Dog on a leash

[raymond6751]

I almost got into a fight today with a biker over my dog not being on a leash. I've been walking dogs here since '92, in the woods beside our river. Everyone does, no leashes.

Then two summers back the city paved the path, put a yellow line down the center and the bikers showed up. Now they won't slow down, won't sound off, and give us trouble.

My dog was greeting two others on the left side of the path. This guy and his wife stopped their bikes and gave us impatient looks. I said, "you could go around, you know?" He says the dogs have to be on a leash and the next time he sees me, I'd better have it on leash."

You can imagine my reaction! He gets off his bike, so I get squared off. He takes out his phone and starts taking my picture!! It's to give it to the police, he says!! Off he rode.

[razark]

Where's the "depends on the situation" or "sometimes" option?

[Aktungbby]

Well bottom line, is there a "leash law" or not? On the other hand a bicycle IS a vehical...and failure of a vehical to yield to a pedestrian is also a violation as one poor fellow found out when he rode into me in full kit while in a crosswalk, on the job, in San Francisco: so the game can go both ways.

[Wolferz]

Is it a law or ordinance that your dog be on a leash in that area?

Some people are either scared of dogs or they just don't like them enough to be friends with them. Maybe due to things like the thread showing the dog attacking a child and being chased off by Sylvester the cat or they've been bitten before because they are scared of dogs.

Still, it's funny how some people think they own where they happen to be recreating.

Some friends and I were playing Frisbee golf in a state park not far from here. The course runs through one of the picnic areas and we stopped to rest on a picnic table near other tables that a lady was prepping for a child's birthday party. She took exception to our resting there and came at us like an old hen, even though we assured her that we would move on shortly after one of our party completed a run to the restroom. She still insisted that we vacate immediately or risk an encounter with the rangers. The way she acted, you'd think we were crashing the party and stealing the cake and ice cream.


Just to be on the safe side, put your dog on a leash the next time you use the trail and the yuppie bikers won't have anything to complain about.
If they do, proceed to the parking area and deflate the tires on any car with a bike rack on it.

[Jimbuna]

Always check the council bye laws.

Don't have any woods nearby but we do have a green belt and the bye law states dogs should be under control whilst in a public area.

[Red October1984]

I'm the only one who voted...

 

Voted "Heck, No

[Betonov]

The first part of our regular walk he's on a leash. It's a more populated path.
The other half I let him loose. Depends on the path really.
Can't vote on this one.

About cyclists. They're arrogant little jerks (got a better word but it's NSFW)
But the road cyclists. The one's that have bicycles with the narrow wheels.
The mountain bikers and off hillers are a lot more cooled down. Like live and let live, you won't bother me for cycling down a path you're ascending and I won't be bothered by your dog.

Plus hitting a Labrador with a bike usually ends very badly for the bike. Those dogs are as tough as rocks

[swamprat69er]

Me too. I also have private woods.

[mapuc]

I don't know how the law is regarding leashed or not leashed when walking with your dog in a Forrest in the country where you live

In Sweden the dog has, even if its well trained, to be leashed.

Markus

[razark]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

...the bye law states dogs should be under control whilst in a public area.

But does the law consider "under control" to mean "leash"? The exact phrasing could matter, because what one person considers under control does not necessarily match with another person.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by razark

But does the law consider "under control" to mean "leash"? The exact phrasing could matter, because what one person considers under control does not necessarily match with another person.

Put it this way...if there is an incident and the dog wasn't leashed then it is highly likely the dog would be considered 'not' to be under control.

[Platapus]

In Virginia, there are leash laws. On state and country property, all dogs must be on leashes unless specifically allowed off lead. On Federal land (national parks and such) they are designated off lead areas.

If the woods are privately owned, it would depend on the owner of the land.

However, citing laws is all swell and such, but, if your dog bites (or even threatens to bite) someone, in many jurisdictions it is up to the dog owner to prove that the dog is not a threat.. That is not an easy thing to prove.

"your dog bared its fangs at my child" is a pretty tough thing to disprove. Tie, unfortunately, often goes against the dog.

I always keep my dogs on a leash when out and about. Not because of my dogs but because of other people and other dogs. There are a lot of people who are either afraid of dogs or simply don't like dogs. I really don't want to make myself nor my dog vulnerable so some complaint where I am at a legal disadvantage.

Not fair, not right. But a reality.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by Betonov

About cyclists. They're arrogant little jerks (got a better word but it's NSFW)
But the road cyclists. The one's that have bicycles with the narrow wheels.

Hey, that's me!

But you're unlikely to find anyone on a road bike anywhere other than smooth tarmac (as smooth as it can be when they don't fix the potholes until they're the size of a dinner plate), any trails through woods is highly likely to be avoided. And, whilst they can go slow (indeed they should if on a shared path), it does increase the fall-off-ability, particularly if you're using cleats (attach shoes to the pedals - not easy to get out quickly).

[fireftr18]

I didn't vote. It really depends on the circumstances. In general, if I know there will be a lot of people, or a high potential for the dog getting in trouble, then I leash. If not, then, no leash. Near my house is a public lake designated for water dog training. We had a lab, so we spent many hours there with her having fun swimming and chasing training floats. Around my house, no one cared, so she was on her own along with rest of the neighborhood dogs.

Well bottom line, is there a "leash law" or not? On the other hand a bicycle IS a vehical...and failure of a vehical to yield to a pedestrian is also a violation as one poor fellow found out when he rode into me in full kit while in a crosswalk, on the job, in San Francisco: so the game can go both ways.

That hits the core of the issue, a bicycle is a vehicle, a cycle lane is designated for use by vehicles.
It appears from the OP that this is a clearly marked cycle lane.
A road is used by vehicles, would the OP have his dog on the road without a leash?
No real difference is there?
So lets weigh it to see if the complaint makes sense
I was on the sidewalk , my dog went in the road to greet some dogs, people using the road objected that my dog was in their way, they could have gone round the dog, what is wrong with these drivers?
On balance the complaint seems to make no sense.
.