Madam, – As a dog owner and lover for more than 40 years I write with some sadness to warn readers of an increase in the number of dogs which are being allowed to either run free or are being walked without a leash.
In my area in recent weeks a woman had her knee broken by a boxer dog that was not on a leash, though it was accompanied by its owner. This is a serious injury which needed an operation to insert synthetic bone, a plate and pins. It will take some months to recover from. Another family’s pet cat was savaged by a black and white spaniel type dog, resulting in the cat’s spine being broken. The owners had to have the animal put down, at vast cost as it was a weekend.
Such incidents have occurred even though Dún Laoghaire council has fenced off and gated an area for owners to let their dogs run free in Shankill Park. Unfortunately the council has only one dog warden for the whole area!
I understand it is illegal to walk an unleashed dog in a built-up area and I would urge all those who respect their animals to care for them properly and remember their duty of care to their neighbours and friends. Unfortunately all dogs do irrational things from time to time. – Yours, etc,