Dear Editor,

On Thursday, Dec. 11, I took my two dogs for a walk along Rayonier Road, a well-used area frequented by families, children, and dog walkers. As we were returning to our car, my smaller dog, Gabby, trotted across the shrubby median toward the opposite side of the road. As I called her back, I noticed a man approaching from the other direction.

The man told me he had just pepper-sprayed my dog. I immediately saw Gabby writhing and rolling on the ground. When I asked why he had done this, he said he believed she was going to bite him. Let’s see, big, burly man (whom I did not recognize) and small, tail-wagging dog who showed no signs of aggression?

I picked her up and rushed home, where a friend and I rinsed and bathed her thoroughly. She appeared to improve as the evening went on, eating and playing normally. However, around 4 a.m., she began vomiting, and by approximately 7 a.m., she died in my arms while struggling to breathe.

My veterinarian later explained that small dogs exposed to a large amount of pepper spray or bear spray can experience delayed, fatal reactions, as occurred in Gabby’s case. So, she is gone, and whoever you are that sprayed her, you killed her.

A report was filed with the county sheriff’s office, and I provided a description of the vehicle—a red Ford Escape—as well as the license plate number. I was told that the man was legally permitted to defend himself if he believed he was about to be attacked. When I contacted the sheriff’s office this morning to report that Gabby had died, I was met with sincere sympathy.

I want the person who sprayed my dog to know that his actions resulted in the death of a pet who posed no danger to him.

Sherry Schaaf

Forks