What would you do about this rule breaker?

mom23nuts
mom23nuts Posts: 636 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I walk or bike ride at an abandoned golf course turned town maintained open space. I have stopped taking my dog (little Havanese) because of the heat and because there is one professional dogwalker who has one gentle dog on a leash and one feisty Jack Russell never on a leash. He has chased my dog, I have bought pepper spray, I have asked this woman to follow the posted rules about leashing her dogs.

I have since found out who she is. I have turned her in to Animal Control. She has since put her dog on a leash but refuses to hold it. It drags behind the dog. Today I almost ran the dog over on my mountain bike because she and I were coming around a blind corner in opposite directions and she was on one side of the path but the dog with dragging leash was on the orher side. Then she grabbed the leash and I held my tongue and said nothing. Next her dog got in a tussle with a giant but friendly, leashed Great Dane. I saw the couple after and told them not to blame their dog, this woman walks around there like it's her own backyard. Later a guy was walking 2 leashed dogs, one Golden and one Pitt Bull. I warned him about the lady with the Jack Russell. He thanked me.

Would you have bothered?
Should I keep reporting her to Animal control?
Should I bother bringing my dog back there for walks?
She seems to always be there on the same exercise schedule as me. Ugh!
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Replies

  • mom23nuts
    mom23nuts Posts: 636 Member
    I was think pics too, problem is she didn't deny the first offense.. I just don't think she cares. Maybe a pic bringing on a fine would be different.. Going to have to hide my bike and shoot some Candid shots
  • BadAssAries
    BadAssAries Posts: 66 Member
    Report her.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    why don't you say something directly to her?
  • hypodonthaveme
    hypodonthaveme Posts: 215 Member
    I have the same problem. I have spoken to several "owners". Didn't get anywhere. I get laughs. I said our state has a leash law. They said no it don't . When I got home, I contacted humane society to ask them. They told me if the dog isn't in danger it's not their problem. My dog was in danger. So called the game warden and asked him. All I got was is it a stray. I said no. Loose dogs. They told me they couldn't help. So I called the police department and told them. This is what they said, " our state has a leash law, but it is up to the town to enforce it." Seriously. I live in a town with 1 stop light. What is my small town going to do about it. They do not have the resources to do anything. I didn't let it stop me from walking my dog. Then one day. One of the loose dogs ( 3 loose dogs 2 on leashes) charges us. The 2 dogs on the leash pulled the owners around 2 trees. All the while the loose dogs were being called " come back come back" . I stood my ground. And said the sign says " all dogs must be on a leash or controlled at all times. I said at the beginning of the trail you will see the sign. They went and looked after 20 minutes 2 grown adults trying to handle 5 dogs.

    I have noticed now that there is a sign with phone numbers to call if anyone has problems with dogs or owners. I also still meet this same group daily, but now there are 3 adults. And only 1 loose dog to contend with.

    Although I can not give you advice, I just wanted to share. You are not alone in this struggle.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    mom23nuts wrote: »
    She has since put her dog on a leash but refuses to hold it. It drags behind the dog.
    She sounds like a giant idiot that shouldn't be walking dogs. She's endangering the dogs and pedestrians alike.

    Report her. Someone responsible will gladly take her spot.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited June 2016
    I may have been bothered in another lifetime.. Now I am older and do not care.

    People are going to do what they feel they want to, just like you felt compelled to turn her in. No difference. People are weird and indifferent and unless a person is breaking the law, hurting themselves or proving they are there to put direct harm to others, leave it be.. Can't do a thing to change nobody,,

    Its wasted energy on your part in my honest opinion.. and you are still wasting energy by stewing over it by this post.. I do not mean to be snarkie in the least, but people are just people and most of them are weird and cannot be understood by their behaviors.

    Keep doing your thing..ignore it.. unless she is there to hurt you or others. Keep walking you and your dog where ever you feel like. If she bothers you, go somewhere else.
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
    A .22 and a water bottle would suffice for the Jack Russell I
  • mom23nuts
    mom23nuts Posts: 636 Member
    SonyaCele wrote: »
    why don't you say something directly to her?

    3rd line of my story...I asked this woman to followed rules and keep her dog leashed the whole time she is there. Now after turning her in the dog is leashed but she doesn't hold the leash.
  • ziggy2006
    ziggy2006 Posts: 255 Member
    Does the JRT belong to the professional dog walker or is it a client's dog?

    If it is not her personal pet, then figure out who owns the JRT. Jacks need to be leashed because they are a breed who can be unpredictable - they will chase prey and not hear someone calling them, engage in fights with much larger dogs, or dart out into traffic. They often show fear based aggression and can bite, for instance, a child who handles them roughly or approaches them unexpectedly.

    If I was paying someone to walk my JRT's, it would be unacceptable for me to discover that they dogs were ever let off their leash. This poor JRT is being put into a very dangerous situation, and the owner deserves to be made aware of what is going on.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,530 Member
    edited June 2016
    Let your dog off the leash so she/he can play with the other dog and get it over with. Move to a different schedule, or location. Don't use her services. Tell all your friends not to either. Volunteer to become your town's dog by-law officer and gain the legal authority to fine her. Or a combination of all the above.
  • mom23nuts
    mom23nuts Posts: 636 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    I may have been bothered in another lifetime.. Now I am older and do not care.

    People are going to do what they feel they want to, just like you felt compelled to turn her in. No difference. People are weird and indifferent and unless a person is breaking the law, hurting themselves or proving they are there to put direct harm to others, leave it be.. Can't do a thing to change nobody,,

    Its wasted energy on your part in my honest opinion.. and you are still wasting energy by stewing over it by this post.. I do not mean to be snarkie in the least, but people are just people and most of them are weird and cannot be understood by their behaviors.

