Dogs gone wild in Asheville (apartment complexes, home, buying)

[NC_Paddler]

I've never seen so many dogs running loose in my life . . . and I live in town.

Not coincidentally, I've also never seen so many "Lost Dog" flyers stapled to telephone poles.

What gives? Is this a cultural phenomenon? A socioeconomic one?

[organick]

I think is cultural/ regional. Not sure why but alot of people just let there dog out and assume it will come home at night. I used to live on a busy street and my neighbor had 2 dogs hit cars and they still let there other dogs run free. It is not legal however so if they are causing problems you can try to have them picked up. I personally dont get why people have dogs and don't responsibly take care of them.

[NC_Paddler]

Originally Posted by organick

I think is cultural/ regional. Not sure why but alot of people just let there dog out and assume it will come home at night. I used to live on a busy street and my neighbor had 2 dogs hit cars and they still let there other dogs run free. It is not legal however so if they are causing problems you can try to have them picked up. I personally dont get why people have dogs and don't responsibly take care of them.

I'd hate to be a "tattle tale", but pet overpopulation is a big problem. Seems like an odd trend in Asheville given its overall pet friendliness.

[organick]

Originally Posted by NC_Paddler

I'd hate to be a "tattle tale", but pet overpopulation is a big problem. Seems like an odd trend in Asheville given its overall pet friendliness.

I believe pets need to be fixed and kept under control for their safety and the safety of other people and animals.

[Francois]

Apparently the city ordinances are not as strict there as in most other places, especially cities. I would suspect that "mountain people" don't appreciate having "The Man" tell them how to treat their own dogs and that while Asheville is certainly not hillbilly, the same customs from years ago are likely to prevail in the region.

I would agree that it's a public (canine) safety issue and would be appropriately mentioned to the city council. Just take much care not to come across as a "Well where I come from, we do it like this..." outsider, in a patronizing way, because that's the best way to make people shut down their receptivity.

[Dreamy46]

Originally Posted by NC_Paddler

I'd hate to be a "tattle tale", but pet overpopulation is a big problem. Seems like an odd trend in Asheville given its overall pet friendliness.

It makes for a bad situation. Complaining is the right thing to do, but that tends to open up another problem, which is the persons complained against will most likely begin retaliating in various forms.

Been there, done that, and if you choose to go down that road, then go with pictures or video evidence...

[organick]

Originally Posted by Francois

Apparently the city ordinances are not as strict there as in most other places, especially cities. I would suspect that "mountain people" don't appreciate having "The Man" tell them how to treat their own dogs and that while Asheville is certainly not hillbilly, the same customs from years ago are likely to prevail in the region.

I would agree that it's a public (canine) safety issue and would be appropriately mentioned to the city council. Just take much care not to come across as a "Well where I come from, we do it like this..." outsider, in a patronizing way, because that's the best way to make people shut down their receptivity.

The city of asheville has leash laws and just passed a no chain up law.

[Cofga]

Originally Posted by organick

The city of asheville has leash laws and just passed a no chain up law.

Don't they also require dogs be spayed/neutered? These kinds of laws fall under the category of nuisance ordinances and are only enforced when someone becomes a nuisance and the police are forced to act. In a laid back community it may take a while for neighbors to get up on their haunches and called in the cops on a neighbor--unless they are new Floridians!

[Dreamy46]

Originally Posted by Cofga

Don't they also require dogs be spayed/neutered? These kinds of laws fall under the category of nuisance ordinances and are only enforced when someone becomes a nuisance and the police are forced to act. In a laid back community it may take a while for neighbors to get up on their haunches and called in the cops on a neighbor--unless they are new Floridians!

Here we go with the Floridian bashing again. I've got a question for you. Just what kind of person tramples their neighbors freedoms and property rights? Is the kind of person that would do that to begin with deserving of respect?

[lovebrentwood]

The only time I was ever in Asheville, we were in the parking lot of some park, it was raining, and a big black shepherd mix dog was loose, confused, running in circles, and was almost hit a couple of times by cars.

We took the big fat wet dog into our car, checked the tag, and went to the trouble (during our "vacation") of tracking down the owner and returning the dog. The owner was some idiot in his late twenties who acted like we were dumb a**es for touching his dog. It was no big deal to him that his dog was running loose and almost killed. I figured it was a "cultural" thing.

Pet overpopulation in North Carolina is now insane.

People are dumping their dogs everywhere due to the recession or ignorance, others are breeding dogs and trying to sell them (sometimes as purebred, when they're not, or "pure bread" as the geniuses spell it on Craigslist).

The most popular breed of all is the pit bull, a dog that is banned in most apartment complexes and is probably the most common breed that county shelters put down (with our tax money, I might add, for those who like to scream about our tax money).

Others are stealing or taking "free dogs" and reselling them (especially small breeds) for "only" $50 on Craigslist, while not taking care of them (let alone spaying or neutering them) in the meantime.

Yet equally ignorant people still keep buying cute little puppies from these backyard breeders ("We're not breeders, the dang dog just got accidentally pregnant, that's all!") instead of seeing that there are thousands of dogs and puppies that are killed regularly at county shelters in North Carolina -- some of which are available for a $20 adoption fee. (Google Harnett County adoption shelter.)

I do think North Carolina must rank right up there on a list of "Top 10 Worst States for Canines." Or put another way, "Top 10 Most Ignorant States When it Comes to Animal Welfare."