There is something about a crisis that brings out the best and the worst in us. We saw that with the recent dog-mauling story.
If you missed it, a pair of 21-year-old twins (Kati and Jessi Mather) went for a walk with Kati’s boyfriend’s dog (Yogi) and Jessi’s three-year-old son. One could imagine a bucolic scene, and perhaps it was, until something triggered Yogi — a Rottweiler-husky cross — and he went nuts, literally ripping the flesh off Kati as she, according to police, tried to draw the dog away from her sister’s toddler.
Add to that show of selflessness, a neighbour and a young couple who ran to help. I wonder what I’d do in that situation. Who doesn’t want to be a hero? But faced with a snarling, 80-pound canine, I’m not sure my resolve would hold out. It’s inspiring to know it holds out fine for some.
Both twins were seriously injured, Kati critically, so a friend of the young women set up an online fundraiser. The good intentions quickly turned nasty as it came to light that said twins already had a well-known social media presence as “Twins that toke THC.”
As quickly as the pooch turned on his companions, the public turned on the young women, and all that concern and consternation appeared to shift to Yogi — a dog described by one witness as a “killing machine.”
The dog’s owner has launched a petition to save Yogi, which means that well-worn debate has reared its head: there’s no such thing as a bad dog or a bad breed, just bad owners. As another famous Yogi said (that would be Berra), “It’s like deja vu all over again.”
Back to the twins; obviously, these gals are making some questionable choices, among which was the decision to take the dog out in the first place when, according to its owner, it was not to leave the yard without him.
Even so, if we can show empathy and compassion towards a dog that attacked three people, nearly killing one of them; if we can recognize his behaviour may, at least in part, be a result of conditions in which he lived, surely we can extend at least a portion of that goodwill towards these young women.
This isn’t to say one needn’t take responsibility for their actions, or there shouldn’t be consequences. But it is saying, let’s drop the vilification. It only shows our worst side.
I fear Yogi’s days may be numbered, but these women have their lives ahead of them. They’re going to need support as they recover from their injuries, and whatever other challenges they may have.
The Chinese sign for the word crisis combines “danger” and “opportunity.” Clearly, this situation is fraught with danger. To think there was a toddler in the mix is terrifying.
But perhaps there is opportunity as well, opportunity for all of us to show our best side — the side of courage and compassion.
