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Show Wednesday, July Young men's leader Brian Smith action tube. By Leziee E. Whiting Uintah Basin News Service r It never fails. When Gary Child explains that his left arm is in a sling because he was chased by a dog while on a bike ride, he can count on hearing a story or two about others who have been chased or injured by a loose dog while riding, running or walking. walk-ing. Serious Issue Child sustained a concussion and fractured clavicle, numerous bruises, and road rash during what should have been an uneventful un-eventful evening bike ride with his wife, Candi. He cannot recall the collision that occurred in Cedarview when a dog ran menacingly in front of his bike while he was pedaling at a rate of about 25 mph but his wife remembers it clearly. "The dog had the intent of attacking us. There are other dogs that come out to property lines and they might bark or run alongside you but this dog was vicious," she said. Candi Child said she looked back just in time to see her husband's racing bike hit the dog. The impact catapulted Gary Child several feet into the air with his feet still attached to his pedals. "My head hit the pavement first. I cracked my helmet in several places," he said. "I was unconscious in the street and I don't remember anything about the accident." The Hancock Gove man had to be transported to Uintah Basin Medical Center by ambulance. His doctor told him that his helmet saved him from critical head injuries. Candi Child said the dog's owner was "immediately apologetic" apolo-getic" and even came to the hospital. But the owner also acknowledged her pet's aggressive aggres-sive nature. "She mentioned that this dog had bitten people before," said Candi Child. "What is disturbing about this is that homeowners are responsible for their pets and when they feel like they can roam free that creates a liability." B6 aming Gorge is. more than just fishing! 23, 2008 f ; a. grabs on with everything he has V :vfl Although Bear Lake is close by for it is colder. Gary Child's injuries will put him a month behind in his training regimen for LOTOJA - a grueling 206-mile, one-day bike race from Logan to Jackson Hole, Wyo. On top of his physical injuries, the Childs' now have hospital bills to pay because the dog's owner does not have homeowners insurance. The Childs did file a sheriffs report but don't know if a citation was issued in the incident. The dog sustained numerous injuries and had to be put down. "I believe that the owner was very sorry ... she said she just didn't want to chain up that dog because she was her protector, but now she doesn't have a dog," said Candi Child, who added that elected officials and law enforcement enforce-ment need to get in front of the problem by enacting stiffer rules and penalties when unleashed dogs cause damage off their own property. "We need to be proactive and preventative and not reactive and restorative," she said. The Childs are not alone in their plea for help. What Are The Rules? The growing popularity of cycling and running, coupled with the increase in the county's population, has finally brought the issue of free roaming dogs to the forefront and it must be addressed, said Ralph Draper, who has been an avid cyclist and runner for 35 years. "There isn't a road you can goon withouthavingproblems," said Draper, who either rides or runs 20 to 30 miles every morning. morn-ing. "It doesn't matter which di reetion I go in town or out in the county, you have nuisance dogs. I have had dogs that grabbed onto my bike and just shook it." Draper has heard plenty of stories from others who have boon terrorized by dogs while exercising outdoors in the morn-ingorevenmg-includinga world class marathon runner who trains by running in Duchesne Cou nty and was attacked by two boxers. "People think that because they have raised the dog and it's happy around the family that it's Vernal but was still trhown off the fast Aaron Henry of Preston, Idaho, . not territorial when strangers come around, but they can be wrong," Draper said, addingthat the number of aggressive dogs chasing runners and cyclists is definitely on the increase. Anyone who has had a run-in with a dog while out walking, running or cycling may be surprised sur-prised to know that Duchesne County does have rules on the books meant to control nuisance animals, said Tiffany Woods. "You have to keep dogs on your property and if it's not on your property then it has to be leashed," said Woods, who worked as the county's animal control officer for a little over a year. The county has now funded the position full-time and it will soon be assigned to a sheriffs deputy, who can provide enhanced en-hanced enforcement, she said. The county also requires dog owners to have their animals current on rabies vaccinations and either wear the rabies tag on their collar or have proof that they are vaccinated. Woods