the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Lately there have been articles in local newspapers, including the NY Times, about the perils of unleashed dogs. Owners who walk a dog without a leash are not really walking the dog – they are walking WITH their dog – and they have virtually zero control over the animal. The arrogant dog-owner who claims to have full control over his animal is full of it – and you know what we mean by “it.” Animals, like humans, have minds of their own, and their instinct to run and/or attack can be triggered by all sorts of stimuli. A “friendly” family pet can run up to a stranger and knock her down without meaning to, can attack a leashed dog who for whatever reason seemed attack-worthy, can dash across the street after a squirrel and be struck by a car (causing death to the dog and anguish for the driver) and numerous other completely unnecessary scenarios. Unleashed dogs defecate wherever they please, such as on the lawns of people with little children. In Ridgewood, and most surrounding communities, there is a leash law. Yes, a law. That applies to you, and you, and you. Interestingly in the Saturday Record there is a photo of a Ridgewood couple at Campgaw snow-shoeing with a dog, and not a leash in sight. Yes, it is a law at Campgaw to have your dogs leashed. If you want your dog to run freely, which surely is a wonderful thrill for a dog, let him do so in your own fenced property, or at a designated dog-park.
