We love enjoying the outdoors with our dogs. As dog lovers, it is a joy to see our dogs run around to their heart's content. But we cannot call ourselves responsible pet owners if we do not leash our dogs in public.
Time out with our dogs in public places should also be with respect to other people and dogs around and a large part of this means leashing your dogs.
When you leash your dog in public places:
1. You are following the law. Did you know that the RA 9482 also called the Anti Rabies Act states that dogs should be leashed in public places?
"(c) Maintain control over their Dog and not allow it to roam the streets or any Public Place without a leash.
Rule 5(c)1. The length of the leash shall not be more than 1.5 meters (5 feet) and the required dog tag shall be attached to the dog collar/harness. Aggressive dogs shall be muzzled in public places."
(Source: http://pawsphilippines.weebly.com/responsibilities-of-a-pet-owner-ra9482-the-anti-rabies-act.html)
2. You are being respectful to other people who also have the right to use public places and may be wary of our leashless furry friends.
3. You are being respectful to other dog owners with leashed dogs who may be reactive to other dogs, and are not comfortable with dogs running towards them - no matter how friendly.
4. You are being considerate of other dogs who are being trained by other responsible pet owners. They may be slowly working at exposing the dog outdoors and that dog might not be ready to have off-leash dogs in their personal space.
5. You will avoid accidents, such as your dog running off to chase something, which would put him or her at risk of getting hit by a vehicle.
6. You will avoid other off-leash dogs who may not be good with other dogs (dog fight, anyone? No thanks!).
Leashing your dog in public places has a lot of benefits aside from those enumerated above. Doing this is not just for both of you, but for other people and pets as well. And remember: when we practice responsible pet ownership, more and more establishments will be convinced to become pet-friendly places!
So let’s all take that step towards becoming responsible pet owners and leash our dogs!
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