Dog owners, watch out. My Ballard reports that the Seattle Animal Shelter and Parks Department are cracking down on pet-owners who let their pooches loose in unofficial off-leash areas, especially city parks. The agency's top 10 list of worst offender sites includes Volunteer Park, Green Lake Park, West Queen Anne Playfield and Gilman Playfield. On the weekend of Feb. 21, the Ballard News-Tribune reports that 14 citations were issued. Fines for dogs let loose on the beach can reach a crippling $500. Ouch. I definitely see the need for these rules, but I wish there were more places around here where dogs could legally roam free - especially on the beach (where they're not allowed at all).
Says Maria in comments: "GOOD! I'm glad they're cracking down on off-leash dogs. My dog is leash aggresive and hates it when he's on a leash and he's approach by another dog who is not. It's really stressful for us who are following the rules and using a leash to have to run off dogs that are not leashed."
Says Maria in comments: "GOOD! I'm glad they're cracking down on off-leash dogs. My dog is leash aggresive and hates it when he's on a leash and he's approach by another dog who is not. It's really stressful for us who are following the rules and using a leash to have to run off dogs that are not leashed."
GOOD! I'm glad they're cracking down on off-leash dogs. My dog is leash aggresive and hates it when he's on a leash and he's approach by another dog who is not. It's really stressful for us who are following the rules and using a leash to have to run off dogs that are not leashed.
Finally! Millions spent on off leash areas no one but dog owners can use, and they will not. I get tired of being chased and told'oh he won't bite' BS! They leave their waste for kids to find. More patrols at Woodlawn please.
can they please come over to Downtown Bellevue Park, I attempted to lodge a complaint but I got the runaround. The dogs rove in pack in the summer, yeah they are tiny little sh*t dogs but that is what they do and the owners just giggle when the little dogs piss on your jacket or bag that you laid on the ground.
I agree with the previous comments: it's about time. But how about if we, who have been harrassed by unleashed dogs, advocate for ourselves by saying, "please comply with the leash law."
Why the heck can't dogs be on beaches?
GoMoJo: I wondered this too! I just called the city parks department to find out. Their spokesperson says it's been in Seattle municipal codes since the 1970s. The reason is environmental. When dogs are on shore, they can disturb nesting shorebirds and damage sensitive shorelines, particularly in areas where salmon are migrating.
The seattle authorities (and readers of this blog) are way too uptight. I'm currently in London after 4 years in Seattle, where everyone lets their dogs off-leash in the parks and there are no problems. Dogs get the exercise they need and so do their owners. The offleash areas in Seattle invite the bigger dogs to come barrelling over to my little terriers to "socialize" scaring the crap out of all of us. I think in Portland and Petaluma, CA, all parks are offleash between 6-9 am; no one else is using the parks at these times.
Katherine: Thanks for checking into that!
Good. I hope they keep cracking down. For some reason dog owners think they're the only people who matter in the universe. Not only that, but they're completely oblivious about the pollution they cause.
Unfortunately there are some dog owners who give us all a bad name. There are responsible dog owners out there, who can control their dogs off-leash better than some can control their dogs on-leash. Not every dog owner can use dog parks crammed full with rude dogs, especially those of us with dogs who have personal space issues. Sure, penalize those who can't control their dogs and don't scoop their poop, but don't group all dog owners into that group. My dogs are perfectly well-behaved off-leash anywhere and cause no problems. And to those of you out there who don't have perfect verbal control over your dogs at all times, do not let them off-leash!
As a mail carrier in the city of Tacoma I was attacked by a dog off its leash today. I am very upset by the fact that the owner blamed me for jiggling my keys making the dog aware of my presence. All I could do to protect myself from this dog as it charged full speed toward me was to take my key chain and whack the dog in the head. I fell to the ground after losing my balance, cut my fingers badly, and was cussed at by the dog owner for jiggling my keys. I am so angry that I wish dogs were banned from city parks, or at least make the violation of leash laws more serious! What if I had my toddler with me? Would it still be "my fault" if the dog attacked my kid? Dog owners who think their beasts are equal to or more important than humans should not be allowed to keep pets.
I just got badly bitten by one of two loose unleashed dogs just a few moments after I advised the owner his dogs must be kept on a leash at all times.
Police report, pictures, doctors visits, and a tetnus shot.
This should run the settlement up to a few grand.
The guy was a complete jerk about the whole thing too and just drove away (I got truck Lic#), so I won't feel bad at all when he has to pay court costs and my lost work days @ $33.00 an hour rate plus pain and suffering.
Advice to dog owners, keep the dog(s) leashed!
I guess that to get the home loans from creditors you ought to have a firm reason. However, one time I have received a bank loan, because I wanted to buy a building.