    Keep doing your thing..ignore it.. unless she is there to hurt you or others. Keep walking you and your dog where ever you feel like. If she bothers you, go somewhere else.

    I know you are not being snarky, neither am I but isn't your stance just a way to advcate for anarchy? This is a beautiful place. Or was...recently, Kids set a bench on fire, carved a huge prom posal in a big tree. There shouldn't be 200 sets of conduct to accommodate 200 people that use the area.

    Horses from a local farm use the trails, birdwatchers, and this spot even supports an all abilities handicapped trail.

    At times there is even bear, coyote and deer. A bunch of us petitioned to save this place from being bulldozed soccer fields. I hardly think that warrants a do nothing attitude, especially if her dog is a constant menace. The rules are simple and pretty much agreed upon.

    Oddly, animal control said, do whatever you need to do to keep yourself and your pet safe especially if we are the ones in the right.

    Yikes, do you have this relaxed stance on everything, crime, car accidents, drinking and driving as long as it didn't hurt anyone? Why would go somewhere else in my own town when she is not even from here?.

    I guess I don't get that logic. Basically it shouts, don't rock the boat or let it bother you and if it does vacate over addressing things. Turn tail and run is not how I live life or lessons to pass to my kids. I get not letting it escalate, but to bail doesn't seem like a middle ground either.


  • EzRemake
    EzRemake Posts: 128 Member
    Message Boards › Fitness and Exercise

    Am I missing something here?
  • soccerkon26
    soccerkon26 Posts: 596 Member
    EzRemake wrote: »
    Message Boards › Fitness and Exercise

    Am I missing something here?

    It's interrupting her fitness/exercise routine.

    I would say to take photos/videos to send to animal control.

    If it were me I would grab the dog's leash. She will obviously say that's her dog, and I would say some snarky comment along the lines of "well usually smart dog owners actually hold the leash. That's what the loop in the leash is for". But that's just me :P
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    If she's a so called "professional" perhaps a photo of her complete lack of regard for the dog needs to go viral on CL and other local community pages.
  • Owlie45
    Owlie45 Posts: 810 Member
    I love dogs. Nothing softens my heart on a bad day like a dog. But nothing engages me like unleashed unruly dogs. I tolerate unleashed dogs that stay by their owners side.
    Personally I'd carry a big old stick and swing when that dog comes your way. Or if you fall off your bike and get hurt dodging the dog you can get her information and let her know it will be for the doctor bill. She will either control her dog or go somewhere else.
    I've kicked and swung at all sorts of dogs that come at me when I'm out for a walk, I won't and no one should have to wait until they're knocked down or bit.
    I have clients who can no longer walk their favorite trails because people let their unruly dogs run at her. She asked if they could leash the dog because she's terrified as she was mauled as a child. She is told to go *kitten* herself. She is a very sweet elderly lady. This entitled attitude from these dog owners is *kitten* *kitten*. They should fine the he'll out of those people.
  • adoette
    adoette Posts: 181 Member
    I second the person who said try to contact the jrt's owner. Straight up tell them you nearly ran over their dog because the dog walker was being negligent.

    Another option, though slightly more dirty pool, is to report this lady on social media. A town as small as yours, everybody knows everybody in one way or another. Post something on Facebook with a picture and let the chips fall where they may.
  • ziggy2006
    ziggy2006 Posts: 255 Member
    Rottified wrote: »
    Personally I'd carry a big old stick and swing when that dog comes your way.

    I've kicked and swung at all sorts of dogs that come at me when I'm out for a walk, I won't and no one should have to wait until they're knocked down or bit.

    You are very lucky to have not been bitten if kicking and swinging at dogs. I would never recommend following this dangerous advice. Small dogs, especially a breed like a JRT, are prone to fear-based aggression. An aggressive act, such as swinging a stick or kicking at the dog, is not going to deescalate the situation. JRT's are that heroic breed that have been known to take on a pack of pit bulls attacking a human child - they will most likely easily dodge your stick and increase their aggression toward you. If you do manage to hit the dog, it is possible that you will cause a significant injury to the small animal, who most likely never would have harmed you.

    With a JRT, the most important thing is to remain calm and not start acting strangely. My own JRT, on a bright red leash and walking calmly at my side displaying no aggressive behavior, growled and barked at an elderly gentleman on a walk because he started freaking out and shouting, "That dog is going to bite me!" while doing this weird fast sideways shuffling sort of dance. I told the guy to stop it and just keep on walking, as the dog, now energized, barking, and growling at this terrifying sight, was on a leash, but he kept shouting and dancing until we passed him on the other side of the road. No idea what provoked the man's bizarre behavior, but had my JRT been off-leash, it might have been enough to get him bitten, as a dog has no way of processing the meaning of that behavior (frankly, neither did I). Don't act aggressively (making eye contact, shouting, etc.). Keep in mind that the dog is likely terrified of you and its aggressive behavior is an attempt to scare you away from hurting it. Back away slowly and calmly.

    Carrying a stick is not by itself a bad idea. If a dog is coming close to bite you, offering the stick to bite instead may make the dog think that he got a piece of you and give you an opportunity to walk out of the situation. A sweater, handbag, shoe, or backpack can also be useful in avoiding a bite.

  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,379 Member
    Two weeks ago I ran on the beach promenade in the evening past an unleashed dog who suddenly jumped at me, threw me over and kept on biting in my running jacket. The owner was just standing there, shouting that the dog's not doing anything. Great! At least this encounter gave me the adrenaline to run the last 3km at a very good pace. Stupid owner!

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