Sorry you had to witness that bad behavior. As a vet though, you should know it wasn't the labs fault, but the owners. There are irresponsible pet owners everywhere, and they seem to love doing things like this. I'd have been sorely tempted ( as both a birder and a lab owner) to have siad something to him...

Rick Sussman
Woodbine,MD


The bird has apparently become a big deal in town - I heard he had a story in 
he local paper.  It was disturbing, however, to see he'd become a recreational 
esource for a certain black lab.   
Joanne







-----Original Message-----
From: Joanne Howl <>
To: 
Sent: Mon, Jul 19, 2010 12:07 pm
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Sandhill Crane 7/18


Jon Ranson and I visited Elkton on Sunday, July 18, in search of the Sandhill 
rane.  We saw it immediately upon driving into Meadow Park, where it was 
eeding in the middle of the field at 6:10.  
I stopped to buy some bird-watching patience (a treat from the ice-cream man) 
or my daughter, who was along for the ride. The ice-cream man was telling me 
bout the "good bird" that was "always here, you will see him" as, over the 
ront of the truck, I watched what seemed to be a man deliberately setting his 
lack lab on the bird.  The dog was walking with the man, he seemed to signal, 
nd the dog ran straight at the bird, flushing it.  The man then called the dog 
ack to him, and they continued to walk together.  It didn't look like a dog 
scape or an accident  ... but I don't know.  It happened so fast!  
The bird disappeared for quite awhile.  We searched the area, and a park across 
he road, without luck.  We hung out at the park while I let my daughter play, 
oping it would return.  As we were leaving, about 7:30, we decided to scan the 
arshy area a bit more closely.  A couple from PA came scanning too, and soon 
hey put us on the Crane.  It had decided to hang out in a less accessible part 
f the park, along with a nice Great Egret.  
The bird has apparently become a big deal in town - I heard he had a story in 
he local paper.  It was disturbing, however, to see he'd become a recreational 
esource for a certain black lab.   
Joanne
Joanne Howl, DVM
est River, MD