PROTECTING MY CHILDREN: CAIDEN'S DOG ATTACK

CAIDEN WAS PLAYING WITH HIS FRIENDS SATURDAY. AS ALWAYS, THEY KNOCKED ON THE DOOR, AND ASKED IF CAIDEN COULD PLAY. I ALWAYS SCOPE OUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEFORE I LET HIM WALK DOWN THE STREET. I DID THIS SATURDAY, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY. I SAW SO IMMEDIATE DANGER, AND TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS OK. I MADE SURE HE HAD HIS CELLPHONE WITH HIM, JUST IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. AS A MOTHER,I WORRY ABOUT MY CHILDREN WHEN THEY "LEAVE" ME. THIS COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM A TRIP ACROSS TOWN DOWN TO JUST BEING RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. AS SOON AS I SEE THEM WALK OUT THE DOOR, MY SENSE OF "WORRYING" KICKS IN. THIS IS JUST "MOTHERLY" INSTINCT. MY MOTHER TELLS ME OFTEN THAT IT NEVER LEAVES YOU, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE GROWN AND ON THERE OWN JOURNEY OF LIFE. SHE WAS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, AS SHE OFTEN IS( I AM SEEING THIS MORE NOW AS I GET OLDER) CELLPHONES ARE A MUST IN OUR FAMILY, FOR WE FEEL THAT WE MUST ALWAYS HAVE A MEANS OF COMMUNICATION IN CASE OF EMERGENCIES. I KNOW THAT THIS IS OF EACH FAMILIES DECISION. DEPENDING ON A CHILD'S AGE, ETC. BUT JERRY AND I FEEL THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF "KEEPING" UP WITH THEM. HE ALWAYS CALLS ME TO UPDATE ME ON THE WHERE ABOUTS OF HIM AND HIS FRIENDS. HE CALLED ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT HE WAS ON HIS WAY HOME. I HEARD HIM THE DOOR, TAKING OF HIS SHOES. CAIDEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONSIDERATE IN THAT WAY. HE KNOWS THAT I HAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF AND HE FEELS THAT TAKING HIS SHOES OFF BY THE DOOR SHOWS A SIGN OF RESPECT FOR ME!! WHEN I WENT TO THE DOOR TO GREET HIM, I NOTICED HEAVY SWEATING AND BREATHING. HE WAS FIGHTING FOR BREATH. I PANICKED. I RUSHED TO GET HIS INHALER AND PROCEEDED TO ASK HIM WHAT HAPPENED. HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS ATTACKED MY A WHITE DOG. I STARTED TO LOSE IT, BUT I KNEW THAT I HAD TO BE STRONG FOR HIM, HE NEEDED ME TO BE HIS MOTHER. AFTER I GAVE HIM A PUFF OF HIS INHALER, I MADE SURE THAT HE WAS NOT HURT BEYOND MY EFFORTS. I NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID NOT NEED EMERGENCY HELP. I CHECKED HIS WOUNDS AND CAME THE REALIZATION THAT I COULD PRETTY MUCH TAKE CARE OF IT MYSELF. THE NEXT STEP WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DOG THAT BIT HIM WAS VACCINATED. I DROVE OVER TO THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE AND WAS PRETTY MUCH IN "MOMMY" MODE FROM THERE,I PROCESSED TO DRIVE OVER THERE AND BLOW MY HORN FROM THE DRIVEWAY, I WAS NOT ABOUT TO GET OUT AND BE "ATTACKED" MYSELF. I TOLD THE WOMAN THAT HER VICIOUS DOG HAD ATTACKED MY CHILD FOR NO REASON. HE WAS JUST WALKING HOME FROM HIS FRIENDS HOUSE AND THE DOG CAME OUT OF NO WHERE. I DEMANDED AN EXPLANATION FOR THERE CARELESSNESS. SHE PROCESSED TO TELL ME THAT HER HUSBAND LET THEM A LOOSE FROM THEIR LEASH TO USE THE RESTROOM. BUT I THEN TOLD HER WHERE WAS HE AT WHEN HE LET THEM LOOSE, APPARENTLY HE WAS NOT HERE SUPERVISING BECAUSE THEY RAN WILD AND BIT MY CHILD. I SHOWED HER WHERE THE DOG HAD BIT HIM, AND I WAS VERY VERY UPSET. I PROCEEDED TO TELL HER THAT I WAS CALLING THE COPS. SOON AFTER THE COPS ARRIVED, I BEGAN TO TELL THEM THE STORY. CAIDEN WAS VERY CALM(THANK GOD) AND TOLD THEM EVERYTHING THAT HAD HAPPENED. I AM SO PROUD OF HIM FOR BEING SO BRAVE, HE PROVED TO ME THAT NIGHT THAT HE WAS A HERO. THE POLICEMAN TOOK OUR STATEMENTS AND THEN WENT TO THE NEIGHBORS HOUSE FOR THE ACTIONS THAT WERE ABOUT TO BE TAKEN. I FILED A COMPLIANT, AND THESE DOS WERE TO BE OBSERVED OVER A PERIOD OF 72 HOURS, AND THE HUMANE SOCIETY WAS TO AUTHORIZED TO TAKE THESE DOGS INTO CUSTODY. AS A PARENT, I AM ALWAYS SEEKING WAYS TO PROTECT MY CHILDREN, I I KNEW THAT FROM THIS POINT ON, I WOULD DO WHATEVER IT TOOK TO PROTECT MY CHILDREN'S WELL BEING. I HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES AND EXPLAINING THE DETAILS OF THIS HORRIBLE TRAGEDY. CAIDEN HAS MANY SCARS FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. YES , A LOT OF THEM ARE PHYSICAL, BUT THEY ARE EMOTIONAL SCARS AS WELL. HE IS VERY SCARED TO WALK DOWN OUR STREET DUE TO THE UNLEASHING OF ANIMALS. THIS IS A LAW MANDATED BY STATE THAT ALL ANIMALS SHOULD BE ON A LEASH. I HAVE NOW REALIZED THAT MANY DOG OWNERS ARE NOT IN AGREEMENT AND DO WHAT EVER THEY FEEL. I FEEL THAT THIS EXPERIENCE HAS OPENED THE DOOR FOR ME TO REALLY FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHT AS INDIVIDUALS TO BE ABLE TO WALK IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS WE WISH, AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING ATTACKED. MY CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPLORE ALL AVENUES OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT BEING ATTACKED FOR NO REASON. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING OUR CURRENT REPRESENTATIVES ON THESE LAWS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE BEING ENFORCED. I AM GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN, BECAUSE A CHILD SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO BE SACRED LIKE CAIDEN IS. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF FINDING OUT WAYS TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM UNNECESSARY ATTACKS. BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES RIGHT DOWN TO IT, I AM HERE TO PROTECT MY CHILDREN, AND WILL DO THIS TILL THE DAY I DIE. PLEASE HELP ME DO THIS BY CONTACTING STATE OFFICIALS AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES. I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW THE STATE LEGISLATORS DO ABOUT THIS.