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Show B4 Castle Valley Review, April 2009 ANIMAL LIFE Pet Vs. Pest Even in Rural Areas, Dogs Running Loose Cause Havoc and Put Animals at Risk of Injury Dr. Sharmon Gilbert, DVM During the spring we all like to be outside enjoying the warmer weather. Living in this rural area, many of us like to let our dogs out for exercise too. However, this may not be the safest thing for your dog. We constantly see injuries and other problems that are related to pets roaming. We also constantly hear complaints from clients in the office about dogs running loose and bothering them, their children or their pets. Even the best owner can have their dog get away accidentally, but letting your dog roam is not the best thing for it. When dogs are presented with injuries, a great deal of the time they are related to dogs being allowed to roam. Dogs hit by cars, ingesting toxins and unfamiliar foods, getting in dog fights and being shot, are some of the common problems we see from roaming dogs. Unwanted litters of puppies is another problem we see when dogs that are not spayed or neutered are allowed to roam. If you have an intact female dog, she should not be allowed outside unsupervised. An obvious solution is for everyone to obey leash laws. Obedience training is also impor- tant. Being able to call your dog away from another dog or from chasing a cat across the street should be a goal to achieve. Roaming increases your dogs chance of becoming injured and getting into trouble. Roaming dogs are upsetting to neighbors. Many times people complain to us about the neighbor’s dog coming into their yard, defecating in it, getting into their garbage, growling at or biting their children, fighting with their own dog or chasing their cat. They complain to us and are upset, but do not talk to their neighbor. Many people who like to take walks complain about dogs who are unfriendly coming onto the road or sidewalk. Sometimes it is hard to walk a dog on a leash because dogs will come out of a yard and begin fighting with the leashed dog. I think many people who let their dog roam, erroneously think their dog is not upsetting anyone. They think that since we live in a rural area it is OK. We need to realize that not everyone loves our dog as we do, and even if they do like your dog, they probably don’t want it in their yard. Hopefully, we can all practice some tolerance, but a constantly roaming pet does cause problems. I have seen numerous examples of dogs attack- ing livestock. One that I remember was a family’s pet golden retriever who was guilty of killing sheep along with two other stray dogs. The dogs were caught in with the sheep on more than one occasion. The retriever was caught and taken to the pound where the owners found it. They were shocked to learn that their family pet had killed sheep and that they were responsible for the cost associated with this. My point is, that many dogs will harass and kill livestock while most owners think they would never do this. Even small dogs can be guilty of chasing livestock or wiping out someone’s chickens. You are responsible for the mischief your dog gets into. Each city has its own leash law ordinance. Most state that your dog needs to be confined, on a leash or under your direct control. The wording and specifics can be different for each city. Some require that dogs wear a collar and tags also. If you live in the county and not in a city proper, there is also an ordinance that says dogs are to be kept under restraint so they do not become a nuisance. If you are having a problem with a dog on your property that does not belong, call your city office. Most cities have an individual designated to take care of animal control |