IT SEEMS THAT just as they are with humans, the police show both sides of their persona with dogs.
It was only last week that THE STAR reported the story of Butch, a mongrel who was shot by the police in Mona, St. Andrew, the lawmen involved in the dastardly deed refusing to give Butch's owner their names and badge numbers.
But, just as dog lovers were barking for justice, along comes the story of the rescue of a Shih-tzu poodle which was taken from its owner in Havendale on Saturday night. An advertisement in the paper resulted in a phone call to the owner, who in turn called in the police who effected the rescue and an arrest.
It may look to many that stealing a dog is a petty crime, but the $15,000 market price is no small change.
As it is when the police act promptly and effectively, they must be commended for reuniting dog and owner. And let us not underestimate the sense of loss the owner felt; for many who own pets, especially of the furry, cuddly type, the animal is more than property. It is a companion, a friend, a playful wag of the tail that lifts the sprits when the day has been long and tiring.
The reunion of dog and owner may be small in the national context of mayhem, murder and Brokeback Mountain, but it gives a lift to at least one person and those who value simply what is right.
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