Many dogs in our small town are excellent fence jumpers or escape artists. They roam the streets in town and run along the highway. Why is this such a big deal? They are just out having a fun run and grand adventure, right? Wrong.
Risk to other pet owners
Once a dog learns that escaping is fun and adventures are rewarding it becomes even harder to contain them. But those outings come with all sorts of risks. The small risk is to other dogs or humans. No one enjoys an off-leash encounter. It can be difficult to protect and advocate for your own dog while trying to manage an off-leash dog that is coming to investigate. Is that dog friendly? Who does it belong to? How will my dog react? Off-leash encounters are unpleasant at best and can lead to a fight or worse.
Risk to wildlife
We live in a beautiful town with lots of wildlife! But wildlife and dogs are not a great mix. Once your dog is on the loose they might chase deer or sheep. This is incredibly stressful for the wildlife and your dog can be seriously hurt or injured from running too far or too long. What about animals that would be likely to defend their young, hunt or attack your dog? Do you still think your dog is having the best day ever if they are fighting off a coyote or a bear? Probably not.
Risk to the public
Dogs on the streets or running near the highway is also an accident waiting to happen. It might not happen very often, and there are some incredibly lucky dogs out there, but I have seen the worse-case scenario first hand. It’s awful. Drivers could be new to driving, elderly or distracted. Being able to react in time for a dog or animal running into the street is almost impossible. Owners or families would be devastated to lose their dog in an accident. It would be unbelievably horrible to be the driver of a car in that situation. It’s traumatic for anyone that has to witness that event. If your dog escapes the yard it puts so many people at unnecessary risk.
If you have a dog that likes to get out for their own adventure I hope you consider the potential risks and impact that this could have on wildlife or people in the community. It might be a great time to fix that hole in the yard, invest in an invisible fence or try a long-line for extra safety.
I always strive to keep your pets happy, healthy and safe.
: ) Shannen