Leash laws?

Do you obey your local leash laws?

  • Always

    Votes: 25 64.1%
  • Sometimes--Not when we're in quiet areas or on a short walk around the neighborhood

    Votes: 14 35.9%
  • Rarely--I don't usually leash my dog

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Never---I don't think my dog needs a leash.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    39

Gempress

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#1
Rather than hijack that Dreeza's thread any further, I thought I'd start another thread about leash laws.

Out of sheer curiosity, what are the leash laws in your area? I was also wondering how many people actually obeyed their leash laws, so I posted an anonymous poll.

In my city, a dog is required to be on-leash whenever it's off the owner's property. However, the law says nothing about fences. A boundary-trained dog can run around loose in an unfenced yard all day long, and it's perfectly legal as long as the dog doesn't leave the property. The law also doesn't specify leash length.

I obey the leash law, but I wish more people would. I have had a LOT of problems in my neighborhood with off-leash dogs harassing the Horsemen. It's really frustrating, especially when I'm working so hard to keep Voodoo's mild (and still manageable) dog aggression from developing into something major. Every time he's harassed, it makes my task a lot harder.
 

Debi

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#2
PA has a leash law. now...it is rural here, but the township supervisor is a neighbor and he tells me according to PA law a dog must be tied even if fenced. well...I'm not buying that. however, I suppose IF it is the law...then if someone comes into their fenced yard and gets attacked, I'll have a nifty lawsuit on my hands. (I now have locks for when they are in their fenced area) I walk my dogs on leash only, even tho they could be running wonderfully free in the woods. but not because of leash laws, it's because If..If...they wandered too far, they could be shot. that's the way dogs are dealt with around here. I'd be dragging behind them the entire way if they took off just because I'd risk my own injury before ever..ever letting them off leash.
 

GipsyQueen

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#3
^ Wouldn't it be their fault though if they get attacked - since they are trespassing?

Hm well I'm not going to say that my dog is always on a leash - because we don't have a leash law, only in some areas where there are signs, there she gets put on her leash. If we are walking in the fields or forest She's free to roam as long as she stays close and doesn't wander off. If I call and she doesn't listen, she gets put on her leash.
 
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#4
I always obey leash laws, but like I've mentioned before, with most Huskies, you kinda have to if you want to keep your dog around LOL That being said though, sometimes I technically break the leash law. Here the law states the maximum length of leash allowed off the property is 6ft. But sometimes if I'm gonna head to the trails to walk, I have the boys on their longe lines. I keep the lines short when walking around streets on the way to the trail of course though.
 

Lizmo

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#7
I'm not completely sure we have any. I've seen TONS of loose dogs and nothing is done about it (in town).

But at certain parks there are signs that ask for dogs to be on leash - and we obey them.
 

Debi

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#8
^ Wouldn't it be their fault though if they get attacked - since they are trespassing?

Hm well I'm not going to say that my dog is always on a leash - because we don't have a leash law, only in some areas where there are signs, there she gets put on her leash. If we are walking in the fields or forest She's free to roam as long as she stays close and doesn't wander off. If I call and she doesn't listen, she gets put on her leash.
you'd think..logically...but, no. it would be my problem IF that is the law. it's the same as the laws of property. say...my steps are broken. a would-be burgular tries to break in, falls thru my poorly maintained steps and breaks a leg. yes..you guessed it...I am responsible for his fall..his care..his possible law suit. even if he was trying to break in when it happened. I'd be also responsible if someone were tresspassing on a quad..or bike...and I had a dangerous obstruction that they ran into. it helps to post 'no trespassing' signs, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are free from liability. property laws are often misunderstood by homeowners. it is overwhelming as to what you may be held accountable for. sooo...unless my dogs are IN THE HOUSE..and someone is coming in to do possible harm (and believe me, according to law..they better be shown to be inside...like gun laws), then ANY dog bite is my problem. hence...the locks on their yard. at least I'd have that to argue if someone still had the knucklehead idea to climb over the fence. for what THAT would be worth in court...............crazy world we live in.
 

Labra

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#9
Always.

Frankly, the irresponsible individuals who think that leash laws are theirs to interpret do not deserve to own a dog.
 

RD

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#10
We don't have a leash law where I live, since it's a semi-rural area. Only a mention of unsupervised dogs at large, I believe.

I obey the leash law in the city, but I'm not a fanatic about it. I'll unhook the leash for training sessions in quiet or residential areas, but as soon as we get close to a road again it goes back on.
 

bnwalker2

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#11
From our local laws:

It is a Class C infraction for an owner to allow his dog to stray beyond his premises, unless under the reasonable control of some person or when engaged in lawful hunting accompanied by the owner or custodian.
It goes on to say that this means the dog must be leashed when off of your property. Now I see dogs running loose all the time and no one does anything about it. But when we leave our property, the dogs are leashed at all times. Even though Thunder is excellent off leash, I still follow the laws.
 

