Jackson Heights Life

Recently I saw an unleashed dog—small, white, fluffy, older—standing outside a corner store at 73rd and 37th. I watched it for a minute as I waited to cross the street. When I knelt and talked to it, it was friendly but looked a little forlorn. I opened the door to the store and asked if the owner was in there. He came out, and I said he should have tied up his dog—that it could have run off or been snatched by someone. He was (to say the least) not very receptive: He called me a b--tch and told me to shut up.

I followed him and his still-unleashed dog a couple of blocks. The dog was well behaved—did not run into the street or anything. I didn't feel like the dog was in imminent danger when it was walking with the man, though it got pretty far ahead of him at times. That seemed risky. I've heard stories about dogs being snatched and used for training fighting dogs, like pit bulls.

In the end, I felt like maybe I was being a stick-in-the mud who should have kept her mouth shut. I tried to make it clear I was worried about the dog's safety, not about him following some arbitrary rule. I really was mostly concerned when the dog was outside the shop alone.   

So why am I posting about it now? I guess maybe I want someone to tell me I was right. Or to say, "Oh, that's just Nick and Buster, no need to worry!"

Screw that guy. We have lots of unleashed dogs in the neighborhood. It's illegal. and for good reason.

NYC dog laws

https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/site/resources/streets-and-sidewalks-laws/dog-laws

Thanks. I know it's against the law, though I usually think of the law as protecting people and other dogs from attack. I'm sure that's why I imagined people who saw me chastising him would say, "The dog is harmless! Chill out." But I know I was right to worry about the dog. And I still worry. That guy's not going to start using a leash just because I said something to him about it.

Simka, yesterday afternoon I was walking up 37th Ave near 78th Street and I noticed a small white dog unleashed walking down 37th Avenue followed by an older white male with a beard.  This is most likely the same dog.  No, you did not overreact.  This is very irresponsible dog owner and a very unpleasant and disrespectful owner.

Another reason to keep a dog on a leash and in your control is what happens if the dog is attacked by another dog? When both dogs are on a leash, they are under some degree of control. A small dog off leash that is bit by another dog could run in to traffic. Or misread another dog (some dogs decide they don't like each other for whatever dog reason). I always figured one of the benefits of a small dog is that the owner can pick them up pretty easily and get them out of harm's way (and poking children's fingers if necessary) but that's harder to do if the dog is off leash.

I see them often and it makes me so nervous that the little dog will get hit by a car. Totally irresponsible.

Lilybell, do you mean you see what you think is the same man and dog? I'm surprised I've only seen them the one time.

He lives in that apartment building on 37th between 75th and 76th, on the Roosevelt side of the street.

P.S. Sorry for the late answer—I forgot to come back and check this topic!

I go crazy over this exact thing happening in our neighborhood all of the time. We are not living in a rural area where dogs can run free in their backyards. There are so many things that can happen here! I am sorry he was rude to you. It speaks volumes about him. It sounds like you absolutely did the right thing. I've stood by dogs waiting for their owners to return on several occasions. Until the law is actually enforced, I don't see the minds of ignorant people changing unless there is some kind of push for educating these dog owners on why they should leash their pups.