Does your county have exception to leash laws for dog that will recall on command?

Question

My county code prohibits dogs "at large" (loose) but the code excepts "any dog performing under the immediate direction and control of the person responsible for the dog or an agent or employee of the person. Typically, the test of such control is whether the dog will perform a recall on the first command. However, a separate ordinance requires leashes in parks where dogs are not prohibited (they're prohibited in most of the developed parks). It's not clear whether the exception in the code applies to the ordinance as well.

Either way, I'm not asking for legal advice for my county which you wouldn't know about anyway! I just want to know how it is in your county. What are the requirements for dogs in public areas around the county? Are there any exceptional areas on public opens spaces (obviously private land and public buildings are different)?

Answer 1

HA I wish! No my county strictly does not allow any dog at large. It's enforced with officers on bikes!

Answer 2

No one really regulates the leash law around here. Many dogs are let off lead, while some owners are smart enough to know that their dog is not well-behaved enough to be set free. Unfortunately, I've only met three dogs off lead that have done well- a Black Lab, a German Short Haired Pointer, and an Old English Bulldogge. I've had bad encounters with two Black Labs, some sort of huge white mixed dog, and a Finnish Lapphund, all of which attacked my AmStaff/Whippet mix and broke skin while we were on walks. One of the Black Labs had an owner chasing after it, and the huge white thing had broken it's chain.



I think that people need to keep their dogs on leash unless they know for sure without a doubt that the dog will come back on first recall. Because of the people who had not trained their dogs to come back, I now have a dog who's terrified and reactive to big dogs. Every time she was attacked, I had to carry Rock above my head and run away as fast as I could from the attacking dogs.



Basically, if you aren't 10009% sure that your dog will listen to your recall, then keep it on a leash at all times. Just because I have a "pit mix" does not mean that because your huge furry dog that my dog stands no chance to winning against comes up and sinks it's jaws into her skinny Whippet body, that does not mean I'm in more trouble for a dog fight. Yes, Rock will fight back- it's in her nature. But, at least my dog is ON A LEASH and I can PULL HER OUT OF A FIGHT. I have carried my dog away as she's bleeding on my shirt because of some idiot's uncontrolled dog.



(this is turning into kind of a rant, isn't it?) That said, if you do have control of your dog and your dog is not reactive towards other people, dogs, wild animals, etc, then feel free to let it off leash and go play fetch in the park. That is fine with me. I know I can't let Rock off lead because she's become so reactive to big dogs (and pretty much everyone around me has a big dog) and also because she is mostly Whippet and will be gone before even a race horse can catch up to her.



What I'm saying is (and I am saying a lot... sorry) you need to be responsible.

Answer 3

My area doesnt have any leash laws except that dogs must always be under full control of their handler and that aggressive dogs must be muzzled when off leash. Thats just for roads and streets and cycle tracks and fields though. Obviously when they are in the town centre where all the shops are and where there are lots of people there is a law that all dogs must be leashed but they tend to be lax on that if the dog is walking right to heel then they dont bother you.

Answer 4

Sounds exactly my counties leash law, dogs in public parks are not permitted off leash regardless of recall or not but I think there is an exception to "service dogs". I dropped my dogs leash and had her in a down stay outside our local dog park and called her to me (I was about to take the CGC) the animal control officer pulled me to the side and proceeded to read me the riot act telling me my dog was running all over the park, I said I'm sorry she was not I had her in a down stay (he didn't care), however, if the dog was in my yard under control of my voice she would be allowed off leash. So yes, my leash law is identical to yours.

Answer 5

In my county a waiver needs to be obtained for a specific time and place in order to perform off leash training, obedience matches and trials. Other than that unless your are in a county sanctioned off leash dog park your dog must be leashed at all time regardless of how well trained they are.