My father took in a dog that was tied to a tree and abandoned when his owner packed up and moved away. The man literally left town for good and left his dog tied to a tree with no food or water. His neighbor, a little old lady saw it happen, but was afraid to do anything. A week passed and she called my father, who went and rescued the dog.
He turned into a fantastic companion for my father. But that dog would never trust anyone else but him. He was psychologically scarred forever. I tried to gain his trust, over time, but whenever I tried to play, he though I was about to hurt him, and just sat down and whined and peed and pooped all over himself. The process of cleaning him up was awful. Not because of the mess. But the poor thing just froze like his soul had left his body.
I’d have to set out some treats and go sit in a corner before life came back into his body after cleaning. All I could do was think about tying his old owner up to a tree and let him sit there for a week.
The old lady who called my father said the original owner tied the dog to the tree all the time and beat him silly with a stick. I have no doubt the dog was so fearful that he peed/pooped himself, which must have enraged the man.
I would love to tie that man to the same tree until he peed/pooped himself in fear of me. That’s what the revenge side of me wants. But I know that’s not the right answer. I’m not sure what is actually. I’m quick to trust backwoods justice more than what the law offers to animal abusers.