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Unless it’s an “off leash” area KEEP YOUR EFFING DOG ON A LEASH! We all think our dogs are perfect and would never harm anyone – UNTIL THE DO! Nobody wants to see a dog destroyed because of it’s owner naivety.
—Dog Lover
This article appears in Aug 13-19, 2009.
15 Comments
This is a real sore spot for me, especially after hearing about that bonehead on the Prospect Road who let his goddamn pitbull roam free. That mutt chased down four cyclists, bit one on the foot – I hate pitbulls at the best of times, as far as I’m concerned, they should be an illegal breed and banned. People keep telling me pitbulls are sooooo lovely – well, I’ll be fucked if I’ll own something with jaws like a steel trap and often questionable breeding. Still, somebody should beat the owner with a rubber mallet for being so careless.
Someone should sick a pitbull on them.
i think all dog owners must purchased insurance..the rates would be on a sliding scale
depending on the viciousness of the breed,so more money could be collected to pay for attacks by these same breeds…why would any rational person owned a breed that can turn on you at any moment,plus their so damn ugly…one day,they will be outlawed after an innocent child dies,i guarantee you that
Until the city gives us dog owners more options and places to let our dogs off leash, you will find us in on leash areas because sometimes that’s our only option. Its ridiculous and unfair that responsible dog owners, the ones who actually take the time to train their dogs so they’re not chasing people down, can’t use fields that are not used as a school field for letting our dogs off leash. There are only a handful of places to go with your dog and unless you drive, which I and a lot of other people do not, or live downtown or outside the city, you’re shit out of luck. Before you people rip on me for that, I do not in any way condone people who do not take the time to learn about their dogs and train them. If you’re going to allow your dog off leash anywhere, you need to have control of your dog. Sit/stay and come need to be in place.
I don’t like the little ankle bitters. They should be on leashes too. I don’t care how small and cute it is. I don’t want it chasing me or bitting me. Keep it on the leash. Or next time i’ll let my full size dog off the leash to teach it or you some manners.
the way i see it,people who live in apt. buildings of more than 4 units, should not be allowed to have dogs. unless of course they are the small lap type, that need very little exercise.you get some dumbbell with a big frigging mutt,and they either let it roam,or have no control over it. and as to breed bans, no,i do not support that. what i do support is the ones getting these big attack dogs,should have to undergo mandatory training,and be spot checked by the s.p.c.a., from time to time.there really is no such thing as a bad dog,just bad owners. i worked with the s.p.c.a. in bridgewater,years back. and i could tell you horror stories about animal abuse,even in the nicest homes.train the owners,not the dogs.
My dog is always leashed unless we’re in my fenced back yard. I don’t do this only because it’s the courteous thing to do (some people don’t like dogs) and the law but also because I care about his safety. An unleashed dog, no matter how well trained can easily bolt out into the road if something catches their eye or get into a fight with a cat/dog/raccoon/porcupine/etc.. As for all the pitbull hate, I don’t think breed specific bans address the real root of the problem. As Life Sucks commented, irresponsible dog owners who do not take the time to properly train, socialize and supervise thier pets are the problem. A great example of irresponsible dog owners is Mama9 who thinks that setting her dog on a smaller, weaker dog to “teach it some manners” is an acceptable thing to do. Virgomom you do not need to let your dog off leash, a long walk/jog on a leash provides them with plenty of exercise.
Exactly Jai. Besides the fact that if I let my beagle off leash, she would follow her nose and never come back, it is the responsible thing to do. The bylaw is there to protect all citizens not to punish dog owners.
It is critical for people to follow by-law A-300 for both the dog and non-dog owners. As dog owners we risk losing the privileges we do have now if idiots choose to not follow the current by-laws as they exist. If you own a dog and find yourself with no choices to walk your dog I wonder…. what you were planning on when you got your dog?
