I know this is not really a big issue in the great scheme of things and most members of the DK community are probably smart enough that they don't need to read this, but I just gotta vent.
I assume most of your mothers taught you not to try to touch animals that you don't know, but it seems that there are a surprising number of pea-brains in the public who were never taught this valuable lesson. Not only is it really disrespectful to both animal and owner to try to touch somebody's pet without asking, it is potentially dangerous. Think about it, if you touched somebody's kid that you didn't know, you would probably be accused of being a pedophile. Touching an adult you don't know could also lead to either serious legal problems or a serious beating. Just because an animal is bonded to somebody doesn't mean it won't be frightened if a stranger touches it. And frightened animals will almost always get aggressive in response.
My favorite pet is a blue fronted amazon parrot named Jake. He loves to ride around on my shoulder and hang out with me. Being an apartment dweller, I can't really have a dog so he is the pet I take walks with. Jake is very well behaved in public, but there is always some idiot who comes close to getting a painful bite when he or she tries to touch him. You would think that with parrots' well-deserved reputation of being temperamental, people would be smart enough to at least ask first. Most are, but there is always that one idiot....
This one guy tonight ( I actually wrote this diary 9/12 but am publishing it 9/15 so it gets more exposure ) really took the cake. After trying to touch Jake's tail feathers and receiving a savage snarl from the bird, this fucking moron kept trying to touch him until he received an even more savage snarl from yours truly. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to touch strange animals? Are you fucking stupid?" His blank stare answered my second question more than adequately. Having been a volunteer at a zoo and being a regular reader of the antics of politicians that regularly get elected with huge majorities, I should probably realize by now that there is a disturbingly large percentage of the population that is really pretty much brain dead. However, it still amazes me just how stupid some can be.
So in case your mother never taught you the basics of behaving in public, please remember that touching strange animals. And parents, teach your kids not to touch other people's companion animals without asking. Jake couldn't do anything that wouldn't be cured by a band aid. Some of the larger, more powerful breeds of dogs could cause serious injuries or death.