Some Pet OWNERS Shouldn’t Be Allowed Off-Leash

I live near a park that is off-leash for dogs. However, several signs state that the dog must be well-behaved and owners are responsible for their dogs’ behavior.

I’m walking along this one path when I come across a woman with her dog (leashed) and another dog jumping around them. Getting closer, I realize she is trying to get her agitated dog away from the unleashed dog, and that said unleashed dog’s owner is standing about twenty feet away, laughing and egging the dog on.

Unleashed Dog Owner: “It’s okay! He just likes to be near the action! He’s a good boy!”

The other dog owner is asking him to please curb his dog, but of course, he isn’t listening.

Me: “Hey! You need to call off your dog! That’s not safe and he’s upsetting her dog!”

The man, who is significantly older than me — I’m thirty and a woman — stops laughing and glares at me, but he calls his dog back. The woman quickly leaves with her dog, obviously so it doesn’t get upset and act out, which is what the responsible owner should do. I continue on my walk, thinking nothing of it.

Another day, I’m walking the same path, and up ahead I see two women with a dog bouncing around them. Farther away, about thirty feet, is the same guy, and again he’s laughing and egging the dog on. It’s a small dog, so the two women aren’t in extreme danger, but they’re clearly uncomfortable and he’s not listening.

Me: “Oy! What’d I say last time?! If the dog ain’t behaving, you need to leash him!”

The guy sees me and makes a face, but he calls the dog off and walks away.

A third time, I’m out walking when I cross their paths again. There’s no one else, and the man is letting the dog wander away from him a bit, but as soon as he sees me, he calls him close and gives me a wide berth.

I’ve seen him several times since and he now keeps the dog close to him and doesn’t allow it to jump around, although every time he sees me, he glares daggers at me, though he doesn’t say anything.

I’d like to point out here that if the other patrons had complained, the dog would be the one who suffered, especially if injuries had occurred. In situations like this, the dog is the one who would be removed and possibly euthanized if deemed a danger. So please, if you own a dog, make sure your pet is well-behaved either on- or off-leash.