This Employee’s Bark Is Worse Than His Bite

(I work at an animal shelter and I have my own personal catch/restraint-pole which I keep in my car for use at work and for emergencies. I stop by a bookstore immediately after work, still in my clearly marked uniform. I’m about to leave when an employee forcefully grabs me by the shoulder and blocks the door, preventing me from leaving.)

Employee: “You can’t go out there! There’s a vicious dog attacking people!”

(I look out the glass door and see a large chow mix in the parking lot aggressively trying to get at two teens; they’re approximately 13 years old and trapped on the roof of a pick-up truck. The dog seems to be getting closer to reaching them with each jump, and it would be several minutes before help would arrive, so I decide I have to do something.)

Me: “Hey, let me out so I can get to my car, I think I can help.”

Employee: “ARE YOU F***ING NUTS?!? You’ll get bitten and probably sue the place!”

Me: “Sir, I do this for a living.” *points at uniform* “I think I can handle this. If I get bitten, it’s my fault alone. Please just call [animal control number] right now, and tell them to send a truck ASAP.”

(As I walk out the door, the employee grabs me again.)

Employee: “You’re out of your mind! I hope it does bite you! Are you really that stupid?!”

(I actually have to struggle with the employee to get out, but manage to get free. As I approach the dog, I notice that it’s too focused on getting the teens to notice me. I sneak to my car, and from there I am able to drive up and park alongside the pickup truck, maneuver the catch-pole through my car window and, after several attempts, am able to catch the dog. An animal control officer arrives shortly, and I hand the dog over to them. I go back inside to grab the purchases I had left on the counter and find the two teens, the employee, and other bystanders are talking near the door.)

Teens: *hugs me* “Thank you so much! If you weren’t here, I think that dog would’ve killed us for sure!”

Employee: *to me* “Are you out of your mind? That’s the stupidest thing I think I’ve ever seen someone do! Risking your life for no good reason. I bet if you would’ve gotten attacked, you would’ve said it was our fault and try to sue the store for millions too!”

(The employee the shook his head and walked off like I was the one causing the problems. The other customers were equally stunned with his reaction!)