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Leash Laws

(49 posts)

Started 11 months ago by Edog
Latest reply from Ballardemician

Edog

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Doggo and I were just attacked, there was a fight, nobody was hurt, but it was a close one that was moments from being out of hand. Just use a f*cking leash Ballard.

Posted 11 months ago #
GAM

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"but my dog's friendly!"

Sorry you had to go through that and glad everyone came out the other side in one piece.

Posted 11 months ago #
Corvus

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX1e71ALiFo&feature=related

Posted 11 months ago #
VeganBiker

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edog - more info please. Where was this and what type of dog.
There are some very silly people around here. Just down the street from me lives a nice lady that has a new dog. FWIW her old dog only was out on the leash. But for some reason she seems to think it is OK to leave this new dog out side with no collar and no fence! The dog appears to be very smart and stand offish but it is out walking on the side walk with no collar, I just hope it does not get spooked and run off. I really do not know what she is thinking by leaving the dog out side. She does walk it on the leash! I have seen them blocks away walking.

Posted 11 months ago #
earl danger

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eDog - i'm sorry some ballard dog owners suck so hard at life. please please PLEASE report them! we've had issues with off leash dogs where we live - in the middle of "downtown Ballard" which is very busy with cars and people, so it's always shocking to me how stupid some pet owners can be. hope you and the pup are ok!

Posted 11 months ago #
onederfullone

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so it's always shocking to me how stupid some pet owners can be

...more shocking is assuming it's limited to some pet owners.

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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edog--was it a rust colored dog with some pit-bull terrier features?

there's a guy w/ glasses who walks his dog down my street often and the dog is never on a leash and usually no where near it's clueless 'master.'
it looks like an accident waiting to happen. in fact, I might yell at him next time I see him.

Posted 11 months ago #
marigold

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The only place I'll keep my dog leashed all of the time is in this forum, cuz out in the real world, no one seems to care. No one yells at anyone is this town. And I would laugh if they did!

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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you best not walk by my house, marigold!

I will yell once at your off-leash dog, then again at you for laughing at me!

Posted 11 months ago #
c2

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Marigold I would definitely yell at you for having an unleashed dog. I was out walking in my neighborhood and an unleashed dog bit me. The owner was here from out of town and had to stay an extra ten days to quarantine her dog. She received a fine. I filed an insurance claim on her homeowners insurance and they ended up cancelling her insurance. The insurance adjuster said it was going to be hard for her to get new insurance or she would have to buy a very expensive policy to cover her dog. If you own a dog and don't have it on a leash you better make sure you have good insurance! This is not a joke. I met someone recently that was severely injured by an off leash dog and she ended up suing the dogs owner and won a huge settlement. The owner refused to pay and is having his salary garnished for the next 5 years.

Posted 11 months ago #
teigyr

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The other week I was out for a run and an off-leash dog bounded up from behind me. I stopped, I have no desire to be bitten again. I told the owner that there was an on-going case regarding an off-leash dog on that same trail, that I *would* report off-leash dogs/owners that I saw, and that there's a leash law. I also mentioned the fine, the quarantine, and the "three strikes you're dead" bit. I asked if her dog's life was worth that. When I saw her later, the dog was on-leash.

For those who advocate off-leash, what if something does happen? Is the life of your dog worth it? Money aside, you're pretty much a jackass if you are so confident that you're willing to bet the life of your dog that nothing will ever agitate him/her.

Posted 11 months ago #
teigyr

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p.s. edog, I'm glad both doggo and you are ok.

Posted 11 months ago #
Frayed Knot

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Bah! I think dogs should be allowed to run willy nilly throughout the city at all times!

On the other hand, if your unleashed dog/dogs attack me, or my dogs while I am out walking you may not like the result.

Posted 11 months ago #
teigyr

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Frayed Knot, I'm to the point where I am going to carry pepper spray. I like dogs -- it makes me angry that an owner is risking putting their dog through it but I won't be bitten again. I really don't care how "friendly" the dog is, if it's off leash and runs toward me, it is a threat.

Posted 11 months ago #
Pastafarian

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There was a leashed child at the zoo today. She looked like a biter.

Posted 11 months ago #
teigyr

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Seriously, the day I spoke to the dog owner there was a leashed child on the trail. Leashed child, unleashed dog. PNW is decidedly whacky.

Posted 11 months ago #
c2

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It would be pretty sad if that child on a leash was biten by an off leash dog.

Posted 11 months ago #
pennygirl

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FFS. Keep your dog on a leash people. Dogs aren't humans. They have a tendency to react to certain situations in a way that you might not expect. The only time your dog should be off leash is if he/she is in your home or in a fenced yard. How difficult is this?

Sorry about your altercation Edog.

Posted 11 months ago #
ynh98107

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In my 70 minutes at the Fremont Fair today, the number of off leash dogs would put this MyBallard crew in tears.