believes that people who are attacked by dogs that chase them as they pass by their house on a county road don 't typically typi-cally call to report the incident. That's something that needs to change, especially in cases where the attacks happen repeatedly, she said. "Most of the time if people get bit, they just get mad and take care of it on their own," said Woods. "If people would call we would know how bad the problem That's what Dr. Shannon Staker did when she was bitten on the ankle and calf by a dog while on her inaugural ride on a new road bike along the North Myton Bench. "I talked to a police officer that night and animal control," said Staker, a Roosevelt pediatrician. "They told the owner (the dog) had to be chained. Everyone I talked to said they were familiar famil-iar with the dog and had issues with the dog before, but they never said anything about (the county's) rules." Pet Owners Also At Risk Another avenue that cyclists Express Flaming Gorge does have some cliffs available for jumping and jolt of adrenalin as well as the water. h Leif Chipman and Andrew Larson are no match to the death driver. and runners who have clashed with vicious animals may want to pursue is checking homeowner's insurance policies. State Farm Bureau Insurance agent Tom Ellingford said that in Utah the homeowner is liable in cases where their dog attacks someone. "Our company automatically assumes fault because that is the way the law is," Ellingford said. There are exclusions where State Farm and other insurance companies won't insure homeowners hom-eowners who own specific breeds known for their aggression, he said. "If they have these dogs: Akitaj Alaskan Malamute, Catahoula, Cata-houla, Chow, Doberman, German Shepherd, Husky, Presa Canario, Rottweiler and Pit Bull," said Ellingford. "If you have any of these dogs, then as a rule they won't insure you against a claim involving those dogs." Until the message does get spread to dog owners whose pets chase passersby to leash their dog off of their property, and k it- 24th of July Boy Breakfast Thursday, July 24 -6:00 am - 9:30 arnv M Colton Pavilion M $2.ooplate (paid at the breakfast) Enter the FREE drawing to win a brand new plasma screen TV or free gas cards. Sponsored by: (j) Sen try West Xrmounta,n AsP11 ' Petroleum CotputaiicHi 'A- -,V V -A- it V i BY KEVW ASHBY Express Publisher It's the middle of the summer . and thousands of people are flocking flock-ing to Flaming Gorge National Recreational Area for a summer retreat and cool down and they are doing it without bugs this year. That's right! After spending more than 24 hours at the lake, along the shore, jumping from the cliffs and even sitting around the campground with a lantern going - there were no bugs. Not one mosquito bite. Not one horse fly nip. No bothersome pesky gnats. And if you like 72 degree water temperature, the lake was just right for a refreshing swim, dive and splash. In fact, very few were out of the water with most trying - .A- enforcement is tightened, cyclists and runners will continue to do -their thing. They've learned to try different routes and arm themselves with everything from squirt bottles filled with ammonia water to BB guns. The best solution however, is good, old-fashioned accountability account-ability on the part of dog owners, said Candi Child. Editor's Note reminding re-minding us of the benefits of head gear! Gary Child sustained serious injuries while out on a bike ride earlier this month when he collided with a dog that ran out in front of him. Child was knocked unconscious in the crash. Doctors said had he not been wearing a helmet, he would have likely needed lifesaving surgery in Salt Lake City. it out their skills with skiing, wake boarding and tubing. Pictured is a group of young men who came in from Preston, Idaho, and enjoyed three days and nights at a camp site in Mustang Mus-tang Ridge campground. They brought their fishing poles and swimming suits and completely got into the water sports, but wished the lake trout would have been biting. The trip down the river in rafting ease was also a favorite activity for the youth and their leaders. And even the dutch oven cooking did not distract from their visit to Flaming Gorge. Sometimesweneedreminding of what we have in our back yard and how much of a recreational paradise is available not only to us, but to others throughout the world. . . these young men experienced the it k f i 6 it " i defying tub with a kamikaze boat "We have the same rights to enjoy the community we live in," she said. "I think there needs to be a sense of responsibility. I know that every once in awhile a dog gets left out but to intentionally inten-tionally let a dog chase people is just wrong. Our county is growing grow-ing and we need some animal control." izxpres 64 North Vernal Avenue Vernal, Utah - 435-789-351 1 www.vernal.com it Scout If f l- H J (J fci Kj amsaU i U n , i. M |