Should Leash Laws Be Established in Counties?

Currently there are strict leash law requirements for dog owners in the cities and townships. However this is not the case outside of city limits in the outlying counties. Should they be established?

If you live inside the city you are required to have your pet secured. This means that your pet is not free to roam. It must stay on your property. However in the outlying county, there are only two laws established for owners of dogs.

Owner Responsibility

67-2. Permitting bitch at large.

If any person owning or having any bitch shall knowingly permit her to run at large during the erotic stage of copulation he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) or imprisoned not exceeding 30 days.

67-12. Permitting dogs to run at large at night; penalty; liability for damage.

No person shall allow his dog over six months old to run at large in the nighttime unaccompanied by the owner or by some member of the owner's family, or some other person by the owner's permission. Any person intentionally, knowingly, and willfully violation this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be fined not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) or imprisoned not exceed 30 days, and shall also be liable in damages to any person injured or suffering loss to his property or chattels (Gunn).

So what about daylight hours? There are citizens riding bikes and walking on roads and trails every day. Often dogs will chase these people. It can be frightening and dangerous, both to the person and the pet. Pets could be injured by those who are frightened. People could get attacked, especially if showing fear, or wreck their bikes. More and more mountain bikers are being attacked by dogs in the Western US and in one case a woman needed 60 stitches after being attacked by two canines near Vail, CO. These dogs see mountain bikers as a threat to their flock. Sheep dogs are trained to fend off predators like coyotes and mountain lions, and to them, a fast moving mountain bike can look like a giant jungle cat (Trek7k).

Stray dogs can be a danger to your own pet as well. They may steal their food and toys, easily resulting in a fight. Who wants a huge veterinarian bill or a dead pet? They also cause pet overpopulation. Whether they themselves become impregnated or impregnate your pet, the unplanned litters don't help our population situation in shelters. Overpopulation is rampant. Unleashed male dogs that have not been properly neutered are clearly a source of overpopulation (St. John).

Many people feel that they should be allowed to do as they please on their own property if they live in the county rather than the city. This is true to a degree, but I feel that there is also a respect issue at hand. At one time I had two dogs who roamed free in my neighborhood. My neighbors complained to me that they were tearing up the pampas grass on their lawn and defecating on the grass. As a good neighbor I complied and put up a fence for my dogs.

But now the very same neighbors, right across the street from me, have three dogs running all over the neighborhood. Not only do they defecate on my lawn, they cause other problems. My dog, which is in a fenced in back yard, gets very upset seeing them frolicking about and roaming free. They get right up next to him and tease him. These dogs also jump on my car. They jump on me and my visitors. They are not aggressive, but it can still be a nuisance, especially when I am dressed nicely.

Also, regarding private property, while the pet owner in the county area may feel entitled to allow his dogs to roam free, as no leash laws govern the county area, I too am a private property owner. And as the property owner, I do not allow domestic animals to roam free on my property. By not