Dumb Dog Catches Smart Car
April 21, 2014
by J. Grace
Staff Reporter for the Daily Planet
Have you ever wondered what a dog would do if it caught the car it was chasing? Well, you need not wonder any longer. And it didn’t take this dog long to realize he’d met his match.
Last week, on a hilly San Francisco street, Spike, a four-year old English Bulldog, finally bit off more than he could chew. He sunk his teeth into the rear tire of a Smart Car.
The driver of the car, 22-year-old Jordyn Keiffer, said she didn’t see the dog until after the attack. “I really wasn’t paying much attention, other than watching the traffic in front of me. All of a sudden my car jerked to a stop, and as I slammed into the steering wheel, I felt the car tip over to one side.”
Witnesses reported seeing Spike on the side of the road, watching the cars go by. They said he acted as though he was sizing up each car that passed by, following each one with his eyes. As soon as Ms. Keiffer’s Smart Car approached, Spike immediately bolted after it, catching it about 45 yards down the street.
Apparently, Ms. Keiffer was traveling about 25 mph, but had slowed down to make a left turn.
Spike’s teeth were still attached to the tire as the car began to tip to its side. As the car continued its roll, the momentum jerked the 49 pound dog off his feet, and sent him hurling through the air for about 20 yards. Witnesses say Spike landed with a yelp and a groan; not moving a whisker or a tail for at least 10 minutes.
“I’ve never seen anything like it”, said patrolman Vincent DiMarco. “I’ve seen a number of people attacked by dogs, and I’ve witnessed a lot of dogs chasing cars. I never thought this was possible. It’s a good thing the car was little. Anything bigger would have killed the dog, for sure.”
The dog’s owners, Pat and Becca Ribhold, were fined for not having Spike’s shots and tags current; and for not having their dog restrained. They declined an interview.
Ms. Keiffer was not injured. The dog received a broken jaw, 3 broken teeth, scraped and bloodied hide, and a bruised ego that will take quite some time to mend.
Latisha Freeman, who was walking her little Pomeranian, Ginger, at the time of the incident remarked, “I’ve seen a lot of people act like Spike. They get a notion in their head that small means weak. That different means weird. Spike is a lot like today’s bullies. They keep picking on the strange, the little, the odd; but sometimes it backfires. It sure did today.”
Officer DiMarco added: “Our pastor told us just a couple of days ago, while referring to Jesus’ teaching on meekness; ‘meek doesn’t mean weak’ and ‘big doesn’t spell bad.’ He also said, ‘the biggest bully of all time, the devil, couldn’t even touch Jesus until it was time for the cross. Jesus let the devil think he had become weak and defenseless. But it was a trap, and the bully walked right into it. Scripture says that if the princes of this world had known what was planned, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. Bully’s always get their comeuppance. They always end up biting off more than they can chew.’ If only people would understand that truth.”
Yes, if only.
But people who feel they must bully aren’t too smart anyway.
By the way, this story is fictitious but its principles are true.
Jan Grace 