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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dogs off the lead on main roads

29 replies

lbsjob87 · 13/02/2015 23:03

I don't get why people do this. Surely it's dangerous?
Went to visit my mum today, as I was getting the baby out of the car, a motorbike went past then there was a screech of brakes. I thought there was about to be an accident, but then I saw a small dog in the road, not injured or anything, just walking about, and an elderly man on the pavement with a lead in his hand. There was a car stopped in the middle of the road. I asked if everyone was OK, the elderly man said his dog had been spooked by the motorbike, probably because it was a whiny engine sound, and had run into the road, but wasn't hurt.
He said he usually lets him off the lead all the way to the park because he's a good dog and nothing like this had happened before.

It made me wonder what the benefits are of letting a dog off on a main road, when anything can spook it and clearly accidents can happen, although luckily not in this case.

I don't have a dog now, but did as a kid and we were always taught to keep him under control on a lead while on the way to the park/beach, then he could be let off when we got there for a run around.

AIBU to think there are no obvious benefits or are there advantages that outweigh the risk?

OP posts:
Flissity83 · 13/02/2015 23:11

I'm petty sure it's illegal for a dog to be off a lead on the street for that very reason.

FarFromAnyRoad · 13/02/2015 23:15

The very thought of this makes my blood run cold. Quite apart from my dogs being stupid and flighty I couldn't do this even if they were perfectly behaved. I can't understand anyone who would. YANBU.

AmantesSuntAmentes · 13/02/2015 23:19

It isn't illegal to have a dog off lead (in most areas), it is illegal for a dog to be dangerously out of control. Had an accident occurred, this dog could be considered to have been dangerously out of control.

Even with those of mine who walk to heel impeccably, I too see no benefit in letting them do so on the way to free run areas, if that route is a main road. There's always a risk and I'm not prepared to risk my dogs - or anyone else's safety.

Plomino · 13/02/2015 23:25

I can think of plenty of problems , but no advantages , other than being able to pretend that the hound doing the worlds biggest dump in public is nothing to do with you ....

I wouldn't dare with my lot , but then being greyhounds they have complete tunnel vision for anything small and furry that moves . They would both scoot into the road with total disregard for anyone's safety including their own.

FarFromAnyRoad · 13/02/2015 23:26

Quite so Amantes. One of my dogs is a smart cookie and probably would walk alongside me. Until she saw some other irresistable dog on the other side of the road. Or she might never do this but it would only take one time for it to be hideous.

Sonder · 13/02/2015 23:30

I almost hit a dog on a main road today :( The idiot owner had thrown it's ball which bounced in to the road and the dog followed. I was so close to hitting it and a group of people on the other side of the road were yelling at me. I was shaking with rage and shock and the owner didn't even look back to see what all the fuss was about.

FarFromAnyRoad · 13/02/2015 23:33

God that's horrible Sonder - must have given you a terrible fright. Stupid bloody owner - some people just shouldn't be in charge of anything more demanding than an amoeba.

YouTheCat · 13/02/2015 23:33

There's an arsehole with a massive alsatian that he walks off lead down the main road round here. I'm quite afraid of dogs, especially big ones not fully under control, and whilst I'm sure it's a lovely dog, I don't want it sniffing me.

It really really pisses me off.

ghostspirit · 13/02/2015 23:37

my dog is of the lead near main roads. he sits at the curbs and only crosses with me when hes told and his head is next to my leg at all times.

but my dog would not be in the road and me on the path. thats odd

YouTheCat · 14/02/2015 00:39

You don't know if/when your dog might see something more appealing than you and leg it.

Plus it is bloody selfish behaviour. Put your dog on a lead.

CointreauVersial · 14/02/2015 00:46

I hit and killed a dog which was out and about on its own and ran into the road.

I was devastated at the time, but friends told me afterwards that I could have pursued the owner for damages because he had not adequately restrained his dog (I didn't). Luckily only my car was damaged, not me.

Original poster
lbsjob87 · 14/02/2015 03:34

ghostspirit the dog I saw wasn't on the road to start with. The motorbike spooked him and he ran into the road, that's what I meant.
That's why the car had to brake. But if he'd been on a lead, the driver wouldn't have had to.
I'm sure this dog is usually the same as yours, but if you don't mind me asking, why don't you put yours on the lead? What if a similar thing happened as I saw, could you be sure he wouldn't bolt?

