For dog owners only.

This has happened on three known occasions here including me so it likely happens far more often than we know about.  Two years ago I got on the elevator, wasn't paying attention when the door closed and my dog was still in the lobby as the elevator start to go up.  It was winter, there was lots of snow for my dog to romp in so I was using an "extend-a-leash" on this day.  The second I realized what was happening I pushed the door open button but it was too late, I then immediately pulled the leash as hard as I could in hopes of snapping it to save my dog and then I heard her loudly yelp in the lobby below as I continued up to my floor.  I was hysterical not knowing what I would find when I got back down to the lobby, but by the time I arrived there the cleaning lady was patting my dog.  I grabbed her and literally went into shock, I remember my knees giving out and a really nice resident took off to the Tuck Shop to grab me some water, I was in pretty bad shape after the experience.  In the weeks and months that followed I told the story to other dog owners that I got chatting with and found two others who had the exact same experience so I am not alone in going through this horrible experience.  Yesterday I saw a piece on the news about this very topic which prompted me to write this post. 

Keep your dog close every time you get on and off the elevator, someone else could have a very sad ending if this  happens.  Also consider hitting the emergency STOP button immediately (which didn't occur to me at the time).  Here is a YouTube video on a similar incident that happened in a Chicago highrise caught on the elevator and lobby cameras, know ahead of time that it has a happy ending - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW72Y63Ttj8