*Amy*

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#12
It's nice to see that so far 75% of the people on here follow leash laws. :)
 

jess2416

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#13
Responsibilities of owner to control dog.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person owning or having possession, charge, care, custody or control of any dog to fail to keep such dog exclusively upon his own premises, or on the private premises of another with prior consent provided, however, a dog may leave such premises only if:
(1) A dog is under restraint by virtue of being in the custody of a competent person and held by a leash, chain, or other device of sufficient strength to maintain control of the dog by that person;
(2) A dog is under direct control by virtue of being held within a secure enclosure;
(3) A dog is engaged in organized hunting activities on private property with the consent of the owner of the property.
Thats Ours ^^
 
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#14
I do always. Unless we are out in the woods, away from people and roads. Like at the dog park, it is also partof a trail system that connects to 3 (maybe even 4) other towns. Plus it has picnic areas, baseball diamonds/football/socce fields ect. Its a very big place. On weekends I dont normally walk the trails with him offleash as I know this is when families with kids are out and about there. During the week I dont obey it as it is pretty much a unwritten rule that dogs are allowed off leash up there during the week I normally go at around 2pm, have been going at the same time every day for 8 months and I know now that there is no one else except dog owners walking at those times. I obey them in town 100% like I said in another thread, I thnk it is rude not to obey them in a town/city area. Out int he woods IMO aslong as it is safe and you know you will not disturb any one is fine to me. Dogs do need a good run off leash, espeacially some breeds like mine, a 20 min walk does nothing for my dog.
 

SizzleDog

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#15
Our leash law is as follows... and I follow it perfectly:

(1) At large means any animal off the premises of its owner and on other premises against the wishes of the person in posession of such other premises or upon the public streets, alleys, public grounds, school grounds or parks within the city. And animal shall not be deemed at large is:
(a) the animal is on the owner's property or a neighbor's property with that neighbor's consent; or
(b) the animal is confined in a cage or motor vehicle; or
(c) the animal is restrained by a leash of sufficient strength to control its action; or
(d) a dog is actively engaged in training or dog obedience, for hunting ot for other sercive under continual control of his owner or trainer provided that the owner or trainer is conducting the training in an open public area, is not endangering other users or animals in the area, has the dog within 30 yards anf under contunial voice control and has in his/her posession a dog leash appropriate to control the dog.
 

Debi

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#16
one thing I will just add.....I don't appreciate anyone that lets their dog run. we may be rural, but there should be a common courtesy about it. IF your dog can run solely in the woods.....great. if they are sure to wander into someone's yard and lay in their flowers (that would be my experience), then shame on you! and...for those that let their dog off leash in a neighborhood...then paleeeeese make sure you are aware if they potty in someone's yard. we may be rural, but it is horrible to find a 'gift'. how do I know for sure it isn't my dogs? because I'm very strict as to where I walk them. I know you may think your watching...but if they are ahead of you, you may miss something that will make your neighbor frown. I've had harsh words with a man down the road for letting his lab roam. it isn't the 'marking' on my every tree........it is that my dogs are aggressive to other animals in their territory. will I train them to be different...no. it's THEIR yard, so I expect respect for just that. use a leash.
 

Gempress

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#17
Our leash law is as follows... and I follow it perfectly:

(1) At large means any animal off the premises of its owner and on other premises against the wishes of the person in posession of such other premises or upon the public streets, alleys, public grounds, school grounds or parks within the city. And animal shall not be deemed at large is:
(a) the animal is on the owner's property or a neighbor's property with that neighbor's consent; or
(b) the animal is confined in a cage or motor vehicle; or
(c) the animal is restrained by a leash of sufficient strength to control its action; or
(d) a dog is actively engaged in training or dog obedience, for hunting ot for other sercive under continual control of his owner or trainer provided that the owner or trainer is conducting the training in an open public area, is not endangering other users or animals in the area, has the dog within 30 yards anf under contunial voice control and has in his/her posession a dog leash appropriate to control the dog.
I like your leash laws. It makes allowances for trained dogs.
 
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#18
I couldn't vote, because mine would be somewhere between answers 1 and 2. Walking around the neighborhood, always on a leash. Going from the house to the car, pups are always on a leash, Loki sometimes goes on her own unless there are unreasonable distractions present. For normal walks, I use a leash. When practicing obedience or weight pull, or when swimming at the lake, no leash.
 

Zoom

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#19
For the most part. Walking around town, or through the halls even, dogs are always on a leash, even though Sawyer is quite trained. Too many things can happen. Now if we're just going from the car to my door, then I'll sometimes let them loose. We stick to the off-leash sections of the park, though since they've started doing construction and moved us to a dinky balldiamon backed with woods, we'll sometimes go for a quick off-leash hike through the woods if no one else is out. I always have leashes with me though and both dogs are fully under voice command when in the woods.

But in residential areas, always leashed. Too many idiot drivers. When on leash, the dogs only have a 2 foot radius anyway unless we've stopped to potty.
 
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#20
Always, Buster keeps trying to eat Bostons and Pugs.

If we ever get up into the mountains, perhaps not, but I'd have to have the time to find him if he cases a deer, because I know he won't come back ;)
 

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