Quote Originally Posted by Geonz View Post
But ... I know the local culture and you let your dog run.
Bat - Geonz hit the nail on the head right there. It is the "we've always done it this way" attitude and the fact that Madison has always been a rural county. The feeling of the old-timers here is that leash laws are for bigger towns.

I have a neighbor across the road from me - they have way too many animals on their property, including about 5 dogs. None of the dogs are dangerous, though one (a Benji-type) actively used to come into my yard & bark at my heels until I went into the house every day. The other dogs used to bark and bark and bark and no one (except for me) ever told them to be quiet - also, ALL the dogs used to come across the road and use MY YARD as their bathroom. After complaining and complaining to the owners, and after being promised that things would change yet nothing did, I called animal control. She came, talked to the owners and told them the dogs were to stay on their property. I then received a phone call from my neighbor - FURIOUS - he said, "I have to keep my dogs penned-up. This is MADISON COUNTY and I have to keep my dogs penned up!" That is the culture we are dealing with...