Honking a horn at a child for doing something wrong

Not exactly news but something that should definitely be put out there. Tonight at approx 5.45pm, I was driving along [road] and I saw an approximately 10 year old boy walking with his dog. He was wearing a backpack and the dog had a really long lead.. the dog was part staffy and was walking beautifully beside him (and was gorgeous!). Then to my absolute disgust, the boy starts smacking the dog over the head with the extra long piece of the lead. With many cars behind me, I had very little time but I did jump on my horn and slow right down enough to growl at him for hitting this poor dog! Please, if you know who this boy was, or if you're his parents, PLEASE talk to him about treating animals properly.. the poor dog did not deserve this and this is exactly the reason dogs end up biting people! We need to educate our children better! Thank you

^ This was posted in a local facebook group.

I'm curious if you agree or disagree with the person's actions and why?

 

[T V]

I once did something like that. My bedroom desk sits next to a window overlooking the street and when one day I looked out, I saw a boy (of an age similar to the one in the OP) walking a young basset hound. They moved at a regular pace, but for some reason the boy kept aggressively yanking the dog upward with the leash, without any apparent provocation from the dog.

So I smacked the window a couple of times and the kid, very visibly startled, slackens the leash, keeps walking, looking over at me, and I lean away from the window.

It was a pretty weird moment, and frankly I afterward asked myself the same question you're asking now, "Should I have done that?"

Asking myself now however it's hard to say with confidence that I'd do it again. It's true mistreating dogs can turn them aggressive, and it's equally true that a child who mistreats animals can later in life become increasingly violent.

Even so, is it my place to attempt to correct a stranger's behavior? I have no way of knowing if what I do will have the intended effect, that is, the boy recognizing that they should not hurt the animal - that he should not do what he is doing. So why would I bother making an effort at defending the animal or correcting the boy? If I don't, will I regret it? Isn't that guilt easy to dispel? Calling the boy's attention to his actions could lead him to feel embarrassed, which opens the possibility of him associating shame with the dog, an association which could perpetuate the pattern of aggression.

Considering the issue in a bit more depth, it sounds like actions such as these are irresponsible, even reckless (albeit a very slight recklessness), but I doubt most of us consider for very long any of those things the moment we take such actions.

 

I once did something like that. My bedroom desk sits next to a window overlooking the street and when one day I looked out, I saw a boy (of an age similar to the one in the OP) walking a young basset hound. They moved at a regular pace, but for some reason the boy kept aggressively yanking the dog upward with the leash, without any apparent provocation from the dog.

So I smacked the window a couple of times and the kid, very visibly startled, slackens the leash, keeps walking, looking over at me, and I lean away from the window.

It was a pretty weird moment, and frankly I afterward asked myself the same question you're asking now, "Should I have done that?"

Asking myself now however it's hard to say with confidence that I'd do it again. It's true mistreating dogs can turn them aggressive, and it's equally true that a child who mistreats animals can later in life become increasingly violent.

Even so, is it my place to attempt to correct a stranger's behavior? I have no way of knowing if what I do will have the intended effect, that is, the boy recognizing that they should not hurt the animal - that he should not do what he is doing. So why would I bother making an effort at defending the animal or correcting the boy? If I don't, will I regret it? Isn't that guilt easy to dispel? Calling the boy's attention to his actions could lead him to feel embarrassed, which opens the possibility of him associating shame with the dog, an association which could perpetuate the pattern of aggression.

Considering the issue in a bit more depth, it sounds like actions such as these are irresponsible, even reckless (albeit a very slight recklessness), but I doubt most of us consider for very long any of those things the moment we take such actions.

Did you smack the window because you couldn't open it to talk to him?

 

[malakadang]

I don't see much of a problem with it. Most people may have just minded their own business, but there is nothing inherently wrong with injecting your opinion on a sensitive topic into other peoples affairs (in this particular circumstance); I wouldn't make it a habit since you won't be liked however, but on a case-by-case basis, I don't see anything particularly 'wrong' with it.

The fact that 'animal rights' is a legitimately contentious issue also supports the fact that there's not much wrong with what he did. The extent of the 'growl[ing]' at the kid would also make a difference. Just fits into the 'something I wouldn't do, but whatever' box.

 

[T V]

Did you smack the window because you couldn't open it to talk to him?

No. It was just the first thing that occurred to me.
Talking to him didn't even occur to me while I was writing my last post.

Are the person in OP and my actions indicative that we need to educate ourselves over how to educate others?

Alternate scenarios:

The person stops at the next available opportunity, gets out of their car, walks back to catch up with the kid and dog and tells him not to be cruel to his dog.

