Im taking you to court! Your dog went for my little girl! the woman yelled, barging into the garden, her face twisted with fury. She was clutching her daughter, who was crying and holding her arm where a small scrape was visible.
I was stunned. My Labrador, Alfie, was dozing by the rose bushes, his tail giving the occasional lazy wag. Wed had him since he was a pupclever, sweet-natured, never so much as growled at anyone. And now this stranger was accusing him of something impossible. She sounded terrified, like wed let a wolf loose in the neighbourhood. Shed already rung the police and was demanding Alfie be destroyed on the spot.
My hands were trembling, but I forced myself to stay calm.
Alfie wouldnt harm a fly, I said, keeping my voice steady. He adores kids. Maybe your daughter startled him? If you dont believe me, weve got CCTV. Fancy checking the footage?
The officers nodded, and we all went inside. The camera by the back door covered the whole garden, including where it supposedly happened.
We rewound the tape.
There was Alfie, sprawled in the sun, watching a couple of pigeons peck at the grass. Then the woman and her little girl walked in.
The girl moved toward Alfie We slowed it downand what we saw made my stomach drop. My dog
She was clutching something something small and metallic.
A taser.
The coppers exchanged glances.
The video showed it plain as daythe girl reached out, touched Alfie with it, andzap. He yelped, bolted up, and scrambled away in fright. The girl lost her balance and toppled over. The scratch mustve been from the gravel or a thorn bush nearby.
The woman went ghostly pale.
That thats not hers, she stammered, voice shaking. Shed never
One of the officers cut in.
Whered she get a taser from, then?
The woman sank onto the sofa, looking ill.
Its my husbands keeps it in the glovebox. She mustve nicked it without us noticing.
No one spoke for a moment. Alfie, sensing the tension had eased, trotted inside like he just wanted to make sure we were all right.
Poor lad. The nonsense he has to put up with from daft people.
