Better Safe than Sorry? stray dogs incident

[Gretchen]

Last night I felt I had to call the police to check on 2 stray dogs at our local park. My daughter and I take Molly there to play almost every night. It's nice in the winter, we have the park to ourselves. A very thin GSD with a thin black lab mix came into the park without any people. They didn't see us, so we just stayed put and observed them. I thought they were leaving, but then they spotted the cleaning crew for the preschool, ran up to them and started some intense barking. They wouldn't leave. The cleaning crew was protected by a iron fence. The dogs were in the area that was our exit, so we couldn't leave. We took Molly into the tennis courts, since they were fenced off, not sure if dogs would be aggressive and did not want to take a chance with two against one. The dogs would not leave so I called the police. I feel a little embarrassed using police resources to protect my dog, but the motorcycle officer was nice and by the time he got there the dogs were gone and he gave us a short escort to make sure we cleared the park safely. Do you think I over reacted calling the police?

[JohnD]

As you said better safe then sorry...So i agree with you.

Plus the police may keep a eye out for the 2 dogs and hopefully find
help for the poor run awys....Before they get hurt or hurt something else..

[Mary Beth]

No - I think you were smart and did the right thing to protect your daughter, your dog, and you. The police would much rather respond to a call like yours, then to one where there were injuries due to a dog fight. Also now that you reported the incident, animal control can keep a look out for the dogs.

[APBTLove]

Do you not carry any self-defense items?

I don't think you overreacted if you had a small child with you. I would have called for animal control as the police tend to overreact to dogs barking and I'd hate to see two dogs shot.

What I would have done isn't what most people would do, I have a thing about taking loose dogs, aggressive or not, off of the street if I can to keep anyone else from getting hurt. I would have put my dog inside the court and call to the others, if they looked aggressive, back inside the court I'd go! lol
I hope those dogs were found and picked up by someone so they didn't harm anyone.

[Cassidy's Mom]

In some areas (like where I live in California, not sure about where you are), Animal Control is dispatched by the police or sheriff's department, so I don't think it's inappropriate to contact the police in that kind of situation. I don't know that I'd call 911, but definitely the non-emergency number.

[Gretchen]

Originally Posted by APBTLove

Do you not carry any self-defense items?

I don't think you overreacted if you had a small child with you. I would have called for animal control as the police tend to overreact to dogs barking and I'd hate to see two dogs shot.

What I would have done isn't what most people would do, I have a thing about taking loose dogs, aggressive or not, off of the street if I can to keep anyone else from getting hurt. I would have put my dog inside the court and call to the others, if they looked aggressive, back inside the court I'd go! lol
I hope those dogs were found and picked up by someone so they didn't harm anyone.

No, until now the only loose dogs in the neighborhood have been dogs that live here and I recognize and then I'd walk them home. Any recommendations besides pepper spray? I've heard if you are not careful it may blow back into your eyes. The presence of my dog usually discourages humans.

[GsdLoverr729]

A baton maybe? (:

I feel you did the right thing. Though personally I tend to do the same thing APBTLove put

[Gretchen]

Originally Posted by Cassidy's Mom

In some areas (like where I live in California, not sure about where you are), Animal Control is dispatched by the police or sheriff's department, so I don't think it's inappropriate to contact the police in that kind of situation. I don't know that I'd call 911, but definitely the non-emergency number.

That's a good point. And yes, I called on the regular dispatch line, not 911. The one time I tried to call Animal Control, I could not get a hold of a real person, a series of voicemail systems, but the police probably has a unlisted direct line to them.

[Cassidy's Mom]

I'm in an unincorporated part of Alameda County, so we have no city government. I had a heck of a time finding a number for AC, and that's how I found out it goes through the sheriff's department.

I saw two stray dogs trotting across the street in front of my building here at work a few weeks ago, and ended up going on a similar wild goose chase to get the right number to report them to. One of them looked like a shepherd or a shepherd mix, and was limping slightly as if it had been hit by a car. It was pouring rain and those poor dogs had nowhere to go. They didn't run from me, but I couldn't coax them into the building either. Anyway, I found the Oakland Animal Shelter phone number online, but it doesn't open until 9:00, and this was 7:30 in the morning. Their recording gave an after hours number to call, and it was for the Oakland Police Department.

[APBTLove]

I suggest something like a baton - if you get a folding baton, you can carry it easily, or in a pocket. Pepper spray.. I've never liked it, I've carried it before, but I've never used it on a dog. I wouldn't spray a dog who wasn't a real threat, and a dog who is a real threat probably wouldn't be to dissuaded by spray.

And there is always the chance you could get it on yourself, your dog, in your eyes etc.

Stun guns (where legal) are always a great non-lethal deterrent. Even for a serious dog.

Dog attacks Police Officer Taser Full News Report - YouTube

Dog attacks Police Officer Taser Full News Report - YouTube

And of course, actual firearms. But that's self defense, not a deterrent.

I also suggest all dog owners carry break sticks, in case of a dog fight.. It's a mess when you can't get one dog to let go and don't have a break stick.