Rant

[centrop67]

Sorry, I needed an outlet...

I am sick and tired of being the "Don't let your dog run loose in the neighborhood" police. Well, at least having Radar enforce it.

I really look forward to my Saturday early morning walk. My wife has that duty during the week, because I am working and going to school at night during the week.

Radar has been awesome OB wise lately, and believe me that hasn't been an easy road.

This morning a rather large bulldog type dog rushed us around the corner from my house. The dog is close to twice Radar's size, but in milliseconds Radar had him down on the ground by the throat. It was struggle to decouple them.

I don't know if there were bad intentions on the part of this dog or not, but it's probably injured pretty bad. I know where it lives, and I went back there to talk to the owners. However, the dog was sitting on the porch, and I didn't feel safe going up to the house.

I was so pumped up with adrenaline this morning, I could barely breathe. Worst part is having to cut the walk short as this happened on the way out.

What would you do? Let it go? Talk to the owners? Call the authorities?

[Raven]

Tough one.

Is there a leash law there?

Have you seen that dog loose before? Was it leashed on the porch when you went back?

My first thought was call the authorities (you are respecting others by leashing your dog and should expect to take a walk without incident with unleashed dog)...but then, what if the dog had simply broken its lead, gotten away from the owners who always leash the dog, etc. (Sometimes owners have to figure out "the tricks" to keep their dogs in the yard, trying dutifully try to contain the dog.)

I'd hate for this to come back on you...if you go, it's an admission your dog bit, and accusations (or worse) can be made.

How well do you know these folks? I can see myself going to describe the event as long as they weren't the troublesome and/or retaliatory type, especially if they normally contain the dog.

[centrop67]

Miami-Dade County is leash only unless the dog is on your property and has total recall.

The incident occurred across the street and three houses down from the owner's house.

The dog was still off leash when I returned.

This happened very early (pre-sunrise) this morning.

The dog is always in the backyard fence when I walk by. I don't know if it's ever inside. I noticed a bent fence pole and gap between the house and fence this morning.

They moved in within the last few months, and I only know their next door neighbor. I do know they're a family with young children.

Yes, I am afraid the authorities will cause problems for me or Radar even though I am pretty sure I've done nothing wrong.

[Owned-By-Hendrix]

Look into laws about what happens if a dog attacks another dog. State and local. Local generally prevails unless there's no law then state does. In TX handlers have to be in control of their dogs (on leash) except in enclosed areas, and if a dog attacks human or dog it must be on leash and even if not, handler must be attempting to regain control of said dog during the attack to not be charges. You did nothing wrong. Your dog was on leash. You were on your property, if I understood correctly. You were not threatening the dog. You can call in a tip of loose aggressive dog and say it attacked your dog. Better yet, start recording it. Walk by with your phone out and record the loose dog. I started wearing a go pro on walks when we had a lot of loose dogs and calling AC when they attacked. I don't stand for that because people are quick to blame the "scarier" dog, which is our dog, but you have done everything right. my only concern with approaching the neighbors post incident is the dog's wound they may want you to pay for it and call AC on you - then it becomes a he said they said thing - and it's hard to sort out without evidence.

[Dutchringgirl]

I would call the authorities asap and tell them, you dont need your dog injured because of someone elses stupidity

[centrop67]

It's been nearly 11 hours since the incident, and I have had a chance to calm down.

I took the dogs to our hiking area and then got caught out in a pretty bad storm.

It's not been a great day.

Anyway, I prefer to keep AC out of it. I am really hoping that the other dog isn't hurt too bad, and the owners learned a lesson and fix their fence.

Of course, now I have to find a new route.

You did nothing wrong. Your dog was on leash. You were on your property, if I understood correctly.

Yes, Radar and Leela were on leashes, but I was on a public sidewalk across the street and two houses down from the owner.

Radar was peeing on a hedge and then alerted. When I turned around the other dog was bolting towards us. I yelled and screamed and stomped my feet, and then tried to retreat. It all happened so fast. At one point I dragged Radar and the other dog (on its back) about 15 feet trying to get Radar to release. I didn't like the sound I heard when the release finally happened, that's why I am worried about the other dog.

It got up and ran back across the street. Then, it turned around like it was coming back for more. I double-timed it back to my house.

