There is a Leash Law for a Reason!

You are correct, Stephanie...people should respect others and follow the leash law. My neighbor's dog was killed by a dog not on a leash. She had little Taco on a leash and another neighbor's pit bull attacked and killed the little dog much to my neighbor's dismay. They could not get the pit bull to stop. It would also be great if people would follow the pooper-scooper law too!!!!

Call the Animal Control department, they will come and get them and then the irresponsible owners will have to pay a ransom to get them out of doggie jail! We have the same problem here and most of the time they don't even have collars on so you don't know where they came from or even if they've had their rabies shots! If they have a tag w/ a name and phone number I capture the dog and call the owners to come and get it, if not, I call Animal Control!

I am lucky in that our dog will Not leave the yard without permission...not even to chase all the cats that roam the neighborhood! lol But I have experienced this from your end quite often. I can't tell you how many times I've rescued dogs from the middle of traffic either! Iknow that a certain amount must be honest "leash-breakers", especially those large pups who always seem to snap even the heaviest cables when tied out, but a lot of these poor animals deserve better owners too.

Wishing You Laughter ~Entwife

If you have called Animal Control and they refuse to pick up these loose pets, then speak with the City Administrator or Mayor's Office about city officials not doing their jobs properly. Or show up at a City Council meeting and voice your concerns in a public forum in front of the Police Chief.

If you have not called Animal Control on these pets, then stop your complaining and do your duty. Or get yourself some pet-safe mace, put of a fence, or keep your pet inside. Usually, those complaining about others' failure is usually a fair indication that the complainer has unresolved issues of their own. No offense.

I feel the same way, and I live in the country. People out here let them run wild, and then complain if something horrible happens to them. Then keep them in your own yard. I am happy you didn't get hurt, as getting in the middle of a dog fight, is not a good thing. But you have to protect your dog. Do you know whose dog it was? Call animal control and if you don't get anywhere with them then call the cops. My animal control officer only handle small animals, and if I come across a lose cow or horse, I have to call the sheriff. It all depends on where you live, and who has to do the deed. Best of luck to you, and I hope you get some justice. I mean, what if it was your child that the dog went after? That is what I would tell who ever you decide to call, but you do have to do something. Let us know what turns out, Heidi

We don't have an animal control department or a police department. I have called the city several times. I have no idea who the dog from this morning belongs to.
I like Moggy's idea. Maybe they will get tired of me capturing their dogs and calling them.

Erik, I am sure that I have several unresolved issues in my life. None of them have a thing to do with my pet. I walk my dog in MY yard on a LEASH. I even check the yard before going out to make sure the coast is clear. I have a large yard (3 acres), and these dogs seem to come out of nowhere. Heaven forbid, that I would expect people to follow the law. I must have issues.

I've heard a lot of other people complain about the same problem. Fortunately, I don't have to worry about strange dogs wandering into our yard. But they create quite a problem when I take walks. I've come across some very interesting solutions to this problem. Some people have tied little notes and messages to the offending dog's collar and sent them on their way. After a couple notes, the dog stopped visiting. Other people have taken the dog to the pound as a stray. If you don't have any authority that is willing to deal with this problem, I would say try to catch the offending dog. If they are wearing a collar, call the owner. Tell them to either come get the dog, or you will take it to the pound. If it keeps happening tell them that if it happens one more time you will simply take it to the pound without calling them. And then do it. And from then on, don't call them just take the dog to the pound. Either they will get the point, or someday they won't bother to pick up the dog and it will get a better home. I would also start documenting the dogs that visit your yard. Write down the date/time you saw them and a physical description. That way if you ever find an authority to help you, you will have a lot of evidence to show about the stray dog problem.

i think dog owners that let their dogs roam free should spend a nite in lock up and maybe that would teach them a lesson im not taking about those who dog excapes the yard. Im talking those people whos dogs are constantly running lose

I have started taking photographs and sending them to the dog wardon and when there is a dog that is loose over and over they are followed up with a phone call. I have had my water pipe lines knocked loose under my house, my cat was killed on my porch, and i have been growled at more times than i can count.
It is so bad in our area i have the dog wardon on speed dial. people should have to take an iq test before being allowed to own an animal.

I agree. In California, even if there is no leash law in the town, you dog is not allowed to run free. They must be confined to your property or under your control at all times. I don't know how many times I've been chased by dogs allowed to run free. I hear the owners saying something like "well, I live at the end of the road and no one has business being down there but me." Well, this one guy lived on the end of a dirt road near the entrance to a state park. Of course people have business being down there. He may not have had a lot of traffic, but people had a legal right to be there. What if they had gotten mauled? And, he had a very nice fenced yard with a good gate---that he left wide open.

I also knew another guy that lived near a horse trail and thought it was funny that his rottweilers would chase the horses. No matter what people did, or how many warnings he got from animal control, he still didn't leash those dogs.

I am a firm believer in leash laws - and then the ones who let their dogs run get mad at the dogs when they get into trouble.

I wrote a very similar post like this one awhile back. Where I live there is a Leash Law, but do people obid by it? No. And if you call the local animal control (which is just a police officer that has time to come out) they never do anything unless the dog attacked someone or your dog its self. I have 2 small dogs that I love to walk but am not able to because other people dont think it's a big deal that their "horse dog" as you said, is out roaming the streets scaring the crap out of the smaller dogs and their owners.
Yes, this subject reallt ticks me off at times. People shouldn't have dogs if they can not take care of them.