People walking cats and rabbits on leads in parks

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

Utter fools. Do they not like their pets?

I've come across this at least 4 times now - people (all different!) walking cats and, in one case, a rabbit, on a lead.

In all cases, these are parks where dogs are allowed off lead and the vast majority are off lead. Including everything from ex-racing greyhounds to terriers.

I spoke to rabbit woman and pointed out the dangers. She said she'd just pick the rabbit up - while seemingly failing to account for the fact greyhounds can travel at 40mph and jump higher than she could possibly lift the rabbit.

Yesterday I saw this on-lead cat before my own dog did (a small miracle - from a distance I thought it was a puppy), and warned them my dog wasn't cat friendly. They then decided to stop sitting down in the park and instead FOLLOW US through the park.

Presumably when it goes wrong they'll be whining that the dog was out of control - but presumably they'd also be whining if they wandered out blindfolded onto a 70mph road and got run over. It's asking for trouble.

I'm not convinced cats or rabbits enjoy being walked - and surely the much safer / more pragmatic option would be to walk them somewhere where dogs aren't allowed to be off lead?

Let's pray this doesn't catch on as a trend

@AvocadosBeforeMortgages

Which includes putting a dog back on lead as soon as you spot a hazard, even when you think the person is wrong (or just silly) to be doing whatever they are doing.

Which I did - I put my dog on a lead and walked away, having pointed out the dangers of their actions. Strangely I don't want my dog and their cat / rabbit to get hurt.

But it only takes one incident of a dog spotting the cat / rabbit before the dog's owner does for it to go terribly wrong for the cat / rabbit. It's all very well and good talking about who's in the right / wrong, except the cat / rabbit is likely to be killed.

Car drivers shouldn't run over children, but that doesn't mean it's sensible to let children play in the traffic.

No, but roads were made for vehicles. parks were not made for dogs.

I had rabbits for years and can't imagine walking any of them on a lead in public. Strange locations, sights and smells, presumably very open too with little coverage...It seems really cruel to do that to a prey animal. They're built to run from danger and the leash prevents them from doing that. Yanbu on the rabbit, sounds like an owner just in it for the aesthetic.

@sunflowersandbuttercups

How do I want them to do that? Accept that there is a chance that they will come across a cat on a lead and put their dog on a lead while they cross each other's paths. Dog walkers I come across are quite good at indicating which way they are going so I can go another way. Y'know, a bit of mutual understanding and respect.

99.9% of our walks are completely uneventful. I doubt Leroy would be so keen to go out if he found the whole thing traumatising, he's not stupid. He knows where he likes to go and he's comfortable going. We never go anywhere that dogs are off lead.

No space for a catio, impossible to cat proof due to overhanging trees and bushes.

No, but roads were made for vehicles. parks were not made for dogs.

Well they certainly weren't made for pet cats and rabbits either
What's your point?

I am nice. Thank you for telling me so many times

God, put your dog on a lead.

There are clearly very few, if any, others walking their unleashed dogs through all those picnickers.

There is a reason for that, just because you can doesn't mean you should.

And so arrogant with it.

@LST

I wonder if it's a ginger tom thing as mine does the same. He went bounding up to an English bulldog trying to antagonise him, the owner couldn't get his dog past him. I had to physically pick him up and take him inside . He is a MASSIVE cat though.

No, but roads were made for vehicles. parks were not made for dogs.

The roads weren't built for vehicles. They were built for pedestrians, horses and carts. Later on, it was cyclists who campaigned for better road surfacing - which subsequently benefited motor vehicles.

Parks, on the other hand, were built for public recreation. This has always included dog walkers. Don't believe me? Many parks - including my own - have a Victorian water fountain. Sadly they're invariably now out of use, but if you look at the bottom you'll find a dog's water bowl at the bottom. They're almost always designed so that water flows from a tap, into the human drinking fountain. What's not drunk there flows down to a dog water bowl. What overflows from the dog bowl goes down the drain.

But what's your point? Parks weren't built with cats or rabbits in mind.

Still, we're in danger of being dragged off the topic.

Lots of posters here are determined to see the world as they think it ought to be, not as it really is. Reality is that just one off lead sighthound who spots the cat / rabbit before the owner does could kill the cat / rabbit. Is it really worth the risk?!

@Veterinari

No, but roads were made for vehicles. parks were not made for dogs.