Posted 11 months ago #
pixlpete

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I saw more dogs in one place than ever before this weekend at the Fremont Fair. The vast majority were on leash or in hand, it was fine. I liked it that dogs were allowed in the beer gardens. There was even a couple, dressed as perfect zombies, cleaning up after an unfortunate puppy poop incident.

Having said that, we did see trouble on the way in, some dork with thumb up butt let his young dog lunge at an older pooch going the other direction. Then, the same dork leads his dog out onto the "cheese grater" Fremont bridge deck. Completely oblivious to his poor dog thrashing around behind him, falling through the grating. I did manage to shame him into getting his dog off of it, DUMB. It ain’t the dogs fault when bad stuff happens, the stupid monkey needs the shock collar.

Posted 11 months ago #
SeaSpider

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I sometimes carry pepper spray when I run because of unleashed dogs. Haven't had to use it yet but if I had to I'm not sure who I'd use it on: the dog that is simply following it's natural instincts and doesn't know any better or the human owner who should.

Posted 11 months ago #
BuffaloHawk

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I agree 100%

Me and my daughter went to the Woodland Park playground after the zoo to kill time and enjoy a slurpee and the ankle biter was off the leash.. It was so cute fetching around the swings with unpredictable kids covering all corners of the spectrum in voice enthusiasm. I was beyond close to saying something but I took a rain check for Father's day...

Posted 11 months ago #
teigyr

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So I know there are off-leash owners here. What is your defense? We've already determined that "my dog isn't like that" doesn't work. It's against the law, it potentially jeopardizes your dogs life, so what is it? Do you really think your "right" to have your dog off-leash is worth everything that might happen? The citation is nothing, off-leash is $60-something, a bite is $200-something and then homeowners covers other things. What about the quarantine and potential death sentence of your dog?

Really. I don't get how your desire to not follow the rules is worth more than your dogs life. Please explain.

Posted 11 months ago #
Pastafarian

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"Really. I don't get how your desire to not follow the rules is worth more than your dogs life. Please explain."

http://www.joeydevilla.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/common_sense_god_damn_super_power.jpg

Posted 11 months ago #
Walt

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I don't have a dog but love watching them run free on the beach. More pure unbounded fun than could fit in a human.

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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+1 Walt.

not necessarily defending off-leash dogs where there's plenty of people/other pets around, but watching a dog run free (on a beach or some other novel terrain) is one of the great joys of life. you will often see a smile on the dog's face.

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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Because I thoroughly lost my cool when it happened, I chose not to engage the owner when he came out to apologize. At the time, the only constructive thing I could do was walk away.

After I cooled off, I decided not to go back and revisit the issue at the residence where the dog came from. I've never seen this dog there before, and am pretty sure it belonged to a guest. If it turns out I'm wrong, I'll have to say something to the owner. Since I don't think there is an immediate danger to anyone else who passes this place, and because I've not engaged the people at the residence where it happened, I just don't think its appropriate to single out the area with a general warning.

I chose to post here to let off immediate steam, and raise awareness about dog ownership generally. Poop and leashes people, its getting out of hand!

In 5 years of living in Seattle, I have seen exactly ONE owner who had total control of their dog with voice alone. Most people don't have this relationship with their dog, no matter what they think.

Posted 11 months ago #
great idea

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"I have seen exactly ONE owner who had total control of their dog with voice alone"

and I truly doubt it was 'total'

I bet I could make that dog crack if given the opportunity.
my tactics would employ tickling and peanut-butter.

Posted 11 months ago #
RichY

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Edog, sorry to hear about your encounter and glad it worked out OK. My dog must be kept on a short leash at all times, exept at Ricmond beach I use a 30’ training leash so he can swim around a bit, but still on a leash, not because he is aggressive or mean, he is the most loving and gentle 3’ (on all 4s over 6’ on rear legs) 100Lb dog that uses 4x4 posts as chew toys and will let a child pull his ears and tail with a smile and kiss , but his breed will not give any warning indicators to an aggressive dog, but will just stop the other dogs actions, quite quickly, when I try to explain this to those that let their dogs run free they will tell me that they are in control and can call the dog back.

So sadly I walk my dogs late at night or early in the morning – which is quite nice and do not have to deal with those dufuses any more.

Posted 11 months ago #
Mondoman

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Sounds like the Doctor could use your dog in his battles with the Daleks!

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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I could be mistaken, but I think K-9 was sort of useless against the daleks?

Posted 11 months ago #
Corvus

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"I chose to post here to let off immediate steam, and raise awareness about dog ownership generally. Poop and leashes people, its getting out of hand!"

Was this a public service anouncement or a rant?

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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A little from column A, and a little from column B.

Bear in mind, the OP was two sentences, so it was really too terse to be a rant.

Posted 11 months ago #
teigyr

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Edog, has your dog been able to poop since the encounter?

