In the Pipeline: Dog owners more irresponsible, to the detriment of the pets and people

It’s been about four years since I last wrote about dogs in Huntington Beach. But I wasn’t really writing about dogs then. I was writing about people – irresponsible people who don’t leash their dogs, pick up after their dogs or control their dogs and make me pity the dogs they own.

The story started when I confronted someone whose off-leash dog charged my dog on a public trail. Forget any apology. Instead, I was lambasted for having the gall to suggest that the person obey the law.

Since then, I regularly receive mail from readers describing in some cases how harrowing situations have endangered people and animals. More often than not, it involves off-leash dogs. But things have taken several turns for the worse. How many stories do we have to hear about dogs being left in automobiles in the hot summer sun?

The other day I received a message from someone who watched an off-leash pit bull kill at least two squirrels in Central Park. Again, I don’t blame the dog. That’s what some dogs do. But I certainly blame the owner for giving the dog that freedom.

A more recent trend I’ve noticed while walking my dog several times a day are people who pick up after their dog with a plastic bag, knot the bag and then leave it on the ground for somebody else to pick up. By now we are used to seeing neighborhoods that have become virtual mine fields, thanks to people who refuse to pick up after their dogs. But this new development almost feels worse. It’s as if someone is saying, “I’ve done my job here, I picked up after my dog, but I’m above having to dispose of it. Certainly somebody will come along and finish my job for me.”

I’ve picked up those bags and thrown them away. So maybe I’m part of the problem. But for the life of me I cannot imagine the level of arrogance involved in this sort of littering.

Just like I can’t imagine why people drive their cars with a dog in their lap. Again, we’ve all seen it. You’re at a red light, you look to the right and there is a precious dachshund or poodle or some other small dog with its head out the window staring you down. It’s cute for a moment. But what happens if that person is hit head-on and the airbag deploys? What happens if a siren upsets the animal and it jumps out the window?

Again, I’m sure the dog is having a wonderfully refreshing time with the cool breeze on its face (though some dog experts will say it actually dries the dog’s eyes out). But it’s being placed in harm’s way, like the rest of us, if something goes wrong in that car.

When I wrote that article about off-leash dogs, I received lots of feedback, mostly from people who supported what I was saying. But some were angry and even threatening toward me because they felt as if some God-given right of theirs was being challenged. But that’s the kind of entitled attitude that puts even more dogs at risk.

Whenever I hear — and it’s happening more and more — of pets being swiped by hungry coyotes, I feel awful for those animals. They never should have been out in that kind of vulnerable situation in the first place. I’ve yet to hear of someone walking a dog on a leash and a coyote approaching to take the animal. It’s always an animal left on its own, on too long a leash or off the leash altogether. Don’t pets deserve better than this?

I’ve heard so many people say: “Don’t worry about my dog. I know he’s off leash but he’s friendly. He would never hurt anything.” As if people know what the dog is thinking.

In the four years since my last column about this, I think things have gotten much worse. And I think that we, as a community, would be smart to start taking these things seriously for the sake of our four-legged friends.

As Ryan Drabek, then-director at OC Animal Care, explained to me back then: “People think they’re doing their dogs a favor by letting them off leash, but it does the exact opposite — it jeopardizes them, and also the owner, in many ways. No matter how well-behaved a dog might be, animals are unpredictable. And when you don’t have control over your dog, then you’re in no position to take charge should that animal snap or should another unexpected situation arise.

“And often those things happen in the blink of an eye, without warning. We’re just talking common sense here. Dogs on leash become more protective, so it’s incredibly unfair to assume that just because your dog is friendly that it’s OK to approach dogs on leash, and it makes it impossible for many people with dogs on leash to enjoy a place in the same way. As for things like coyotes, how could you possibly protect your small dog from a coyote attack? Off leash, you’re basically just serving the dog up on a plate.”

His words still make sense. As for what can happen legally, owners of an unleashed pet are liable for whatever the dog does, whether it goes to the bathroom or attacks another dog.

If you see anything you would consider to be a violation of leash or animal-cruelty laws, call OC Animal Care at (714) 935-6848 or the Huntington Beach Police Department.

In the meantime, please clean up after your dog. Look after your dog and take good care of it. Stop endangering dogs behind the wheel or on a walk. It’s getting ridiculous. Again, this is not a dog problem. It’s a people problem. And the dogs deserve better.

CHRIS EPTING is the author of 25 books, including “Legendary Locals of Huntington Beach.” You can follow him on Twitter @chrisepting or at facebook.com/hbindependent.