You and your friend are having a picnic at Washington Park; you see a cute dog that is trotting towards you. You get up, walk towards the dog and there is a yellow ribbon on him. What do you do?

A) Run-up to the dog and pet him.  

B) Ask the owner if you can pet him.

C) Scamper away because you are a cat person.

D) See the yellow ribbon and just admire the dog from a distance.

When a dog has a yellow ribbon or leash, it could just be a fashion choice, or it could mean more. The yellow dog project is a non-profit organization that is trying to raise awareness and safety for dogs and people.  If a dog walks by you with a yellow ribbon it means to give him or her space. If you tie a yellow ribbon on your dog it can be for many reasons, it doesn’t always mean that the dog is violent, it could mean that they are recovering from an illness, have social anxiety, are just old and tired, scared, not well, in training, wants to be left alone, in season, the list goes on, “The Yellow Dog Project is a global movement for owners of dogs that need space. It hopes to educate the public and dog owners to identify dogs needing space, promote appropriate contact of dogs and assist dog parents to identify their dog as needing space.” (The Yellow Dog Project)  

There are a lot of reasons and possibilities why a dog may be wearing a yellow ribbon, but the main reason is to give them space. So next time you see a dog with a yellow ribbon on him or her, just give them some space and watch from a distance.

Answer: D) see the ribbon and just admire the dog from a distance

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