PSA: Dogs must be leashed...within town too
Those who reside around Millard and/or Baker Hill Blvd may be familiar with a short, maintained trail that passes behind the condo, Hampton Place. At around 10am this morning while walking along the section of trail behind the condo, an unleashed dog accompanied by a woman charged at me unprovoked. The dog did not heed her repeated calls as it ran towards me. On its first pass, the dog bit through my pant leg, ripping it. Then tried to circle me and charged again. I had to yell 'Stop!' several times and clap loudly in the dog's face for it to pause. At no point did the owner rush to stop the dog. She told the dog to sit several times and it did not respond to the command while I kept my eye on it. When she finally sauntered up to the dog and was scolding it, the dog finally sat and was making an indignant face. That face where they point their noses upward, narrow their eyes and turn their head away from their owner as the owner speaks.
Public spaces are for all individuals and requires everyone's participation to maintain a safe space for all. **This is a reminder that your dog must always be leashed in public spaces.** While you may think you understand your dog and believe it to be obedient and well-disciplined, it is still an animal and it may respond in an unpredictable manner at any time. I cannot blame the dog, but I can blame the owner.
Thankfully, the dog's teeth did not break skin. My pants were just loose enough on the legs to spare me. I have lived in Stouffville for 15+ years, this is not my first foray with strangers' dogs lunging, jumping, biting, or scratching me within the town or on the trails in the conservation areas. My sincerest apologies to the residents of the condo to whom I may have disrupted this morning with my yelling.
Leash your dogs.