Letter: Dogs at large a problem

According to Jennifer, the Lewis and Clark County animal control officer, there is no restraint or leash law in Lincoln. Your dog can be labeled vicious if it bites someone or as a nuisance for barking. You can be issued a citation. If you cannot prove your dog is current in it's vaccinations it can be quarantined for ten days at a $250.00 charge. Even though Lincoln has no restraint law for dogs there could be long lasting consequences for letting your dog run at large.

I bring this to your attention because of a recent dog attack on new years day in your community.

A dog similar in size and color to a wolf and another Aussie shepherd type dog attacked my 35 lb med. size dog that I was walking on a leash. My dog and I were able to fight off the attacking dogs not once, not twice, but three times before the owner came out into the street where we were. She was very concerned as I was kneeling down holding my dog, who was still crying. After catching my breath, I stood and the owner walked with us to our destination. All the time having to keep the wolf type dog at bay. Neither myself, nor my dog, were seriously injured.

This incident could have turned out very different in a couple different ways. Did I mention, I'm a 66 year old heart bypass surgery with complications survivor. As I was kneeling, holding my dog, trying to catch my breath, the stress and exertion of fighting off the attacking dogs put me into A-fib, arterial fibrillation. That is when the heart beats so fast, you loose blood pressure, are light headed, pain starts in the chest, radiates up into the throat, side of the face and maybe down the left arm. Similar to a heart attack. A-fib can also lead to a stroke.

How about starting out your new year being responsible for the cost of a mercy flight from Lincoln to Missoula and a stay at St. Pats hospital? Or maybe worse?

Or how about this scenario. Did I mention I was carrying a side arm? If either my dog or myself had been bitten or injured, I would have pulled my side arm and dispatched both attacking dogs as quickly as possible right in the middle of the street with the owner watching. When I heard the owner yell at her dogs I made the decision not to use lethal force, only as a last resort. How would you like to start out your new year in this way?

I've had dogs all my life and understand they become part of the family. However, you have to be the pack leader to be able to control them.

Thank you Lord for guiding me to make the proper snap decision not to use lethal force. Luckily , for myself, my dog and the attacking dogs, everything turned out alright. I'll be seeing my cardiologist shortly.

Be assured when walking my dog in Lincoln, in the future, no other dog will be allowed within biting distance ever again.

Ron Crawford

Canyon Creek, Mont.