DR. WALLACE: A neighbor's dog came running toward me this past weekend and I screamed. The dog ran away, and I ran inside our house. Later I saw our neighbor putting a leash on his dog and he was laughing pretty hard.

Was screaming and getting away from a strange dog the right move? — I'm Afraid of Dogs, via email

I'M AFRAID OF DOGS: Well, at least you were unharmed, but you likely overreacted. It might be a good idea to ask all your neighbors who have dogs if their pets are friendly and safe around people.

For those that are, you could learn their names and even pet them gently so that you'll be a "known person" to the dog in the future. If a similar experience arises in the future with a dog you've met, you can say hello to the dog using its name and everything should be fine.

Few dogs are dangerous, and those dogs should never be allowed off leash to run through a neighborhood unaccompanied.

SHE TOOK OFF SUDDENLY BUT LEFT HER PET BEHIND

DR. WALLACE: I'm in college and I had a roommate for less than a month! She mentioned some family trauma that she had to deal with immediately and she took off and left our school — and the state.

That's her business and her right, but what I don't appreciate is that the night before she left (and she took off that next morning at 6 a.m.) she said she could not take her pet cat with her. So, she just left it!

Having a pet is acceptable in the rental apartment I'm in, but I will have to get a new roommate very soon. I don't really want a pet, but now I'm stuck with this cat, and I just don't have the heart to take it to the pound and risk it being euthanized. What can I do? I've asked around but nobody wants a cat. The cat isn't badly behaved or anything like that, but it's just one more thing for me to deal with. What can I do, short of dumping this cat at our local animal shelter? I'd really like to avoid the emotional trauma of doing that. — She Left the Cat, via email

SHE LEFT THE CAT: I have two ideas. First, contact every member of your family and let them know about your situation and see if they can find a good home for this pet. It may take a while, so do your best to work with the cat for the next week or two just to see how it goes.

Next, when you advertise for a roommate to share your apartment with, be sure to put in bold letters, "MUST LIKE CATS!" in the advertisement. You just might get lucky and find both a roommate and someone who would like to adopt a nice cat.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Joe Caione at Unsplash