My friend's dog got shot by a regular policeman at the park because he was trotting over to say hello. He's the kindest big dog you'd ever done met too! Of course, when we were on campus that big oaf still sat on me cast and all making me late for classes. He's still alive and licking!

I regularly walk my three dogs (two labs and French brittany) off leash and at heal while in town. I usually have the leashes with me in case things get too busy. The animal control guy was out scraping up a road killed cat when he spotted me. He was a self-pontificating arse and really tried to jack me up claiming the dogs were out in the road. At that point I drew the line. And very sternly. "I may be wrong in the eyes of the law but there is no need for you to lie to justify your actions. Just give me the gawdam tickets if you want to and leave it at that." He shut up and dropped it. He also insisted that I get city licenses for the dogs and I simply told him it wouldn't make any difference because I refused to have those stupid oversized tags hanging from my dogs necks. They are noisy and they get caught in stuff, particularly my chain link fence (almost lost our previous brown lab). I pointed out that the ID strips safely rivitted to their collars provide all the information necessary to get them safely returned (as opposed to the stupid city tags which only have the dog's registration number and phone for the pound). Again, I told him to go ahead and give me a citation and we could discuss the utility and safety issues before a city judge. That was the end of that discussion.

As to dogs chasing the ducks and geese in city park: here they have been hiring a gal from outside town with a couple of border collies specifically for the purpose of harrassing the geese. It's so bad here that I believe the city authorities would give my dogs a medal if I'd let them chase the birds. Our city beaches are usually closed most of the summer due to comtamination from bird crap.

I really cannot argue with the city's policy of insisting that dogs be on leash in the parks ... at least the parks that are congested. We have several large green space areas in town that aren't heavily used and most of us let our dogs run out there (under control of course). However, in the more heavily used parks things would be quite difficult if everybody's dog was off leash. And I can appreciate that it is difficult for folks to see others with their dogs off leash and not be able to let their own useless uncontrollable mutts run around. My dogs are only off leash in the beach parks while they are swimming. If it's not too busy, I'll let them run off leash from the parking lot to the beach to go swimming and back to the car when we're done. The police are usually about the area and they haven't said anything yet.

Having worked for the US Park Service for most of thirty years I will be the first to say that "brains and good judgment" are definitely in short order in that branch of the government! I recall the flap that occurred in Alaska when I refused to become involved in a full blown haz-mat response to an outboard motor with a blown oil line. The boat was parked in a veritable blind alley full of grizzly bears (24/7!!) and the motor's crank case only held ONE QUART OF OIL!! Like I should risk my life to erect encirclement pontoons and throw out absorbing diapers for a quart of oil! C'mon people! Got written up for that one. Seven days later and the boat was still sitting at the landing leaking oil. Why didn't they just trailer it and take it to the shop? Well, if they'd done that the head of law enforcement there would not have been able to add haz-mat response experience to her resume. Yep, the above story of the taser slinging ranger doesn't surprise me at all. I do hope the media exposure leads to some changes but I'm not very optimistic. It hasn't in the past.

My dog was picked up just yesterday for not having any tags. I had to make a trip to doggy prison and pay a bit of ransom for his release. Not knowing what to expect, I found the doggy police playing with him in their office. It was so much fun, my dog did not want to leave. The doggy police gave me some pointers on updating his chip information and sent me on my way.

its nice to live in the country in wisconsin. i take my dog for walks and training to the local county forest every day. noboby cares if dogs are off leash as long as you can call the dog back to you. i have had people stop their biking or running to pe and play with my dog.

i have had one bad experience. on a trail that goes around a trout lake in the northern highland state forest i had a lady go nuts because my dog was on the trail. my dog was on a leash and was wet and i actually carried the dog passed them and still got yelled at by her. there is a small "no pets" sign at the trailhead (which i knew about). however i have been fishing the lake and hiking the trail for well over 10 years. i have never been yelled at for having a dog and have seen tons of people with dogs back there. every year i guy would trout fish off shore and let his labs swim around.

it kind of ticks me off dogs aren't allowed on the trail. especially since it is state forest paid for by people who hunt and fish. dogs should be allowed on all public pieces of hunting land in my opinion

Hey Chad,
Thanks for the plug. Just to correct one thing you mentioned...Both my sporting books "A Hunter's Road" and "The Sporting Road" are still in print, available from Amazon and other booksellers.

Most rules and laws are in place for a very good reason. If one disagrees with a law you can work through your democratically elected representatives to change it. But. If a police officer tells you to do something and you ignore him you just have to be ready to take the a** whuppin you might get, these days that includes tasers.

In a perfect world an officer doesn't administer justice in the form of physical punishment. In this world it happens.

To the greater question of dogs in public spaces there are very good wildlife management as well as practical issues as to why dogs are not allowed in many parks or forests. In heavily used areas there is the issue of feces. These days I see much feces left in little bags, for public servants to pick up I guess. In many states a dog chasing game or livestock may be destroyed by any officer. Hiking trails even with dog rules are usually devoid of ground nesting song birds and small mammals.

Typically the last thing a policeman or game officer wants to do is give someone a warning or fine for a dog violation. Why not make it easier on all involved and either leave the dog home, or take it to special areas designated for training of bird dogs and dog parks.