Dog rescued off Eagle Creek Trail 10-6-2104

[Splintercat]

Ditto on that, Marilyn -- a bit creepy, if you ask me…

The KGW/8 coverage was pretty good -- they specifically had a person from OHS underscoring the need to keep dogs leashed on trails. The only thing I wanted to add is that these folks WALKED RIGHT PAST several signs at the trailhead that actually require leashed dogs on that particular trail. Lumpy is probably right that no amount of nagging/shaming will get through to people who think themselves the exceptions to pesky rules… but maybe a sizable fine would work? I'd be up for that -- and I have seen rangers on that trail occasionally.

People who don't keep their dogs under control are why dogs aren't allowed in trails on National Parks anymore, and I wouldn't want to see that ban extended to other areas.

Bingo! I suspect that's also partly why you don't see deer, elk, hares, marmots and other national park wildlife regulars in places like Mount Hood or Mount Jefferson. IMO, off-leash dogs do way more than hunting when it comes to stressing wildlife and shying wildlife away from trails. Just a theory, though…

Tom

[retired jerry]

Maybe somehow conveying stories like this to dog owners. I think that most of them love their dogs and would put them on leash rather than lose them over the cliff.

[BigBear]

Yes, it would be a shame to ban dogs from trails because they love the outdoors so much. They are banned from national parks and refuges for the simple reason pointed out earlier: some people cannot read signs.

I can't help but relay the incident from this summer at Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge. A bicyclist asked my wife where he could camp in the refuge. Interestingly, there is a large sign at the entrance that notes the refuge being closed from sunset to sunrise and there is a gate arm that drops at dusk to enforce this restriction. Somehow the cyclist missed this well-positioned sign... and then missed the sign that read "no bikes, no jogging and no dogs" and proceeded to pedal his way down the path.

Last September, I suspect the refuge was closed during Congress' 21-day blunder because officials have to safeguard against this level of unconsciousness.

[Lumpy]

Somehow the cyclist missed this well-positioned sign... and then missed the sign that read "no bikes, no jogging and no dogs" and proceeded to pedal his way down the path.

Whether the ignorance is intentional or not, it's still ignorance. There are dogs in Steigerwald almost every time I go there. Often they are only in the parking lot, sometimes in the brush surrounding the parking lot, and rarely further than that away from the parking lot. People get very confrontational when a tall man with a radio on his belt asks them if they saw the signs that simply and clearly say "NO DOGS". They want to try to explain why it's ok for them to allow their dogs to be there. Some folks must imagine a lot of leeway in between the six letters and a space that simply says "NO DOGS". I can only imagine the leeway some put in their between "DOGS MUST BE KEPT ON LEASH".

I believe that others have really brought up the main reason for pets being leashed: safety. Safety for everyone. Other trail users, the pet owners, the pets, and those that may be called on to rescue any of these. I would feel terrible, just downright horribly saddened, if my pet got out of control, harmed another pet, or fell over a cliff and someone got injured trying to rescue them. I love my pets, but I know that I alone am ultimately responsible for them, and must prepare for them to spend time outdoors with me safely, for everyone.

I imagine that for the most part I'm preaching to the choir here, as I get a strong impression that folks here are more thoughtful and prepare for activities in the outdoors better than most. I imagine that most of you would feel just like I would in a situation like that.

I imagine it saddens many of you to read a story like this, where a pet is hurt or killed by an accident in the outdoors. Like me, it probably saddens you more because it was easily preventable.

I love seeing my little dog, and other dogs, outdoors with their owners, all of them happy and enjoying the times they are spending together doing something we all enjoy. It would be a sad day when pets get banned from trails.

[-Q-]

If you want to see total disregard for leash laws, cruise over to Mt Tabor someday.
About 90% of dogs are off leash, despite it being a leash park.
And it even offers a fenced in off leash area!!

I am thinking of getting a t-shirt made up with a simple phrase on front... "leash your dog"
Would be perfect for my many post-work hikes at Tabor

[Lumpy]

Only if you are fully prepared to deal with those you "offend".

[R11]

If you want to see total disregard for leash laws, cruise over to Mt Tabor someday.
About 90% of dogs are off leash, despite it being a leash park.
And it even offers a fenced in off leash area!!

I am thinking of getting a t-shirt made up with a simple phrase on front... "leash your dog"
Would be perfect for my many post-work hikes at Tabor

I do a lot of walking just for exercise on the trails in some of the city's nature parks and this seems to be almost the norm now. It's gotten to the point where the "conscientious" owners are those who take leashes with them, but simply clip them to their dogs when someone is coming up, and then promptly unleash them again as soon as they pass.

I like and appreciate animals of all kinds. Our family had a great dog the whole time I was growing up and I've had cats since, but there is always some level of uncertainty. One of the places I like to go when I just want to stretch my legs is Oaks Bottom in Sellwood. I usually start out right at the bridge and walk through Riverfront Park first and then down the beach before cutting through Oaks Park over to the trail around the pond. Riverfront park itself is an off leash dog area but when the river is low most of the dog owners go right on down to the beach so their dogs can play in the water and of course none of them are leashed. I've walked through thousands of dogs along there and I always feel the need to stay alert to potential problems even though I had never had any real issues, until one weekend morning early last summer...

In retrospect I really don't think it was a malicious dog, or actually even trying to attack me, but that didn't make if hurt any less...

Bingo! I suspect that's also partly why you don't see deer, elk, hares, marmots and other national park wildlife regulars in places like Mount Hood or Mount Jefferson. IMO, off-leash dogs do way more than hunting when it comes to stressing wildlife and shying wildlife away from trails. Just a theory, though…

It's good to see dog owners with this perspective Tom, but in reality I think you can actually extend it further. Even the presence of leashed dogs is a significant deterrent to wildlife sightings IMO. Of course going even further I think we can add yelling kids and loud adults as well! That is one of the main reasons I like to get away from people as much as possible when I'm out in the wilderness


ron

[Grannyhiker]

Actually, I see a lot more wildlife with a dog along than I do without--the dog alerts me to the animals' presence. As long as the dog is firmly under control, no big deal. If your dog does not come to you when called 100% of the time, regardless of distractions, he is NOT under control when off leash. Interestingly, my late dog Hysson regarded "come" as an optional command, but if I told him "heel," he'd come to my side and sit every time. I tried to limit the amount of time he was off leash, though--generally only when nobody was around and I could see the trail a long way both ahead and back.

I stopped hiking the Eagle Creek trail permanently after my dog (on leash) was attacked by one of many loose dogs roaming the trail and he and I came really close to going off the cliff edge. This happened several years ago. I complained to the USFS and was told that rule enforcement on trails is on the "honor system."

[Stefrobrts]

Actually, I see a lot more wildlife with a dog along than I do without--the dog alerts me to the animals' presence.

I agree, and it's one of the reasons I love taking my dogs with me, we feel like a team out exploring. But we have had encounters with off leash dogs in the past, and they scare the hell out of me every time. No dog wants another dog charging up and getting in their face, and it's not made any better by their owner running up to grab them, yelling at them, and generally escalating the whole situation.

We even had a scary incident on a trail with leashed dogs one time where a small lady walking three large dogs got pulled off her feet and was on the ground trying to control her unruly dogs who were lunging towards my dogs, we had to just get out of sight, and my husband went back to check on her - she was just embarrassed. Definitely a time when you wouldn't want to be tied to your dogs near a cliff!

I would love to take my dogs to Steigerwald for a hike around the refuge (on leash of course), but we'll just have to stay on the dyke.

[-Q-]

Only if you are fully prepared to deal with those you "offend".

I welcome it, bring it on offenders!!