To the editor:
On a recent stroll around Flint’s Pond, I met a woman taking two young dogs for a walk. They were about knee-high with short brown hair, long-legged and skinny—perhaps whippets, although I am not sure of the breed. The dogs, which were not on a leash, charged toward me, ignoring the owner’s futile efforts to assert control.
One dog ran past me, and while I watched to see what the second would do, the first turned around, leaped up and sank its teeth into my upper arm—hard enough to break the skin in five places through my shirt and create severe bruising that will take weeks to heal.
“Ow! That damn dog bit me,” I yelled.
The dogs were both in front of me now but I kept them at bay by threatening to kick them. I never took my eyes off them while I told the owner to “get those f***ing dogs out of here.”
I didn’t stop to talk to the owner. Perhaps she would have apologized, but why give the dogs another chance to attack? Last time an owner tried to “introduce me” to her dog, the animal seized the opportunity to bite me.
I have had too many encounters with aggressive dogs on my frequent walks around town not to be wary of any animal not on a leash. In the 10 years I have lived here, dogs have bitten me on several occasions so I have developed both vocal and physical defenses to minimize the risk of attack. Today, those tactics were of no avail.
I understand that dog owners want to let their animals wander freely in the woods without a leash. Most owners keep their dogs under proper control, too. But some do not, and those animals pose a threat to anyone who happens to use the trails at the same time.
The solution is simple: Lincoln should adopt a muzzle law. Any dog not on the owner’s land must be either on a leash or muzzled. The dogs would still have their freedom, and the rest of us would be safe from attack.
Suppose the dog that bit me had sunk its teeth into something less forgiving than my upper arm flesh. Its jaws reached almost four feet off the ground; had they connected with the face of a pre-teen child, the youngster would have been disfigured for life.
Let’s muzzle those mutts before a rogue animal causes permanent injury.
Sincerely,
Neil O’Hara
4 Hawk Hill Rd.
Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.
Please let’s not blame the victim for this canine aggression. Everyone deserves to walk the trails in Lincoln free of fear from dogs. Owners must be responsible for the behavior of their pets and that includes keeping agressive dogs away from other people and dogs. If that can not reliably be done by voice commands then a leash is necessary.
Let’s make our trails safe and welcoming to all
I would like to thank the concerned resident who directed me to the General By-Laws posted on the town Web site.
Those regulations require dog owners ensure that their animals “do not unreasonably impinge upon the activities of other persons.” They also forbid anyone to “keep in Town any dog which, by biting, by howling or excessive barking, or in any other manner, endangers the safety of any person…”
In a conflict between trail users and dogs that bite, it’s the dogs that have to leave town, not the walkers.
But, by definition, that regulation applies only after the fact: The dog must bite someone before it can be banished.
A muzzle law would put human protection first, where it belongs. It serves the interest of dog owners, too: A muzzled animal can’t bite people, so the dogs are less likely to be declared canis non grata.
A fine job of raising the issue, interestingly, graphically and constructively, for the town to consider.
Thanks.
Waving a stick is one of the defensive tactics I use, but it is not always effective and would not have helped during my recent encounter.
The dog that bit me was NOT well-behaved, nor are a small but significant minority of dogs in town.
Which is more important: the safety of humans (including aging walkers like myself and small children) or the freedom of dogs?
A muzzle law would protect both.
Try carrying a longish twig with you when on walks known to be populated with unleashed dogs. Ijust waving it will impart necessary respect to dog owners as well as I’ll mannered dogs!. No need to muzzle well behaved dogs.
Oh, a sad situation. I can’t imagine these dogs being whippets. I have owned sight-hounds and whippets throughout my life. These are very gentle, biddable dogs. Most owners know that they can never be off-lead in the woods as they will most likely take off cross-country in
pursuit of a rabbit. These are coursing dogs. They will dash off after a lure, but I’ve never known them to bite or attack a human being. They will sometimes run towards a person for a pet but can stop on a dime.
Most dogs will respond protectively towards an owner who is attacked or treated aggressively.
Other breeds can be taught to keep close to an owner on walks.
Owners should know their dogs’ breed characteristics. Even a long lead can bring control and still delight them on a walk. As for other breeds, I often look on in envy as they trot along with their owners.
Let’s not give these wonderful dogs a bad name. They are not ‘mouthy’, that is, don’t use their teeth. They were bred to hunt gazelle, hitting them with their breastbone and knocking them over. Perhaps these were not whippets but all dogs, and humans too, should be
treated with respect and compassion.
Sorry to hear about your incident.
Land and trail management is always a delicate balance of risk and regulation for all parties involved – domestic animals, pedestrians, equestrians, cyclists, and, of course, nature as a whole. By using the trails you take on some levels of risk, whether it’s from twisting your ankle or an unfortunate run in with an animal.
If you’re afraid of, or simply want to avoid, dogs there are local areas that do not allow pets at all. Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Concord (or any Wildlife Refuge) might be your best bet.
Happy trails
Instead of leaving my house on foot and walking anywhere from 6 to 12 miles around Lincoln’s beautiful trails, you suggest I leave town and drive 20 minutes to Great Meadows. Having polluted the air to get there, I can walk the 2-mile loop as many times as I want.
Whatever happened to sharing community resources? And how would you feel if your own child were bitten in the face?