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Cruiser wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 10:28 am
100% chance that the dog in the op's story doesn't get shot that day if the owner just follows the clearly marked rules and keeps their dog on a 6' leash. Simple as that.
Sure and if no one ever went hiking it also wouldn't be a problem.
Pretty sure it's still perfectly legal to go hiking. The person who broke the rules here is the dog owner.
Why is Fido so special that his need to run free on a mountainside supercedes his owner's duty to abide by the law of the land?
Really, shooting a gun at a live animal isn't illegal????? Okay, I'll just say it...anyone who thinks they need to carry a gun while hiking in Colorado is seriously fucked in the head.
But having your dog of leash in a wilderness area is illegal. No question about that. The shooting piece of the argument can be viewed as being more muddy but the leash part is crystal clear.
Lots of speculation here, especially from the crowd that apparently fantasizes about having a defensible reason to shoot a domestic dog.
I hike with my dog almost every weekend, and I let her off leash often. I do, however, target areas where we're almost guaranteed not to see another group, and if we do, I only let her roam free when I have a full field of view and there's a negligible chance she'll be able to approach anyone without their consent. Or, more succinctly put, I usually only let her off leash on 13ers above treeline. I've also invested a lot of time and energy on building recall. On 14ers or crowded trails, or when we're in close range to another party, she's on leash 100% of the time. It's a bummer, but it's for her own protection as well as out of respect for fellow trail users. You never know what wildlife could be just out of view; a moose or mountain lion, or apparently a person with a gun, might be lurking. Or another reactive dog who might not be friendly if approached. You also never know which other hikers might be fearful of or simply disgusted by dogs. I wouldn't want my dog to ruin another person's day. Too many owners act like because they love their dog, everyone must love their dog — and there are plenty of people out there who don't.
If nothing else, I use a leash because I believe other dogs and owners have just as much right to use a hiking trail as I do, and they might have reactivity or aggression issues that could at best cause anxiety and at worst lead to an expensive vet visit. If they're adhering to the law, it's a shame for them to have to worry about dozens of off-leash dogs running up to them every five minutes. Those dogs and owners deserve to be outdoors, too. I love seeing my dog run free in the mountains — she's seldom happier — but the hard truth is that most life-threatening situations that occur to dogs in the backcountry can be avoided by using a leash and following the rules. Including this one.
It also has to be said that, whether the stereotypes are true or not, many people view pitbulls as terrifying. I doubt this incident would have occurred to a goldendoodle. I know many pitbulls that are sweet as can be, and I'm not trying to perpetuate misinformation, but breed was likely a factor in the gunman deciding to pull the trigger. If you own a large breed that's considered as possibly dangerous by society at large, my thoughts on keeping them on a leash are amplified.
“There are two kinds of climbers: those who climb because their heart sings when they’re in the mountains, and all the rest.” - Alex Lowe
"There have been joys too great to describe in words, and there have been griefs upon which I cannot dare to dwell; and with those in mind I say, 'Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste, look well to each step, and from the beginning think what may be the end.'" - Edward Whymper
The article almost trips over itself trying to communicate that they only have 1 side of the story. Just the tone of the reporting makes me wonder what the other side is.
But like others, I'm struggling to think of a realistic scenario here where it's ok to shoot an un-leashed dog. Come on man.
Cruiser wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 11:11 am
But having your dog of leash in a wilderness area is illegal. No question about that. The shooting piece of the argument can be viewed as being more muddy but the leash part is crystal clear.
Not to be this guy, but...
ACTUALLY, that's not true. Several of Colorado's wilderness areas, by law, only require voice control. The Weminuche is one.
Not that it really applies to this incident, where a leash law did exist.
“There are two kinds of climbers: those who climb because their heart sings when they’re in the mountains, and all the rest.” - Alex Lowe
"There have been joys too great to describe in words, and there have been griefs upon which I cannot dare to dwell; and with those in mind I say, 'Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste, look well to each step, and from the beginning think what may be the end.'" - Edward Whymper
SurfNTurf wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 11:25 am
I hike with my dog almost every weekend, and I let her off leash often... I usually only let her off leash on 13ers above treeline.
Are these places above treeline on 13ers in wilderness areas that have leash laws? Cuz I feel like your online persona here at 14ers.com is one of a good guy who follows LNT principles and takes time to mentor others. But then to pop on here and tell everyone that you freely break the rules on a regular basis diminishes the value of those contributions because it serves to discredit an otherwise strong voice for the 14er community. I'm no legislator but I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that the wilderness rules regarding leashing pets weren't exclusively designed to protect other wilderness users from dog bites. So the mere fact that you're mostly alone when you break the law doesn't make it more defensible.
CaptCO wrote: ↑Sun Aug 30, 2020 10:34 am
Being pro dog and pro 2nd, I cannot believe this low life POS would do such a thing. I hope he gets the book thrown at him
If you don't want your dog shot, either keep them on leash or under voice control, meaning you don't have to scream and chase after them to stay near you. Yet another problem easily solved via personal responsibility.
- A mountain is not a checkbox to be ticked
- Alpinism and mountaineering are not restricted to 14,000 foot mountains
- Judgment and experience are the two most important pieces of gear you own
- Being honest to yourself and others about your abilities is a characteristic of experienced climbers
- Courage cannot be bought at REI or carried with you in your rucksack
