I recent became a dog owner, and I’ve had many dogs in the past.
All my dogs, including this one, are walked and kept on leash when outside my fenced property.
We often go to parks, which by the way are not off-leash, and I am amazed by owners who do not feel the need to put their dogs on a leash.
Today of the five dogs in the park, only one besides mine had a leash.
Unfortunately, this means that my leashed dog is often accosted by larger or smaller dogs who “want to play” or aggressive towards us while their owners call from the other side of the park.
So far, we haven’t been bitten, but somehow I think it’s only a matter of time before an incident happens to me, another dog, or even to a child playing in the park.
The park I normally walk is along a busy main road; cars fly by, and more than one dog has ended up in the middle of the traffic, with the owner frantically running after it.
Owners, if you cannot absolutely control your dog, please keep it on leash. It will save you from a large vet bill, or possible lawsuit, and very probably your dog’s life.
Nancy Bennett, Sooke
