Editor:

Tonight, backing into my driveway, I saw a girl on a bicycle while “walking” a small lap dog. The dog could not keep up, and at that moment the poor thing fell on its side and was being by dragged by his/her collar.

My screams/yelling stopped her and she picked up the dog, and disentangled the long leash. I told her the dog was too small and should walked using feet, not bikes. Her brother came back and they left slowly going down the street with dog walking next to the bike, which she was still riding.

Every year I witness DB dog “lovers” that run a dog – unsupervised children or inattentive adults try to jog, bike or skateboard at the same time – in the heat of a summer day – on scalding blacktop – with no water – at night with no reflective gear – ignoring signs of physical distress such as excessive panting, drooling and tremors.

Out here (apologies to Kipling), “Only mad DB dog owners and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun.” The Brits, with that attitude, built an empire and a lot of collateral damage. We can’t save people making bad (aka idiotic) choices about how they exercise – excessively, or in extreme weather, or in risky traffic situations. But we as a community should constantly remind them that neither their pets (nor their children) should be taken along for the ride.

R.M. Brown

Discovery Bay