Assuming I can open my window before the boy's out of earshot, I open it, call out to him, and if he stops and listens, I tell him not be cruel to the dog.
Or if he's out of earshot by the time I open my window, I go outside, catch up with him, and tell him not to be cruel to the dog.

 

[kmjt]

I had very little time but I did jump on my horn and slow right down enough to growl at him for hitting this poor dog!

Hard to tell what is meant by growling. Assuming the guy who honked his horn did not explicitly explain to the boy what he did wrong, how well can a 10 year old really interpret honking and growling that adults are capable of interpreting implicitly? Might have just confused the boy if anything.

The guy spent probably 5-10 minutes writing up a Facebook post but cannot spend that time informing the boy... sounds like he just wants his friends to be aware that he has correct morals lol. Just like most people on Facebook with an opinion.

 

Hard to tell what is meant by growling. Assuming the guy who honked his horn did not explicitly explain to the boy what he did wrong, how well can a 10 year old really interpret honking and growling that adults are capable of interpreting implicitly? Might have just confused the boy if anything.

The guy spent probably 5-10 minutes writing up a Facebook post but cannot spend that time informing the boy... sounds like he just wants his friends to be aware that he has correct morals lol. Just like most people on Facebook with an opinion.

I think this is a sane rational response. I don't see how the adult's behaviour toward the child is significantly different to the child's behaviour toward the dog, except that the adult should know better.

 

[T V]

if it still seemed like a issue he could have taken him to his parents house to explain what happened.

Probably not.

Maybe the dog was trying to run into the road and being only roughly 10 he was struggling to keep hold of the leed, it's impossible to say. Seems like his reaction was over the top regardless.

that's a good point.

 

[Floridian]

I disagree.

It was the dogs problem, not his.

 

[68w_]

With no more context given, I think it was harmless to honk. Whether or not it was their kid, the person felt themselves in a situation to defend the animal. Might be the same if you see someone punch another person in public. Do you stop that, or let them fight? You can never have too much context when deciding when something is the right thing to do.

 

[HNCdice]

I'm totally down with calling people out when they do something stupid. I feel that if you let people do something sitting without saying something they will continue to do it.

 

[Taxed]

Personally, I think this person is definitely doing what @kmjt stated... Now a days it's all about correctness and presenting this image... Obviously this person wanted the appeal and satisfaction of correctness by his Facebook friends. At the same time, I fully agree with calling someone out for doing something wrong especially to something as innocent as a domesticated animal. I truly hate when people look for validation through social media though.

 

Personally I would have done more about it. I wouldn't have been violent or anything but I would try to make him realize what a dick move that is. Probably wouldn't have posted anything about it though. I'm not real big on sharing.

 

[Shredderbeam]

^ This was posted in a local facebook group.

I'm curious if you agree or disagree with the person's actions and why?

So first of all, I've got to say, when I first read the title I had the mental image of a parent carrying around an air horn and blasting it in the child's face whenever they fucked up. Which is hilarious.

Assuming that the dog wasn't trying to run into traffic or something, and that the boy's intentions were cruel, I would agree with the person's actions. It's been said on this thread that "growling" is unclear, but even if the adult provided no explanation of why the boy was in the wrong, it might stop him from doing it again, so the dog doesn't have to suffer in future.

 

[Tanged]

@Sythe dont mean to Necro this but honking is useless. They should have parked the car to the nearest area and call the police to report the child and follow the child while on the phone with the police operator I would advise them not to approached the child or dog incase of the dog being afraid and bitting the person on the phone.. If he is abusing the dog mostly this is a learnt behavior from a parental figure.

It might be weird to follow the kid home but, You could be saving not just the dog but the kid himself.

 

[OrangeCounty]

It's just a horn, I don't see the big deal. I would do the same thing to a grown person for doing that, so I don't see why I wouldn't let a child know that he's doing something wrong. AKA beating an animal

 

[mage3158]

I'd give anyone a piece of my mind for assaulting an animal. I don't care if you're a kid, you're as much of a shit bag as an adult doing it.

 

[dont ev3n]

Its just a horn how can this be too extreme? Should have stopped and got out of the car and let the kid know what he did was wrong; kids these days get the golden ticket because any form of punishment seems to be too extreme to be used in 2017. If this kid isn't told or shown that this is wrong he will gain the idea that hitting animals, or people is okay and then the problem is exacerbated. Punish the kid.

 

I don't support nor oppose that persons actions. Humans have a higher level of understanding that most animals do not. Comprehension of that requires a mature mind, one the boy probably does not have. If the dog is not doing anything wrong and is being hit over the head, would you not feel a sense of grief? Some may find it irresponsible to directly confront the boy and not the parent(s), especially with the use of a horn. I'm torn in between because on one hand it's a child and on the other his actions are wrong and must be corrected.

 

[Jontee]

Hahahah I love this Thread