Leash laws: They are there for a reason

Re: “My dog unleashes true nature of people he meets” (TNT, 3/13).

So reader columnist Tom Llewellyn walks his dog without a leash, what a flagrant violation of established law, but typical of the attitude in Western Washington: If you don’t like the law, ignore it.

Two years ago I was riding my bike on the Interurban approaching the racetrack. In front of me I could see that a couple had a full-sized poodle unleashed, running wildly all over the trail. I slowed as I approached them and without any warning, the poodle ran across the trail and into the front wheel of my bike, causing me to fall back on my left shoulder.

Dazed, I realized I had broken my collar bone. I got up and saw nothing but red as a result of the couple’s flagrant violation of the leash law. As I peddled back to my truck, the woman admonished me by saying,”I think you broke my dog’s leg.”

I ended up in the hospital for three days not only with a broken collarbone but I had ten ribs with multiple fractures. Obey the law and leash your dog.

This story was originally published March 21, 2017 at 5:53 PM with the headline "Leash laws: They are there for a reason."