Retract This Contraption!

I came across this picture yesterday and it was so ironic because I was going to do a blog post on this very subject!

I loathe retractable leashes.  Here's why:
*They always stick when you are trying to pull the dog back
*You cannot grip them the way you would need to if something emergent happened (dog attack, hit by car, crazy child running towards dog)  You need a leash to be able to wrap around your wrist so that dog cannot go anywhere
*If your hands sweat, gripping plastic doesn't work.  You WILL drop the holder and the dog COULD run
*The dog can grab the plastic handle out of your hand with it's teeth and take off (happened to me)  This could not happen with a leash
*They can figure out if they run fast enough and the lead isn't in a locked position, it will get to the end and snap - there goes your dog
*If the lock doesn't work properly on it (and it never does) and you need to pull them back quicker by pulling the rope, you will get rope  burn and it will slice up your hands (again, happened to me)

They may be great in a field, but not on city streets - trust me.  I always hope for another option and cringe when all I see is the retractable.

These should be banned, but since they are not - make good choices!!  :)

Sometimes I Really Hate People #1

Tonight is trash night.  I was leaving a cat job today with a full bag of dirty litter, and that was it for trash.  Sometimes on a bog street the trash folks "overlook" 1 small bag of trash so I usually put it with someone else's. Their next door neighbor (older guy, late 60's/early 70's) had HIS trash out at the time so I said, "Do you mind if I put this bag with your trash?  I don't want the trash guys to miss it because it's small."  He looks at it and me and goes, "What is it?"  and I said, "Their trash (pointing to the house next door)." He says, "Is that cat litter?" I told him it was, and his response? "Well you can't put it in the recycling bucket."  And I said, "I know, I just wanted to place it next to your trash bag so that they will take it." He then says, "Oh, I don't go for that."  I looked at him puzzled.  Could he really be telling me NOT to put my small bag of trash next to his?  He says, "Well what happens if someone rips it open?"  At that point I just said, "You know what?! I'll just take it with me!" and walked off in a huff.  Seriously??  What if HIS trash bag is ripped open? Perhaps by me.....

Yesterday I walked to a trashcan in a small parking lot next to a building that I pass by every day.  I had 2 poop bags with me and a ride that came to pick me up right then.  I am walking towards the trashcan and a woman waiting at the door says, "Do you mind if i ask you what you are doing?"   I replied, " I'm going to the trashcan to throw this away."  She then proceeds to tell me that she'd rather I not throw away my trash in their trashcan.  That it is a "private" trashcan and the city doesn't deal with it.  They have to empty it.  She was being calm and asking nicely, so I said, "Ok, I understand that, but I have a ride waiting for me right over there and I am right here (holding poop) - can I just throw this away right now?"  She says, "I'd really rather you not..."  Again, my reply was to walk away in a huff and take 2 poop bags with me in the car.  

I later find out that this private trash can is for the Women of Hope building.  Um.... you are helping women all over the city but I can't use your trashcan in your parking lot? ?  

I am a woman, and I HOPE this doesn't happen again.  I hope to throw away my TRASH in their TRASHCAN. 

This rant is brought to you by 2 revelations.  People without animals are awful to people with animals and this city needs more trashcans!!