A video (below) capturing a highly charged incident that occurred between a woman walking her dog and a birdwatcher in NYCs Central Park has gone viral. The antagonistic confrontation has spurred charges of racism, entitlement and accusations of animal cruelty. While we feel that the accusations of racist behavior are valid, well leave that discussion to the political pundits and social activists and, instead, weigh in on the dog part of the equation. Step-by-step, heres what is wrong with this picture and our recommendations for good dog AND human behavior in these types of situations.

Postscript: Henry, the Cocker Spaniel shown in the video has been surrendered to the rescue group who adopted him out a few years ago while the aftermath of this event blows over. Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue, Inc. posted the following on their Facebook page:

Thank you to the concerned public for reaching out to us about a video involving a dog that was adopted from our rescue a few years ago. As of this evening, the owner has voluntarily surrendered the dog in question to our rescue while this matter is being addressed. Our mission remains the health and safety of our rescued dogs. The dog is now in our rescues care and he is safe and in good health. We will not be responding to any further inquiries about the situation, either publicly or privately. Thank you for your understanding.

See the article here:
How Not to Respond During Off-Leash Incidents - The Bark