Isn”t there a leash law in Lake County?
By Kathy Unger
My son and I moved back to Lake County in August, from Oregon, to care for my son”s grandma, my ex-mother-in-law with severe Alzheimer”s. Since I graduated from high school at Upper Lake, in the ”70s, it seems respect for neighbors has changed, at least where we live on Third Street in Lakeport.
We walked our dog on a leash, until the family built a wire pen for us. We would like to build him a huge fenced yard, but the move drained us, financially. The first couple of months, besides 24-hour care of my son”s grandma, I had to call the sheriff, police and animal control. One dog, running with another, lunged at my hand ? I managed to defend myself with my dog”s leash, still in my hand from just putting him in his pen. After a warning was given to our male neighbor, he complied and built a good fence. The lady on the other side, during the first month, said she would build a fence between us, as her young German shepherd and adult border collie kept coming through our lots. The border collie attacked my dog, once inside our door and once while my son had him on a leash. My dog is used to playing with other dogs. He has never attacked before. Also, my son”s grandma shooed them with a broom on her porch, to protect her kitty.
Since animal control issued a warning to them, she did not build a fence, until now, three months later, after another call to the sheriff and animal control, their adult pit bull and German shepherd were on the back porch, barking at me. Also, a friend of hers came to visit, with a big, blonde husky/shepherd mix, whose dog came into our workshop, chasing my son”s cat.
The neighbor”s daughter came over and threatened retaliation if I spoke to animal control again. Her mom was mad that I called animal control. She thought I shouldn”t have done that.
Animal control gave me the option of a warning or a fee citation in the beginning. I was kind and chose a warning, not knowing I would be threatened, when I protected my family and animals. Maybe this kind lady, who spent thousands on landscaping rather than protecting her neighbor with a fence, will have someone treat her with as much respect when she is elderly?
Kathy Unger
Lakeport
