Dear Polly,
Lately, it seems like every week somebody is posting about a loose dog on Facebook.
One neighbor had chickens attacked. Another lost a cat. I’ve heard stories about people being afraid to walk in their own neighborhoods.
Whenever someone asks who to call, the answer seems to be different depending on who you talk to. Some people say call the county. Others say call the city. Meanwhile, the dog is still running loose.
It’s not just dogs, either. We seem to have more stray cats than ever, and there are neighborhoods where pets roam freely without leashes or fences.
I love animals. Most people around here do. But I also think pet owners have a responsibility to keep their animals safe and under control.
Am I the only one worried about this?
— Dog Tired
Dear Dog Tired,
You’re definitely not the only one worried.
The truth is, most loose dogs aren’t bad dogs. They’re usually somebody’s pet that slipped out of a gate, squeezed through a fence, or wandered farther than their owner realized.
Unfortunately, a friendly dog and a dangerous situation can look exactly the same from the other side of the street.
A dog running loose doesn’t know whether it’s approaching a child, a senior citizen, another pet, or livestock. All it knows is that it’s having an adventure. The people and animals it encounters may experience something very different.
The same goes for cats. While many people enjoy seeing them around town, large stray populations can create challenges for neighborhoods, wildlife, and the animals themselves.
This isn’t really a government problem first. It’s a community problem first.
Good fences, secure gates, collars with identification, leashes, spaying and neutering, and responsible ownership prevent far more problems than any ordinance ever will.
Most people trust their pets, and with good reason. But accidents happen, gates get left open, and even well-behaved animals can find themselves in situations that put themselves or others at risk.
Woodruff has always been a town that looks out for one another. Looking out for one another also means looking after our animals.
Because at the end of the day, nobody wants to see a pet injured, a neighbor frightened, or a child afraid to ride a bicycle down their own street.
That’s just being a good neighbor.
— Polly
