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My neighbor told me recently that she has given up walking her young, active dog because she is afraid of all the loose dogs in the neighborhood.

Me too.

It is both frustrating and potentially dangerous to walk a dog on a leash in an area where careless owners allow their dogs to run loose. A confrontation between a loose dog and one on a leash is statistically more likely to end in a fight; since you’re on the other end of that leash, you may well get injured in the process. And then let’s think about the fact that children are often the ones to take the family dog for a walk, which means loose dogs can put children at risk. Not to mention that loose pets are at risk of injury from cars, humans, and other animals.

In my case, Bumble is so small that when a loose dog shows up, I just pick him up. He’s pretty quiet and not terribly observant, so I’ve never had a problem getting him away from a loose dog. But Bunny, his predecessor, would make so much noise that every dog on the street wanted to come see. There were occasional incidents, stemming largely from Bunny’s total lack of comprehension that she weighed 20 pounds of pudgy fluff. Of course, if the other dogs had been on leashes too, there would have been no problem.

So what can you do about loose dogs in your neighborhood? That depends on how hard a line you want to take. You COULD try having a friendly chat in which you remind the owner about the existence of leash laws. (Most places have them.) But to be perfectly honest, I don’t recommend that route. People who are careless enough to let a dog run loose in a neighborhood are unlikely to be responsive to that approach.

Here’s what I suggest:

1. Notify your homeowner’s association. Most neighborhoods with an HOA have strict rules governing pets running loose. Sometimes a nasty letter from the HOA is enough to make a careless owner comply.
2. Call Animal Control and file a complaint. (One family in my neighborhood suddenly developed the miraculous ability to confine their large, aggressive dog after receiving a fine of $100 for allowing the animal to run loose one time too many.)
3. If it’s after hours, call local law enforcement. They can write tickets to people who do not follow the law – even the leash law.

To get the best results, make sure you have a description of the dog, details of its behavior, and the street address where you believe it lives. Pictures or video of the animal running loose are helpful, too.

If this seems harsh, remember: loose dogs are a risk to you, your pets, and your kids, as well as a major liability to their owners. And even though those owners won’t see it that way, you’re doing them – and their dog – a favor.

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