My ankle is all torn up. Not from the dogs, luckily, but from the thorn bush I jumped into to get away from them. The same dogs at the same intersection in the lower village, alerted by the other dog behind the fence. At first, I thought they would stay back and just bark at me from their garage, but no, they’re trotting up the hill towards me, barking and barking. Where do I go? To the side of the road, and I look down into an olive grove, it’s a drop. Would they jump after me? How would I get out of there? So I jump up, onto the low retaining wall, and walk as quickly as I can without falling. A red car up ahead has stopped, and the driver is talking to the driver of a stopped car going in the opposite direction. As I pass, shaken up, she calls me to her window.
There’s a problem in Southern Italy. I once read there were 2 million stray or non registered dogs in 2023 in Italy. I can’t recall the exact numbers but it was shockingly high. People often abandon dogs in the streets, and as a result, there are many stray and hungry dogs, some infected with rabies. Where my parents are from, you cannot walk to the forest, even for less than two kilometers, without potentially being attacked by a stray dog. You may want to consider asking your neighbors if they are stray dogs by saying, "Sono cani randagi?"
I haven't noticed strays around here, actually, and these dogs appear to live in the house at the end of the village, across the street from the church. They could very well be all bark and no bite, but my ingrained fear plus lack of language skills to ask someone who lives near them, means that I am at the mercy of their animal will. But thank you for the language tip, I really appreciate it! Learning little by little.
There’s a problem in Southern Italy. I once read there were 2 million stray or non registered dogs in 2023 in Italy. I can’t recall the exact numbers but it was shockingly high. People often abandon dogs in the streets, and as a result, there are many stray and hungry dogs, some infected with rabies. Where my parents are from, you cannot walk to the forest, even for less than two kilometers, without potentially being attacked by a stray dog. You may want to consider asking your neighbors if they are stray dogs by saying, "Sono cani randagi?"
I haven't noticed strays around here, actually, and these dogs appear to live in the house at the end of the village, across the street from the church. They could very well be all bark and no bite, but my ingrained fear plus lack of language skills to ask someone who lives near them, means that I am at the mercy of their animal will. But thank you for the language tip, I really appreciate it! Learning little by little.