[Owned-By-Hendrix]

After 11 hours it looks worse calling AC now. You just don't want the owners finding out and then AC coming after you. It's a tough call but with a dog injured I personally err on the side of caution and involve the authorities. If you were on a public street then it's even more of a danger - what if it had been a kid or someone else? What if it had been a small dog? With roaming dogs that charge I tend to take it more seriously because if it wasn't me it may have been more serious for someone else. If it becomes a pattern next time I would definitely call AC and then approach the neighbor. If the dog broke out over night then I could see not being aware, but it they were up and knew the dog wasn't in the yard then I would have an issue.

[Owly]

If the dog continues to remain off leash, I would call AC. It's a liability, not just for your dogs but everyone elses. Or even a small child. You shouldn't have to change your route just because someone is too lazy to fix their fence. If you have strict leash laws, they'll pick the dog up and fine the owner(if they even bother to pick the animal up). After too many pick ups the animal wouldn't be returned to the owners.

[Dutchringgirl]

I dont understand why you dont want to call AC? There is a dangerous dog around, what if he goes after a small child?? Taking no action is not the thing to do

[Raven]

I don't know if there were bad intentions on the part of this dog or not

[Mobil]

I really think you should have called at least the non-emergency line (I don't know how AC works; we don't have one here) and reported that you and your dog were attacked by an unleashed dog, that you know where the dog lives, and that the presence of the dog unleashed on the property prevented you from talking with the owner.

I don't understand how you could get in trouble for your dog scrapping with a dog who attacked you. Yours was leashed, you're not at fault.

[Raven]

Been thinking of you, Michael.

What did you decide?

[Dutchringgirl]

Hope all is well

[centrop67]

Sorry for taking so long to respond. I went out of town Saturday night for a family thing.

Anyway, the other dog appears to be okay, and the owner has patched the gap in the fence.

I drove past the house Saturday several times, and the dog was only out that first time right after the incident. So, I didn't feel like an AC call for a stray dog was necessary.

With all the what-ifs that could have happened, I guess a call to AC might have been the appropriate response. You have to understand, however that I have a huge distrust of Miami-Dade Animal Services. My personal experience with them has been illogical, frustrating, and borderline criminal.

Once you fall into "the system" it can be a bureaucratic nightmare. I didn't want that for Radar, the other owner, or myself.

If the dog is ever out again, I will call.

[Mobil]

I have a huge distrust of Miami-Dade Animal Services. My personal experience with them has been illogical, frustrating, and borderline criminal.

Once you fall into "the system" it can be a bureaucratic nightmare. I didn't want that for Radar, the other owner, or myself.

Completely understandable, IMO. At least the neighbor seems to be doing the right thing with keeping her dog enclosed.

[Dutchringgirl]

I can completely understand as well.

[centrop67]

I want to share some research I did on the pet laws here.

In Miami Dade County they have two designations that can be applied to Radar in this instance: dangerous or aggressive. For both designations, provocation is the deciding factor. Both ordinances talk about unprovoked injury to a domestic animal while not on owners property.

With no witnesses other than myself, I may have had a battle here if the AC person didn't quite like the looks of Radar.

With that knowledge, I am satisfied with my choice in not reporting the incident.

BTW - That's not because Radar was unprovoked. He certainly was.

[k9lexi]

Good call Michael . Owned by Hendrix and Raven gave some good advice and 5hings to think about. I'm glad you waited awhile to think about it and ask for advice rather than a knee jerks reaction that might have brought you and your dog under scrutiny have a great weekend!!

[Raven]

It's unfortunate it had to happen, but it could've been so much worse...and then to learn that the dog sneaked out and the owners repaired the fence made it all a little better: they've shown some measure of responsibility, at least from the world can see.

We used to see this white dog running down the road like a bat of out of hell and a moment later you'd see the owner running down the road like a bat out of hell after her, complete with sound effects. They had a fenced yard but hadn't figured out how to keep that dog inside of it. One day I drove by their house and found the dog on the outside of the fence at the end of a lead--not dangling--but just waiting for someone to help her out of her predicament. (The owner's response to repeated escapes was to put her on a long lead in the yard, where she still got over the fence...just couldn't go anywhere. And that could've ended up worse, too.)

Animal control:

We had one AC guy who committed suicide, and the authorities found his rural residential property littered with carcasses and animals dumped in mass graves.

We have one AC woman who is just a pig, don't know how she's kept her job all these years. If she doesn't like you, you and your animals are doomed, and she'll lie to make it so. But if she likes you, you can have illegal animals, abuse animals, do whatever you want.

It's all a political crap shoot. Glad you didn't have a knee-jerk reaction.