OP posts:
DontDrinkandFacebook · 14/02/2015 03:59

I don't understand why people do this either. I never take my dogs off the lead until we are well away from cars and have arrived at the open, grassy area we are walking to. It doesn't take much, a glimpse of a cat or a rabbit, or a fast car to spook a dog and make it bolt in the wrong direction.

People are idiots.

butterfliesinmytummy · 14/02/2015 04:02

Don't get it either. Where I live in the USA, it is illegal to have an unleashed dog anywhere outside of private property or specially designated dog parks (fenced in, no kids under 12 allowed). We don't seem to get many dog attacks either, always hearing about them in the UK though.....

squoosh · 14/02/2015 04:06

Depends on the breed. Terriers generally need to be kept on a lead whereas breeds like labradors for example can trot placidly off the lead.

squoosh · 14/02/2015 04:09

Great that America is so vigilant with dog attacks, if only that could be extended to to guns..........

Original poster
lbsjob87 · 14/02/2015 04:13

See, the dog we had as kids was a Labrador, squoosh, but I still never let him off. He probably would have been fine but it just never occurred to us to risk it. To be honest, we had another Lab when I was much younger, and both were so bloody stubborn that they probably would have happily sat on the kerb all day rather than run anywhere, but even so......

OP posts:
Springcleanish · 14/02/2015 04:32

Walking by a road they should be on a lead, in a field, fenced in safe area then off the lead, it's common sense surely.

I get so angry with people letting their dogs walk off lead near roads. It's wrong, however well trained they are, it takes a split second for something to go happen. My mum does this because she says her dog walks to heel better off the lead - well lead train him then!

fattiefattieboomboom · 14/02/2015 04:59

Dogs should be on leads on public highways. Its a requirement under the road traffic act. Obviously loads of people still do it though. Never understood that...

AmantesSuntAmentes · 14/02/2015 11:43

Dogs should be on leads on public highways. Its a requirement under the road traffic act.

No, generally, it isn't. It is only a legal requirement, if the local authority within which the road is situated, has a dog control order in place. If a dog control order is in place, the onus is on the local authority to make the public aware.

Not that I agree that it is right to walk off lead on a main road - I don't do it but the reason you see many people doing so, is in part because it is legal, so long as the dog isn't dangerously out of control.

Birdsgottafly · 14/02/2015 12:25

I hate it, I've got and always have had well trained German Shepherds.

I live in an area were people drive over the speed limit, on cars and bikes. There are also cats and the odd rat, about, yet you see dogs being walked off lead.

I remember the programme that sent "bad" dog owners to a training place and one man who over bred and let walk off a lead, his Bull terrier, was shown the amount of Bull terriers that were picked up dead out of roads and PTS, purely because their owners insisted it was safe to walk them off lead.

Owners should be charged with endangering an animal if there is an accident.

Arkkorox · 14/02/2015 12:48

If you don't value your dogs life enough to take measures to prevent an accident like being hit then in my opinion you don't deserve one. It's lazy. You can't 100% garuntee that nothing will frighten your dog into the Road. My dogs fab but I'd never have her near a road off the lead, I'm pretty sure she would be fine but like hell am I going to risk it.

Letmeeatcakecakecake · 14/02/2015 13:06

I don't get it and find it very selfish of the owners who do this.

It just takes a second for the dog to get spooked or distracted and cause a massive accident which could kill. Why would any dog owner want that hanging over their heads for the sake of allowing their dog to walk lead free?

CheshireCait · 14/02/2015 13:10

There's no way I'd let a dog I liked off a lead near a road.

A few weeks ago I was driving along a narrow road in a village, and there was a car coming towards me in the other lane. There was a couple walking a Maltese on a lead on the (narrow) opposite path. Just as the other car was about to pass the couple, the dog jumped down into the road, right under the wheel of the car.

You never know what a dog will take it into its head to do.

WeAllHaveWings · 14/02/2015 13:23

Our lab is never off lead near roads, there is one owner who does let her lab off, he's mostly okay, but he's a friendly big thing, whenever it see our lab he shoots over to say hello, crossing the road without even looking. Terrifies me every times.

Last week I nearly clipped a small spaniel with the car, it was on an extending lead with an elderly owner. It decided to run towards the road and made it a good 3-4ft into the road way. Thankfully it was in a 30 zone and nothing was coming the other way and I could move to avoid it.