs, sending them away.

I placed my hands on my dog, feeling her sides, her face, calming her, but when I took my hands away, I saw blood on my palms. I looked more closely and found bite marks on her body, the wounds deep. Somehow, in the time it had taken me to turn around, she’d been hurt. Though she’s a big dog, I picked her up and tenderly cradled her in my arms. She morphed a few times, changing into a baby girl with big blue eyes and back into her dog form. Blood trickled out of her eye and down her face. She looked beaten and I felt devastated. I knew I had to get her quickly to a vet, but it was now night and I was on foot. I woke.