The sickening reason this NJ dog was in a baby stroller

We've all seen it before. We've also heard all the excuses. And we all know how most people feel about it. At least, we think we know.

I'm talking about when dog owners push their dogs in strollers instead of actually walking them, It's very easy to judge those types of owners because of how their actions are perceived.

But something to keep in mind here is this. Sometimes the story behind the reasoning of certain actions doesn't always meet the eye. And in the case of the dog, there might be a couple of logical explanations.

One of those reasons may be because the dog is either sick or injured. Usually, if that's the case, the pet might not seem as active as he or she might normally be.

And yes, it could also be because the owner of the dog just loves to pamper them. Perhaps the dog loves being pushed in the stroller and the owner just wants to keep their little friend happy.

Pampered, or something more

Now sure, we can use the argument that the dog needs proper exercise, but we don't know for sure if they're actually getting it elsewhere. Again, it's easy to jump to conclusions when we don't know the full story.

However, there is one other reason I just learned of that I had never considered before. One that I find absolutely sickening is that a dog owner feels they have to keep their pet in a stroller whenever they go out for a walk.

Not sickening because the dog's in the stroller, or that the owner decided to walk them that way. It's the reason behind this decision that struck fear in both the owner and the dog itself.

Unbelievable fear

I was recently talking to one of these dog owners who knows people judge them for doing this. But the reason she now does this has more to do with her dog's safety than anything else.

The reason she keeps her dog in the stroller is because she's terrified of an out-of-control dog attacking her dog. An incident that actually happened to her, too.

She told me about this time she was walking her dog when all of a sudden this large dog got loose and attacked them. The dog that charged at them was either a pit bull or a pit bull mix, which got out of its yard through holes in the fence.

Sadly, this happened more than once. As it turns out, this particular neighbor has had other incidences with this dog getting out and attacking.

The damage was done

It's absolutely sickening that some people like that are allowed to own dogs in the first place.

Eventually, this particular individual who owned the out-of-control animal was held accountable for their dog's actions, but the damage was already done.

I can only imagine how traumatizing that had to have been for this person who is now scared that she may relive the same nightmare. Not to mention how terrified her dog was.

It's such a sickening reason to have to push your dog in a baby stroller. Nobody should have to fear such an attack is going to happen to their pet, nor should the pet have to go through that trauma.

Ever since I learned of this incident, I have never looked at another dog in a stroller the same way. Unless we know the full story, we shouldn't judge or make assumptions.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.