I am fortunate to live near point pleasant park and utilize it daily. I feel for those who live somewhere that they feel is a poor location for owning a dog re: proximity to off leash areas but that is not the non dog owners fault nor their responsibility. My dog is off-leash in every off-leash area at PPP and has never done anything to worry a non dog owner and I am very aware of how he acts when off leash. Halifax has a number of off leash areas (far more than most cities/population) for you and your dog. If you live somewhere that you feel is not dog friendly and you own a dog …move!
So tired of hearing people who own dogs complain about their situation re: their dog…dogs are a commitment and a responsibility. If you choose to be a dog owner (CHOOSE) you have to follow the very simple rules and follow through on your accepted responsibility and commitment of owning your dog i.e. exercise regularly and train your dog.
I hate the dogs who are off leash and smoking in the no smoking area – the rascals
Dogs and children should be both muzzled and leashed. And noisy infants should be checked at the door in a sound-proof room…I suggest using hooks on the wall, like a a hat rack…
I heard this moronic lady on a talk show yesterday saying that Black Labs actually bite more than Pit Bulls. What a joke. Pit Bulls have got to be the most unpredictable dog on the face of the planet. How many times have you heard “I cannot understand it! He never hurt anyone before this”. Yes a certain aspect of it has to do with dog ownership. But when you have a breed such as a pit bull that is inheritantly bread to be nasty, I don’t care HOW good a pet owner you are, that potential to snap is always there. To me, people who own pit bulls with small kids around need their heads examined.
Labs and other dogs do attack and bite more then pitbulls. The difference is is that a pitbull bite will rearrange your face and labs will only cause a couple of stitches if the bite breaks the skin. That’s why you hear about pitbulls attacking more then other dogs because they do more damage. Also, people are very quick to call on pitbulls when they show aggression, not so much with other dogs.
Could it have something to do with the fact that the majority of people who get power breeds i.e. pitbulls, Rottie etc are of a certain mentality of tough guy. It seems a new accessory for the gantsa wannabe is a pitbull or pitbull like breed. That cannot help the reputation of the breed when those training and owning want an aggressive dog.
Let’s be honest… socio-economically speaking you see far more power breeds in lower income areas…why? Don’t give me the guard dog argument because it is not timid little ladies with the dogs.
These comments are all very interesting – they each have their own agenda, have very little to do with each other – and they also have very little to do with the bylaw A300 – which is what some people have mentioned, off leash exercise – what other people have mentioned, pit bulls which a couple other people have mentioned, extra insurance which is what one person mentioned.
If any of you listened to yourselves you’d read how ridiculous you all are – except for Virgomom – none of what you are saying has anything to do with a dog’s quality of life – which is what should be the number one criteria for anyone – dog owner or non dog-owner. If you are a dog owner – you should want to have a healthy, well exercised, happy dog. If you are a non dog-owner – you should want to live next door to a dog that is well taken care of – because you would never know you had a dog living next to you. It’s when the dog is never taken outside for long walks, or daily off leash romps, or taken out for socializing with other dogs or on errands with his owner – that the dogs become a problem and you KNOW there’s a dog living by you.
And SHAME ON ALL OF YOU who think some breeds of dogs are different than others – especially when socio-economics plays a role. I can’t believe that in today’s society we’d still be saying garbage like that. You probably also think that any woman who owns a dog is gay, and women who own cats are all fat and lonely.
I am also pretty disappointed in Trentboz’s responses too – why SHOULD we have to live within the confines of a very badly written and ill defined law here locally? Especially when we may be following the law and other people think we’re breaking it and come along and try to harass us – ie – we’re exercising our dogs off leash on crown land. And have you all seen the lineups of cars at Long Lake this summer? That to me shows that people WANT to be with their dogs – but the Municipality hates dogs so much they only give us little cracker sized spaces to do it legally offleash – and that is unacceptable as far as I’m concerned.
And I am one person who’s willing to work for change – there’s a local group that’s been formed to work for greater access to legal off leash space – we’re at http://hrmdogpac.ca/ if you want to join up – instead of just thinking that you have to accept what have right now – which is a pittance. Did you know that in Calgary there are over 1,000 off leash dog spaces? Here in Halifax we something slightly over 12. And the City that’s just fine. Well I for one, DON’T.