What do you think?? (dog and bike related)

[alpinerabbit]

Too bad people have no manners on listservs. Could you talk to the specific dog owner? Face to face helps... if you can do it calmly...

[Tuckervill]

Surely the law states that the dog must be under voice control if not on a leash? If they're not coming back when the owner calls, they're not under voice control, eh?

Don't let the flamers get you down. If your words could have been considered condescending to someone, admit it, apologize, and then keep the discussion on the issue at hand. That's the only way you will get your point across. Don't let them pick your post apart without addressing the central issue.

Karen

[Tuckervill]

Hey, I looked it up!

Section 2. No owner of a dog shall permit such dog:
::snip::
to chase a vehicle on any way open to the public travel;

They've broken the law by allowing them to chase you, on a vehicle, a bicycle, so you're totally right and they're totally wrong. Next time, call the law.

Karen

[maillotpois]

And I love my dogs. (Even though the smaller one looks a bit hung over in my avatar picture... )

[sundial]

I love your avatar.

[SadieKate]

http://www.concordma.gov/pages/ConcordMA_TownClerk/dog

You are totally within your rights. I would assume that "under control of its owner" means that the owner must lift a finger or voice to control the dog successfully.


Section 1. No owner of a dog shall permit such dog to be outside the confines of the property of the owner unless the dog is held firmly on a leash or is under the control of its owner.
Section 2. No owner of a dog shall permit such dog:
a. to disturb the peace or quiet of any neighborhood or endanger the safety of any person, by biting, barking, howling, or in any other manner;
b. to run at large or unmuzzled in violation of an order of the Selectmen or the Dog Officer;
c. to worry, kill, maim or otherwise injure another’s fowl, livestock or domesticated animal;
d. to chase a vehicle on any way open to the public travel;

[coyote]

I got chased 3 times in one week on my own block. I usually only got chased once or twice a week. I had talked to one of the owners a couple of times. But after that week, I started calling Animal Control. I've called them 4 times. That was over 2 months ago. I haven't been chased since then.

It really is about your own safety. A dog chasing you can cause you to react in a way that is not predictable to a person driving a car (aka you could get hit).

It is too bad that your nieghbors are upset. I wonder how they would feel if their precious pooch got hit by a car while chasing you? Or I wonder if they would enjoy the increase in home owners insurance if the dog actually does bite you?

As you can probably tell, dogs running loose is a pet peeve of mine
Sorry about the rant.