My thought is that if you can't help them ... don't hurt them.
My thought is that out of hundreds of thousands of motorists, the police and animal control have taken a peek and deemed it okay.
My thought is that you are the one who MAY have issues ... and I say that respectfully.

Most homeless people care for their dogs better than people with homes do. Their dogs are their worlds... Why take that from someone?

You are the one that can assess this situation better then anyone here since you have seen it, if you feel so strongly about it DO get closer and see what you can do. They both may need some help.

I think the OP is referring to the time spent in this situation. Everything in moderation (common sense) would be a better situation. That being said, does the dog look healthy...happy...content? OR less than healty...happy...content?

I would not be a fan of his (Santa's) choice and not support it ...

I think he should have a reindeer, not a dog

It is clear that I have minority views about whatever issues there are here. Sometimes solutions are not all or nothing, e.g., you don't have to take the dog from its owner. Maybe the dog, for example, could be left somewhere else during the day. Boundaries can be good and for the good. Sometimes everything doesn't come down to whether one is breaking the law either. The dog is clearly part of the act, as it is dressed up too. Walking back and forth on a median all day while cars are passing you from both sides at the same time is not the same as walking on the side of a road in the least.

I don't see it as terribly different from walking around a busy city honestly, especially if the dog doesn't seem bothered by being out there. I'd just hope that the dog gets some water to drink while he's out there

Its that mans dog and not yours, the dog is his property and not yours and he can do whatever he wants to do with it, Just because you do not think it is safe does not mean he doesn't think it is unsafe. Hell if you feel that what he is doing is abuse then you may as well go ahead and shove your head up your a$$ and start sending money to PETA because you are almost on their level......

X2

Go talk to him if it bothers you that much.Find out what the situation is.I have been homeless a time or two in my life.i didn`t panhandle,just did day work.The dogs i had stayed with me in my truck.

The dogs and i now walk with a group of vets with ptsd weekly,you would be suprised what a difference there is with them after a few minutes of interaction with the dogs.

What i`m trying to say is with the economy the way it is,and our young men and women returning from service. i would not be able to judge some ones situation on apearance alone.i would and do offer the homeless I see with dogs food and water.

Go talk to him,look the dog over.report back with the results.

Help him? Exactly how? Are you not aware that a lot of panhandlers do this professionally and are not really homeless? Fer cryin' out loud… he and his dog have Santa suits. He's jerking around every person who falls for the pity act he's putting on here. If you ever see someone holding a sign saying "Will Work for Food", go ahead and offer them an odd job to earn their dinner and see what response you get. It's a scam.



---------- Post added at 03:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:09 AM ----------

If this is done in the summer heat and the pavement is hot enough to burn the pads on that dog's feet, then I totally agree that there is a case here for dog abuse.

Sooo, wait.

I'm trying to wrap my head around how anyone can consider this abuse...

Does the dog look well fed? Is it happy to be out with his owner?

Just because some dude is panhandling money in a costume with his dog on a median (and a leashed dog at that) doesn't mean he's abusing it. Is it ideal? No. But it's not like the guy's going to run his dog down to a dog daycare, drop it off with a dog sitter, or get rid of his dog, when having his dog with him is not only profitable, I'm sure they both enjoy working together.

Hot pavement or not, beats the hell out of being in a concrete kennel in a shelter.

Sometimes...http://www.pitbull-chat.com/attachme...294694&thumb=1

I don't see the problem here. The man can wear whatever he wants and put anything he wants on his dog, no problem there. He can obviously walk there legally or he would have been told not to and the dog is probably loving every minute being out there with his owner.

fish in a barrel....

With all due respect to the views of many who have responded, there is something seriously amiss with a person who would don a hot Santa Claus outfit in the summertime in up to 100 degrees heat and walk a distance of 20 feet back and forth for hours trying to get money from motorists.One thousand people can sling arrows at me for being concerned about this issue, and over 500,000 people can drive by and see the phenomenon and do nothing. One day something dire will happen because no one stood up and did something to change the status quo. People driving by and hearing about this apparently think it's cute to see Santa Claus with his dog panhandling in the middle of a huge intersection. I speak for those who are silent, like the dog. I also routinely speak up for others who haven't found or don't have a voice. I do not care that others don't agree with my opinion of the matter because sensitivity to others apparently isn't a shared value. In response to one chat room member, I have heard that dog cry out for help; but some who post on this chat might not understand how that is possible if the dog is silent. When one is sensitive to the world, far more frequencies are open for learning. That is partly why many seek the advice of psychics, as many of them are more tuned in than the rest of us.

I was looking for positive ways to handle the concerns by submitting a post on this board. Thank you # 1 Stunner, DieselDawg, and BlazonJon for your thoughtful responses. Some others, however, have lambasted or mocked me for caring about the dog. How surprising that is to me because of all pet owners I would have expected those who love pit bulls and who post on this board to be far less judgmental than the general population.

You're saying WE'RE judgmental? Sweetheart re-read your post.

Sooo am I getting this right, the dog is crying to you for help through brain waves....