last night, a barking dog

Just as I was about to have my shower last night, I heard the familiar sounds of a dog's bark. I must be dreaming, I thought to myself. At that very moment, I received a text message asking if I had heard a dog barking. So I knew I wasn't in la la land. The dog was closeby but where, none of us could be sure. The barks were becoming frantic and at some point I heard the dog whining. I love dogs and I do not oppose dogs or pets in high rise residences so long as the owners are responsible and considerate to others. This is a mixed community we're living in. We have not only to consider the religion of our neighbours but also those who simply have a fear of animals.

Definition of Fear of Animals Fear of animals: An abnormal and persistent fear of animals termed "zoophobia". A phobia is an unreasonable fear that can cause avoidance and panic. Phobias are a relatively common type of anxiety disorder. Phobias can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy using exposure and fear reduction techniques. In many cases, anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medication proves helpful, especially during the early stages of therapy. "Zoophobia" encompasses fears of specific types of animals such as of spiders (arachnophobia), birds (ornithophobia), bees (apiphobia), etc. It is literally a zoo-ful of beastly phobias. (extracted from MedicineNet.com)

Somehow, a neighbour managed to locate the barking dog and a group of us congregated outside the unit in an attempt to calm the frantic dog. It was just a puppy of small breed not more than 3-4 months old. The owner had left the puppy in the dry yard and being such a young fella, he must have been lonely and scared. Somehow our voices managed to calm the puppy and he stopped barking and whining.

While there are guidelines by the local councils on pets, it's really all about being responsible and knowing right from wrong. While many residents won't mind so long as the owner keeps the pet quiet and the area clean, there are others who will. So how do we strike a balance ? How will the management address the issue ? Will the resident be forced to abandon the pet ? Nothing seems kind anymore !