The End of an Era

I have been in the habit of occasionally, in the early morning when
no one was around, letting Anna run loose in the undeveloped area
right around the off-leash dog park and skate park. She loves it!

Today was the last day. She started a rabbit. I had always thought
that she would be no match for a wild thing, but today I learned two
unhappy facts. 1) When she is on the hunt, she doesn't hear me or
won't listen. 2) She can run down a wild rabbit. She hurt it
somehow. Not knowing what to do, I left it, hoping that it was mostly
stunned or minorly injured and will recover or that another wild thing
that actually does have to kill to live will find it soon. No more
running loose. Sad, really. She enjoys it so much. But, for her
safety and the wild ones, that's it.