Well they certainly weren't made for pet cats and rabbits either
What's your point?

That some people behave as if parks are for dogs only. Dogs should be able to run off lead and do what they like . Never mind people who don't ike dogs/ are unstead on their feet/ don't want to share their picnic with a strange dog.

I was replying to someone's post comparing letting children play in the road to people taking cats or rabbits to the park.

How do I want them to do that? Accept that there is a chance that they will come across a cat on a lead and put their dog on a lead while they cross each other's paths

I agree this is a good idea, but if the dog spots the cat before the owner does, it'll be too late. The dog will easily be on top of your cat before you know it, and how on earth do you plan to keep your cat safe then?

99.9% of our walks are completely uneventful. I doubt Leroy would be so keen to go out if he found the whole thing traumatising, he's not stupid. He knows where he likes to go and he's comfortable going.

That's fair enough if you think he's happy. But you do need to accept that it is a risk you're taking - all it takes is one off-lead dog to appear around the corner and your cat could easily be injured or killed with no means of escape.

My dog lives with cats - he sleeps with them, shares their food/water and they get on fantastically, but if he was off-lead and spotted a cat, there is no way I'd be able to re-call him from it.

Reality is that just one off lead sighthound who spots the cat / rabbit before the owner does could kill the cat / rabbit. Is it really worth the risk?!

Sometimes some people have little choice but to take that risk.

@denverRegina

God, put your dog on a lead.

There are clearly very few, if any, others walking their unleashed dogs through all those picnickers.

There is a reason for that, just because you can doesn't mean you should.

And so arrogant with it.

I'm there 365 days of the year. Fair weather park users don't get dibs on the use of the park, and they certainly don't get to exclude dogs who ignore picnics and BBQs (and 20-somethings who would clearly welcome a dog cuddle and look sad when DDog blanks them).

All parks within walking distance are the same all summer by the way. It's an urban area with a fairly youthful population (lots of students and young professionals). So my alternatives are very limited - hence why I've put a lot of effort into teaching DDog that picnics are not open buffets.

There's nothing arrogant about walking a well trained dog through the local park.

@YesItsMeIDontCare

Reality is that just one off lead sighthound who spots the cat / rabbit before the owner does could kill the cat / rabbit. Is it really worth the risk?!

Sometimes some people have little choice but to take that risk.

I'm afraid I don't understand.

What choice means you have to walk your cat or rabbit on a lead in a public park that's full of dogs, people and other risks?

@tabulahrasa

That’s where my friend met a rabbit being walked www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/beecraigs-country-park-p252471

Interestingly that link says 'Pets welcome' not just dogs!

That's fair enough if you think he's happy. But you do need to accept that it is a risk you're taking - all it takes is one off-lead dog to appear around the corner and your cat could easily be injured or killed with no means of escape.

Tbf, that's only ever happened once at my old house and the dog got out of a house. I actually unclipped Leroy and he went up a tree. Leroy's not stupid - I'm not stupid either. He was still raring to go out for his next walk, but went in completely the opposite direction. Dog came off worse apparently.

I know I'm arguing the toss here for walking cats, but maybe I should clarify two things.

1. I personally would only ever do this with a cat if it was indoors for medical reasons.

1. I personally think walking a cat in a public park where there's a lot of dogs is a bit batshit.

Tbf, that's only ever happened once at my old house and the dog got out of a house. I actually unclipped Leroy and he went up a tree. Leroy's not stupid - I'm not stupid either. He was still raring to go out for his next walk, but went in completely the opposite direction. Dog came off worse apparently.

Like I say, as long as cat owners are willing to accept the risks involved then I can't see the problem, really. I can certainly see the logic with cats more than I can see it with rabbits, anyway.

My own cats would savage my hands if I tried to put a harness anywhere near them

There’s plenty of dogs that are stressed by being on a lead in a park or being walked near traffic or whatever it may be but people still do it. No one saying on here you are a bad dog owner for making your pet experience these things. If you think you know your animal and you think it’s fine with being walked away on a lead in a public place, go do it. You can argue what you want but there’s no law stating you can’t walk cats or rabbits anywhere... there are laws, however, regarding keeping your dog under control. If you have a dog that has no recall, it shouldn’t be off lead in the first place.

What a pleasant person you are. ‘Utter half wits’

I'm not convinced cats or rabbits enjoy being walked

You do realise that of they do not like it, they will simply sit and REFUSE to do anything.

