Opinion > Letters To The Editor
Leash laws
By Denise Fautheree, Letter to the Editor
So you think your dog is safe? If it's not on a leash, my dog could probably kill your dog.
My husband and I walk our dog (who is always on a leash-body harness) but the 3 times that my dog almost ate your dog was because your dog was not on a leash.
I live in Sunset Point and was walking my dog (who is part pit bull and part hound) about 6 mos. ago and a young boy was out in his yard with his new puppy. The puppy was not on a leash and came running over to my dog who proceeded to grab the puppy by its neck. I tackled my dog and got her to let go (after some struggle) and the puppy was not harmed. The boy just stood there and watched the whole thing and when the puppy ran off, I told him to check him to see if he was ok. I didn't see any blood and I went home - I never saw that puppy again.
Then there was our next walk a few months later (and I happen to be walking my dog again without my husband). I came around the corner and I saw about 5 or 6 people out and about. A mother opened her front door and out ran their big black dog (of course no leash) and he tried to bite my dog and their jaws locked on each other. The son who was right there by me grabbed the dog and was able to pry them loose. (Again, after much struggle and terror on my part) I heard the mother say, "Did her dog attack my dog?" And the son said to her, "No, your dog attacked her dog because your dog is not on a leash, Mother." Cami (my dog) had some teeth marks and blood around her mouth and I think her dog had the same. The mom asked me if my dog's shots were up to date. I said "Yes, is yours?" Lots of witnesses to that incident.
So, it's now the end of the year, 2012. I decided on this particular Sunday that I would go out and walk my dog. (My husband broke his foot and was unable to go with me.) I'm almost done with my walk and I turn the corner right by my home and there was a guy there with his little boy. I said hi and that the weather was nice, etc. and all of sudden from under the stroller- out comes a chihuahua running toward my dog at full speed and of course, my eyes got real big, i got down and tackled my dog but my dog grabbed that dog by the neck and wouldn't let go. The guy came over quickly and we were punching my dog, pulling her ears, everything to get her to let go. She finally did but then the guy's hand ended up inside my dogs mouth. So I had to try and help get his hand loose. In the meantime, I'm yelling at the boy to go knock on my front door so my husband could come out and help us. (He's on crutches - he couldn't do much.) And I'm screaming and crying (but nothing is really coming out because I had laryngitis) and we finally get my dog into the house but in the meantime his dog is frantic and running around like crazy and we couldn't even catch him to get him to safety cause he was so fast. It was all very terrifying and it took me about an hour to calm down.
After that, I swore I would write about these 3 incidents because none of these dogs were on a leash. And if they run toward my dog, the pit part of my dog wants to eat them. I also swore to my husband that I would never be walking my dog again in our neighborhood (or probably anywhere). And all 3 times, it was when I was walking my dog (who is well controlled by me because of the harness and leash).
Come on people. Use a damn leash. It's pretty sad when I know I will never be walking my dog again because people won't get control of their animals. One of these days, it may happen that my dog will kill your dog and it certainly won't be our fault. It will be yours - because your dog is not on a leash. Thanks.
My husband and I walk our dog (who is always on a leash-body harness) but the 3 times that my dog almost ate your dog was because your dog was not on a leash.
I live in Sunset Point and was walking my dog (who is part pit bull and part hound) about 6 mos. ago and a young boy was out in his yard with his new puppy. The puppy was not on a leash and came running over to my dog who proceeded to grab the puppy by its neck. I tackled my dog and got her to let go (after some struggle) and the puppy was not harmed. The boy just stood there and watched the whole thing and when the puppy ran off, I told him to check him to see if he was ok. I didn't see any blood and I went home - I never saw that puppy again.
Then there was our next walk a few months later (and I happen to be walking my dog again without my husband). I came around the corner and I saw about 5 or 6 people out and about. A mother opened her front door and out ran their big black dog (of course no leash) and he tried to bite my dog and their jaws locked on each other. The son who was right there by me grabbed the dog and was able to pry them loose. (Again, after much struggle and terror on my part) I heard the mother say, "Did her dog attack my dog?" And the son said to her, "No, your dog attacked her dog because your dog is not on a leash, Mother." Cami (my dog) had some teeth marks and blood around her mouth and I think her dog had the same. The mom asked me if my dog's shots were up to date. I said "Yes, is yours?" Lots of witnesses to that incident.
So, it's now the end of the year, 2012. I decided on this particular Sunday that I would go out and walk my dog. (My husband broke his foot and was unable to go with me.) I'm almost done with my walk and I turn the corner right by my home and there was a guy there with his little boy. I said hi and that the weather was nice, etc. and all of sudden from under the stroller- out comes a chihuahua running toward my dog at full speed and of course, my eyes got real big, i got down and tackled my dog but my dog grabbed that dog by the neck and wouldn't let go. The guy came over quickly and we were punching my dog, pulling her ears, everything to get her to let go. She finally did but then the guy's hand ended up inside my dogs mouth. So I had to try and help get his hand loose. In the meantime, I'm yelling at the boy to go knock on my front door so my husband could come out and help us. (He's on crutches - he couldn't do much.) And I'm screaming and crying (but nothing is really coming out because I had laryngitis) and we finally get my dog into the house but in the meantime his dog is frantic and running around like crazy and we couldn't even catch him to get him to safety cause he was so fast. It was all very terrifying and it took me about an hour to calm down.
After that, I swore I would write about these 3 incidents because none of these dogs were on a leash. And if they run toward my dog, the pit part of my dog wants to eat them. I also swore to my husband that I would never be walking my dog again in our neighborhood (or probably anywhere). And all 3 times, it was when I was walking my dog (who is well controlled by me because of the harness and leash).
Come on people. Use a damn leash. It's pretty sad when I know I will never be walking my dog again because people won't get control of their animals. One of these days, it may happen that my dog will kill your dog and it certainly won't be our fault. It will be yours - because your dog is not on a leash. Thanks.
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