What's up with all the irresponsible dog owners? Owners like Tom Westgard who insist on letting his dogs roam off-leash and jump on people. Or the lady I ran into today. She tied her new puppy to the door of the Chicago Red-Eye box while she went to the currency exchange at the Morse Avenue EL. You know the boxes with free papers. Well, as I walked by with COTA this morning, her pup wanted to get a closer sniff-sniff at COTA. From my many 'pet to pet' observations, all dogs like to do that. Seeing the 'Red EYE' box door isn't secure, the door extended 2 feet, allowing her puppy more of a extension. This just freaked the puppy out with the red door moving up and down on the spring. And then, out came the lady running and screaming at me - "You bitch, you bitch!" She went on and on with the colorful language for 30 seconds. Getting louder and louder. Suddenly, I fired back, giving her a lecture about her irresponsibility as a dog owner. It was her who left the puppy unattended and tied to a movable object on a major transportation hub. That was just plain dumb. But it didn't sink in. To her, I was just a bitch.
BLOGNOTES: After three police warnings, yes three, including one warning at this out door roll call, I went downtown to get my city tag for COTA this week. Now I'm legal with this city ordinance and the police can find someone else to warn about no dog tags.
9 comments:
I'm in agreement, to a point. Dogs need to be on leash. Period. No exceptions, none of this "but they're under my control" crap. We have two dogs. My girlfriend grew up with dogs. I grew up with dogs. Dogs get distracted by shiny things, what's in your pocket, what's in the street, rabbits, squirrels, other dogs, etc. It's just not safe for dogs to be off leash. Dogs are not people and are not capable of high reasoning. Everybody thinks they own the one dog that will never attack anybody or run into the street, or scare the crap out of some little kid, and it's invariably untrue.
Beyond all of that, IT'S RUDE. Not everybody likes dogs. Some people are terrified of them. Dogs don't get that running up to somebody can freak them out. It's not fair to other people, and it's just as bad as people with their stupid screaming kids in restaurants, letting them go wild and crazy and jump all over everything.
That being said, dude, did you really call the cops because Westguard's dogs looked at you funny? Come on...seems like you both could use some training on how to be good neighbors.
Dogs like to run and I like to let my dogs off the leash, but not when there are crowds of people having bbqs or swimming at the beach.
To me, it's sad that a dog has to always be on a leash and never run around. Dogs are people too and deserve some fun for heavens sake.
We live in a city in close quarters and people own dogs. If someone has an irrational fear of them, why must every dog suffer for it?
Unfortunately, some rogue owners that don't exercise restraint ruin things for responsible dog owners.
Or dogs are "legal" (meaning we get shots & licenses) but this year we are behind schedule. I need to get them to the vet this month.
Some cities have enclosed areas designated for dogs to run free amongst themselves. If we don't have a place in Roger Park for those who bark, then maybe some should try to petition. Otherwise, there are a few children who are petrified of dogs in the neighborhood. Some children who are even allergic to the slobber, turn red, and 'welt up' from it, among other things.
The sad part is that these children fear, but like 'cuddly dudley.' It is their bodies that cannot take it. Good neighbors care. Use discretion with your dog.
It seems like there is a need for a little more appreciation of all the issues.
Reminds me of the time I see a young urban pioneer walking down the street following her leash free dog. I warned her that not only was it against the law to let your dog roam unleashed, it wasn't very smart as the dog could become distracted, dash into the street and get hit by a car. Not to worry she replied, her dog was trained and would never do something as stupid as that. You can guess the rest. As she finished her ridiculous lecture to me about her "trained" dog, he ran into the street after another dog that was walking across the street, was struck by a car and killed. If it wasn't for the fact that I love dogs, I would have started laughing at her but I felt so bad for the little pooch I couldn't do it. Moral of the story is that ALL dogs needed to be leashed no matter what the law says.
Dog owners in Chicago can be extremely arrogant (nmo, not all), as I have stated before, dogs owners seem to think its their right to let dogs piss on anyones parkway, and destroy their lawn work or frontage, but yet the same owners are outraged at anything like trash in planters in public spaces.
I think irresponsible dog owners include those who won't clean up after them. I ran into that at a city park I kept stepping in poop in a grassy field.
Oh and that lady was an idiot. Perhaps her patronizing a Currency Exchange clinched it.
I agree with al iverson. . . having a pet out of control in public is as bad as people who won't supervise their kids.
I see more and more dog owners allowing their pets to run free in parks and on the streets. I had to rescue a little girl from a dog a few years ago. The dog kept jumping up on her and she was very afraid. The dog nipped her before I pushed it away. I don't need attitude from dog owners who take offense when asked to control their pets. I need them to keep them on leashes when they are in public, as well as clean up behind them.
Irresponsible dog owners abound in this city, most particularly those who ironically care about them so much, they elect to leave them unattended for hours on end in tiny apartments...left to bark continuously for the enjoyment of us left to work from our homes all day, let alone try to talk on the phone to a client without a chorus in the background. Another irony, those dog owners who leave their pets unattended for hours on end in back yards and porches, left to once again bark continuously at anything that moves. Dogs do not belong in apts, left alone while one goes off to work all day, or tiny anything...they require constant attention, large spaces, and should definately be leashed at all times in public areas. And please, why cant these so called responsible owners pick up after their pets...one shouldnt have to navigate the sidewalks, and parks with constant attention to ones feet in fear of stepping on landmines...its happened more than once.
Would you want your children playing on a beach infested with that?...its out there...
I'm all for people enjoying whatever pet they like best, but its not fair to ask everyone else to feel the same...living in a city requires much more attention to respect of privacy and your neighbor than having a home with a big yard in the middle of the burbs. Please allow those without dogs to have their peace and quiet too.
Jocelyn - Dogs are not people.
If you have not notice, dogs are everywhere. If everyone let their dog run amok like you, how the heck are the people who cannot be or rather not be around dogs able to leave their homes?
I hope one day you have a neighbour who has a pet you are scare shitless about. And I hope that neighbour feels it is his right to let his pet run freely around the hood.
That would be a well deserved taste of your own medicine.
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