Doggone It

I remember the autumnal breeze seeping through my jacket as I walked my dog last year around my neighborhood. Though it was a populous area, we rarely came across other walkers. However, today as my dog and I rounded a bend, another dog came charging up to us without a leash. There wasn’t an owner in sight. The dog was a tall, bulky husky, and its hackles rose up as it sniffed my surprised and cautious dog. They circled one another slowly, silently communicating. The tense moment ended quickly after the owner came into view and said, “Oh, it’s fine. He’s nice.” That statement irked me then, and it still doesn’t sit well.

Dog Fancy (now Dogster) Magazine rated Bozeman the second most dog-friendly city in the U.S. in 2012. Robby Korth wrote, “The publication cited the myriad outdoor activities and effectiveness of the Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter’s operations in the area.” In the same article, Heart of the Valley stated there were approximately 22,000 dogs in Bozeman. Heart of the Valley alone serviced roughly 1,520 dogs compared with the Montana state average of 829, and the national average of 1,555, as claimed by the Shelter Animals Count website for 2018. The Valley is teeming with a wide variety of people and canines hitting the streets for exercise and entertainment. Since Bozeman is such an outdoorsy city, I’m not surprised by the amount of people walking neighborhood sidewalks or driving out to crowded nature zones and parks to hike with their four-legged companions. That being said, this means there are a lot of owners out walking their dogs off-leash.

The husky didn’t attack my dog that day, but I work at a vet clinic where dogs often come in for treatment after they are attacked by an off-leash dog. At best, the outcome is a wound in need of a few stitches. At worst, the attacked animal succumbs to their injuries and passes away. The Bozeman city website constructs a valid point. “Leashes are required in the city limits for dogs and cats. Although many feel their pets would never run off without a leash, animals can be very unpredictable around strangers or other animals if confronted.” People cannot fully know how their dog will react in every situation with every animal. San Francisco veterinarian, Dr. Eric Barchas, echoes my thoughts in another Dogster issue, “Screaming that your dog is friendly when he scampers up to strangers is no guarantee of safety. Often it’s the mark of an irresponsible owner.”

There are many reasons an owner walking their dog on a leash would not want a dog to come up to them uninvited. Perhaps their dog has a contagious illness, a serious wound or condition, or is leash-reactive. Maybe they simply don’t want to be bothered by an unscheduled doggy play date.

A large portion of Bozeman dog owners love walking and hiking with their dogs off leash, and they have every right to enjoy that freedom when their dog is well-behaved and friendly to passing people and their animals. If you are lucky enough to have such a dog, then I wholeheartedly celebrate your desire to exercise that privilege. However, I simply ask that people remember that there is an appropriate time and place for everything. Keep your dog on a leash around town and leash-restricted hikes, and only let them off leash in specially designated areas. We should all get to walk our dogs anxiety-free.