Posted 11 months ago #
Corvus

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Either way, each are equally fruitless. You should return to the house and state your case since you were upset enough to make mention of it here. Maybe the door will be shut in your face and maybe not...

Apparently, that sort of action would be considered atypical round here :)

Posted 11 months ago #
Edog

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Yes, Teigyr, Doggo has pooped several times since the incident.

Posted 11 months ago #
JoeInBallard

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People walk their dogs off leash.

Bicyclists run stop signs.

People park illegally.

People don't properly dispose of batteries.

People pee off their boats.

Battle all of these infractions, and every other one you can think of, or shut up.

Posted 11 months ago #
pennygirl

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I don't care about people peeing off their boats, parking illegally or running stop signs. Not disposing of batteries properly is an issue. Having your dog off a leash is a big fucking deal. I will choose my battles thank you very much.

Posted 11 months ago #
teigyr

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I care about the illegal parkers if they block my driveway. Peeing off boats doesn't really bother me so much, it's better than people who pee in the pool.

I realize I am a bit more stern on off-leash since I was bitten but I can't think of any justification to have your dog off-leash in an public area with people, other dogs, and a leash law.

FWIW, I go the right way around the roundabouts even if there are no other cars there and I stop at stop signs. It's not really that difficult to try to be considerate and try to follow laws/rules. I know I fail sometimes but it's not intentional when I do.

Posted 11 months ago #
Cheese

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Teigyr - I follow the law too (at roundabouts, stop signs). When my mother-in-law asked me with an incredulous voice one time why I stopped (and used a turn signal) at a stop sign in a semi-rural deserted intersection, I replied, "I don't stop and signal because of the people or cars I can see. I'm stopping and signalling for the cars and people I haven't seen yet. You never see everything."

Posted 11 months ago #
pennygirl

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I probably should have said I'm not bothered about people running stop signs when there isn't a human or animal in the vicinity.

Posted 11 months ago #
teigyr

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Cheese, that's a good way to look at it. I think people should have an expectation as to how someone will behave at traffic signals, calming circles, etc. With me, too, I think if something starts to be a habit (ie running a stop sign where there doesn't tend to be cars/people), it might become more normal than doing it the right way. I don't see how stopping, etc., adds that much time.

I think what someone does when nobody sees it speaks tons about character.

Posted 11 months ago #
phoo

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teigyr: it is darned tough to see who is coming with the traffic circles, especially bushy ones. More than once I've nearly been hit by someone coming quickly through a traffic circle cutting left instead of going around left the long, proper way. Even if you get hit when you are in the right, you still have the hassle, the car damage and possibly the injury. The prevention of going slowly when you see no one around will save you a helluvalot of time and hassle when someone comes speeding out of nowhere and does something unexpected.

Posted 11 months ago #
JoeInBallard

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A lot of hypocrites in the world. "I break some laws, but it's OK for me. You better not break any laws!" Losers.

Posted 11 months ago #
pennygirl

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But nobody wants to eat you Joe.

Posted 11 months ago #
PDaddymom

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"I don't have a dog but love watching them run free on the beach. More pure unbounded fun than could fit in a human. "

Maybe so, until they grab unsuspecting shore birds which I have seen happen two times in my life - two cormorants on the coast and one gull at Carkeek. The gull at Carkeek had just been released after rehabbing at PAWS for a broken wing. Had to pry her out of the dog's mouth and right back to PAWS she had to go. Of the two cormorants on the coast, one was dead when we got to it and the other we had to drive it back to Aberdeen for treatment at a wildlife rehabber we were lucky to locate.

Posted 11 months ago #
racerX

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A lot of hypocrites in the world. "I break some laws, but it's OK for me. You better not break any laws!" Losers.

JoeInBallard +1

Posted 11 months ago #
onederfullone

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yeah, plus one on hypocrites.

OT alert...

I personally know of one individual sitting on over forty parking tickets.

Glove box full of them. Perhaps awaiting another amnesty?

What smacks of hypocrisy there is they are an unrepentant liberal that expects the city to raise taxes to fill budget gaps.

If we taxed hypocrisy, double taxed stupidity, we'd be rolling in it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odPkrLPqkQQ

Posted 11 months ago #
Ballardemician

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keeping dogs on leash is a sound courtesy, but the "it's illegal so don't do it" argument does fall flat on its face if you drive 1mph over the speed limit. I mean everyone thinks they can handle the extra speed right? But some people can't and you can't really know if you are one of those people or not. Extra speed directly correlates with more injuries and fatalities to people other than the "speeding" driver, that is a fact. So no one should ever drive even 1 mph over the legal limit. I'm probably gonna mace the next car and owner I see doing that.

It's the same argument being made about off leash dogs, and I guarantee every single person making it exceeds the speed limit some times.

Realistically we need to trust people to behave in the spirit of cooperation, but some people are self-deluded tools. It's a tough problem. What for sure though is social pressure works to control behavior much better than laws ....

Posted 11 months ago #