RFI - Off Leash Dogs in Lampton Woods

[mr.sharp-photo]

O o o if the books are right then a special ring of hell must surely be a-waiting for 9 out of 10 dog "owners" who, more often that not, are less bright than even their droopy-headed dogs! I would like to start a special training camp for red-tailed hawks, our most abundant raptor, start them young, teach them how to swoop down and capture dogs and eat them! Start with the dogs, then the dog "owners" and red-tailed hawks will rule the skies like tiny dinosaurs! Ah, heaven's justice, where are you when we birders need you the most?
Angie, let's be vigilantes and beat up dog "owners" and yell crazy things at them like "That's right, dog OWNER, who owns you now?" And their dogs will look on and think, "At last a little peace. I am a slave no longer."
Ideas?
Or not?
Sorry!
David

Obviously my original response to the above post offended the sensibilities of one of the forum members so I have deleted it.  I will now simply respond by saying that as a responsible dog owner I am deeply disappointed by the narrow-minded and ill-informed opinions expressed here.

i think that most birders disdain a lack of respect that people have for their environment.  it can be dogs running off leash, people polluting or people getting too close to birds. its all the same.

if you have dogs, obey the law and let them go offleash in designated areas. don't go to Sam Smith or Brickworks and let them run around and crap everywhere and run through the bushes. even when a dog is close to an owner's heal, i don't like it when the dog comes up to me and puts its nose firmly in my groin. its called mutual respect and i can't respect a dog owner (or polluter or etc etc) if they don't respect me.  

if you are a responsible dog owner, then you have absolutely nothing to worry about and i assume that none of the barbs are aimed at you. but if you're the guy who let his dog crap at Humber Bay East last year - the crap that I stepped in and tracked all over my car mat - then RING OF HELL FOR YOU!

[Bird Brain]

dog crap

Speaking of which, there's a pile at Lake Aquitaine at the moment that looks like it's from a horse!!!   :shock:   Amazing how much dog poop is showing up at all parks now that the snow has melted.

[Leslie]

I think the problem isn't so much that some dog owners are irresponsible (true), but that most dog owners are conscientious.  They take their dogs for walks every day.  Moreover, the demand for off-leash areas is sky-rocketing throughout North America.  No one wants to admit that their enjoyment of nature is harmful, but natural areas can't tolerate high  traffic levels, whether pedestrian or wheeled.  (If you've been to the off-leash area of High Park recently you'll see what I mean, but even on Hawk Hill, where I whiled away many a happy hour this fall in the company of some of the most knowledgeable people and generous with it too, the grass where we were all standing is gone and the soil exposed.)  Our natural areas are overloved.