You do realise that maybe these animals cannot be out the house alone? Thos may be their only exercise? Can you get your head around that?

You do realise that maybe these animals cannot be out the house alone? Thos may be their only exercise? Can you get your head around that?

You don't have to take cats or rabbits out on leads in public to exercise them. Cats can free-roam outside and if that's not safe, you can always keep them indoors, build a catio or cat-proof your garden.

As for walking a rabbit on a lead - why? They're prey animals who need to be able to run and hide when they're frightened, which they will be if they're forced to be out in public surrounded by dogs, screaming children, adults, footballs etc.

Must be a ginger cat thing. My old ginger would happily go for most dogs and scare them senseless, even the staffy next door would keep a wide, wide berth. He would also accompany me on walks everywhere, not on a lead. Hard to stop him but I knew he was pretty hardcore so didn’t see the problem.

That some people behave as if parks are for dogs only. Dogs should be able to run off lead and do what they like . Never mind people who don't ike dogs/ are unstead on their feet/ don't want to share their picnic with a strange dog.

Literally no one on this thread has expressed that attitude.

Weird that some folk have to use any vaguely tenuously related topic to crowbar in their anti-dog opinion

If you cannot see the safety/risk parallels between letting a child play in the road and exercising your rabbit/cat in an area where off-lead dogs are allowed then I'm not sure how to explain it to you.

If you have a dog that has no recall, it shouldn’t be off lead in the first place.

Hmm. In general I agree with you, but most dog owners don't expect to come across cats or rabbits being walked on lead in country parks. Dogs are animals, not robots and there are always going to be times when their recall can fail.

At the same time, if you choose to take your prey animal out on a lead with no natural means of escape, then you need to accept the risks you're taking. "Free roaming" cats can run up trees, squeeze under fences or leap over walls if they're being chased - leashed ones don't have that option.

Similarly, wild rabbits can run miles and hide underground if they're frightened - leashed ones can't.

My own cats would savage my hands if I tried to put a harness anywhere near them

Yes, it's only because he's comfortable with the way things are that we do it. If he doesn't want to go out it is NOT happening!

Also, interestingly, I'm the only one he's really comfortable going out with. 🤷🏼‍♀️

@Poorlykitten

There’s plenty of dogs that are stressed by being on a lead in a park or being walked near traffic or whatever it may be but people still do it. No one saying on here you are a bad dog owner for making your pet experience these things. If you think you know your animal and you think it’s fine with being walked away on a lead in a public place, go do it. You can argue what you want but there’s no law stating you can’t walk cats or rabbits anywhere... there are laws, however, regarding keeping your dog under control. If you have a dog that has no recall, it shouldn’t be off lead in the first place.

Wouldn't it be nice if people were just decent and took responsibility for educating themselves and safeguarding their pet's welfare rather than taking the stance of 'well there's no law against it so I'll do what I want'

We'd see many fewer animal welfare problems if people were less self-absorbed

@sunflowersandbuttercups

How do I want them to do that? Accept that there is a chance that they will come across a cat on a lead and put their dog on a lead while they cross each other's paths

I agree this is a good idea, but if the dog spots the cat before the owner does, it'll be too late. The dog will easily be on top of your cat before you know it, and how on earth do you plan to keep your cat safe then?

99.9% of our walks are completely uneventful. I doubt Leroy would be so keen to go out if he found the whole thing traumatising, he's not stupid. He knows where he likes to go and he's comfortable going.

That's fair enough if you think he's happy. But you do need to accept that it is a risk you're taking - all it takes is one off-lead dog to appear around the corner and your cat could easily be injured or killed with no means of escape.

My dog lives with cats - he sleeps with them, shares their food/water and they get on fantastically, but if he was off-lead and spotted a cat, there is no way I'd be able to re-call him from it.

Personally I think dogs that can’t be recalled from cats off lead should be on a lead or long line at all times unless you are 100% sure there is no chance there could be a cat. So Unless you are in the middle of nowhere with no houses for miles then dogs should be on a lead. Even in the middle of nowhere I’d still be worried about injuring wildlife so still think a long line is advisable to ensure that dogs are under control and no laws are broken. But that’s just my view, I know that people will weigh up the risks for themselves/interpret the “dogs should be under control” law differently and decide to let their dogs off that do chase cats. So I’d never walk a cat in a park even though theoretically dogs should be under control.