Letter to Editor - Belleville EMC - bike dog accident

[NancyR]

Just read this in the Belleville EMC then looked on line for the article.

How awful!

Nancy

http://www.emcbelleville.com/20100722/editorials/Dogs+are+not+allowed+to+run+free



Dogs are not allowed to run free
Posted Jul 22, 2010
 
By Joan Streets


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Email    Print   Tweet This


Dear Editor,

Prince Edward County is our home and we love it.

We are very experienced, careful cyclists and cycling is our passion, has been for a long time.

Monday, July 12, was an idyllic summer's day and we were admiring the wild flowers, the crops and the vines as we rode on the quieter roads in Hillier Township. It was enjoyable to be out. We were cruising along in single file when, suddenly, two unrestrained black Labs came bounding at us across the road. Our usual tactic of yelling, "Bad dog! Go home!" did not work.

The dogs continued to run at us. It all happened so fast that it was absolutely impossible to avoid these large animals and, in a flash, my husband crashed to the ground as they ran into him.

He slid several metres along the road receiving extensive skin damage, bruising, a severe blow to his right hip, shoulder, elbow, knee and ankle and was in extreme pain. There was road grit embedded in some of his wounds (road rash) which had to be picked out later at the hospital.

We called 911 and the paramedics responded and transported him to the hospital in Picton. I followed later.

Subsequent X-rays showed that there was a fracture of the right hip cup and severe damage to soft tissue. Sadly, this will mean six months of total immobilization to heal, and the prospect of hip replacement surgery within a year or two and a very sedentary and limited life during this period of repair and rehabilitation.

Thank goodness he was wearing a good helmet since he hit the back of his head very hard and could have sustained life threatening or disabling injuries.

And yet, this accident need not have happened!

The county has bylaws clearly governing the behaviour of dogs and how they must be controlled.

To quote from PEC Bylaw 404-2000 labelled:

"A bylaw to provide for the licensing, regulation and registration of dogs ...."

This bylaw states, under "Dogs running at large":

"No person shall cause or permit any dog to run at large (Bylaw # 1222-2004)"

And:

"For the purposes of this bylaw, a dog shall be deemed to be running at large if it is found in any place other than the premises of the owner of the dog and not under the control of any person"

All dog owners should note that this law applies anywhere in the county.

We do love animals and enjoy them very much as a part of our wonderful life here in the County but, when they are not properly controlled, they can be very dangerous.

(The fact is that loose dogs are not only a threat to cyclists. They are also a menace to walkers, runners and motorcyclists).

We went from being a very active and vibrant couple to this difficult, limited (and for my husband painful) life all because two dogs were allowed to roam free!

These dogs should not have been allowed to run into the road and this accident should never have happened.

Joan Streets

Consecon

[Jane]

That is terrible!  I feel so badly for those people!!  Her poor husband!  She didn't say in the article if they were able to locate the owner of those dogs.  Not that it will make her husband any better, but they need to be held responsible for their dogs' actions!

We have had dogs run at us several times while out biking.  I don't really care for dogs in the first place and definitely don't like them running at me, whether it is while running or especially on my bike.  Now I will be even more leery of them! 

I know another girl who lives down by Leamington that had a smaller dog run out in front of her suddenly while she was biking.  She was going pretty fast and tried to avoid the dog but couldn't.  She was pretty badly hurt (not like this man though) and she said that she thinks the dog might have died.   The owner came out and got it and I am not sure what type of conversation they had.  It took this lady a long time to recover from that accident (which should never have happened) and had a hard time getting back on her bike after it.

[NancyR]

Isn't that sad?  The pain must be awful and the frustration of not getting out for a good bike ride too. I feel for anyone who has had a bike accident.

Nancy

[Craig]

Yeah!   Some people just don't get it. They think it's O.K. for there dogs to wander onto the road and chase bikes, cars and pedestrians. I've had harsh words with many dog owners regarding this.

The owners of the dog should have been sued. They are responsible for the control of their pet.
If their pet causes an accident, they are responsible, plain and simple.

By-laws are useless in terms of enforcement.

[Glo]

It's not only the loose dogs, it's also the owners that have them on leashes, but DO NOT rein them in when a cyclist or even a runner goes by.    This is a frequent occurance when you go along the path at the waterfront trail. And of course, it's NOT their fault.......  one of these days someone or something is going to get hurt, and even more contravesy will occur between the dog owners and runners/cyclists.    Common sense is lacking in so many people.....

I'm a dog owner, and even if someone is walking by, I rein the dog next to my leg, so the person(s) can go freely by.


Safe running and cycling.......
Glo

[NancyR]

Yes I wondered about that, if the bylaws were enforced....

Glo I want to ride down at the trails but have heard it can be a hazard....it is tricky at times just walking/jogging. You are a good dog owner.

I (we) walk a lot and find people don't rein in their dogs when walking by, not everyone loves dogs, I do, but my husband does not, (one of those people bitten as a child and forever timid) and it really ticks him off when people have no control over their dog.

Yes, safe running and cycling!!

Nancy

[NancyR]

Just had a thought.. would a whistle help?  around your neck for easier access... or would it just make the dog more excited? Likely in all the chaos you'd never get it out and in your mouth anyway.