“either it was a hoax, for kicks or more nefarious purposes, or someone literally threw a dead dog in a public trash can”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Mark Andre

“Dear PoPville,

I had a really bothersome experience. I was out walking my dog in the navy yard area, the part where all the row houses are. I noticed about 4 teenager-ish kids hanging out at corner and they began to disperse as I was walking up the block. I wasn’t paying attention and had my earphones in, and I didn’t hear them say anything to me until I was past them, and so when I finally noticed that one of them had said excuse me and was trying to get my attention. At this point all four – two on a bike and two on foot – had come back to talk to me (they had made it like halfway across the street. I took my earphones out and this is the story they told me:

They said they saw a car hit a dog, stop, pick up the dog and put it in the public trash can on the corner of the block. They said they got the guys tag numbers and that some lady had already reported it and that they were trying to find out whose dog it was. They asked if I lived around here and said that I should look and see if I know the dog.

Number One. I could not bring myself to look from the sheer fear of actually seeing a dead dog in a trash can. So part of me feels guilty and like I should have been, I don’t know…stronger maybe.

But Number Two. My spidey senses were on high alert and I was scared that it was a hoax, either just from bored teenagers wanting to play tricks or if it was a ploy and they would rob or assault me when I looked. (I only had my phone, keys, and a bag of dog poo so not a great target. I ran out of bags so was carrying around the bag just in case my dog did a sneaky second poo).

I stood there for a bit. They started leaving, going separate ways again. I didn’t know what to do. I ended up eventually continuing my walk, and one of the kids biked by and gave me more details, and then said they called the cops and they were sending a car. I said I was going to look for the security guard at canal park and tell them.

I called the first district station, they transferred me to 911…who transferred me to 311. They took the info and said they’d send someone. The operator was equally horrified.

I think it’s really awful either way: either it was a hoax, for kicks or more nefarious purposes, or someone literally threw a dead dog in a public trash can.”