Unleashed dogs in Colorado's Summit County spark potential policy change
Summit County is considering changing leash laws for dogs in unincorporated Summit County due to an increase in people not following the current laws. Unlike in towns like Breckenridge, Silverthorne, Dillon, and Frisco, you do not need to have your dog on a leash in unincorporated parts of Summit County so long as it responds to voice controls and stays within 10 feet of you.
Summit County Animal Shelter and Animal Control's Director J.J. McGill said they are looking into the possibility of changing that rule to require 6-foot leashes for dogs, just like the towns.
"We have noticed a significant increase in people on trails, recreation paths, and outdoor activities and if you own a pet or own a dog, it is easier to have a dog on a leash because it keeps them safe from interacting with another dog or another person," McGill explained.
It's a fight Summit County Andy Stratton said he's tired of having. He walks his dog April multiple miles each day and said the number of bad experiences he and his formerly abused dog have had thanks to unleashed dogs in areas where they should be leashed is absurd.
"A lot of negligence around leash laws and dog etiquette," Stratton explained. He says the disconnect between when bad things happen to an unleashed dog like tripping on something. "You're mad at the thing you trip over like, 'Who put that there?' because it's embarrassing or it makes you feel bad. But who tripped on it?"
Out of several municipalities and organizations, Summit County Animal Control and Shelter gave out the most citations for unleashed dogs in the last 5 years with 96. Breckenridge gave out 45, Silverthorne gave out 37, Dillon issued 16, and Frisco issued only 5.
Some might argue the areas where you are allowed or not allowed to have dogs off leash can be tough to keep track of, but when there is a question of whether it is allowed or not, Stratton said the clear answer should be to leash your pet.
"The equivalent of having your dog off-leash on a rack path and saying it's fine would be like me driving on the wrong side of the street and saying, 'Well, no one was coming, it's fine!'" Stratton said sarcastically. "It's literally unlawful behavior."
Stratton has several instances where he feels like his dog is a danger to other dogs if they get in his personal space, or vice-versa. That's partially why he believes it's so important for people to leash their animals, considering they can't know how other dogs will react. He said when a man's unleashed dog ran up to him and started trying to bite his dog, he took action.
"(The other dog owner) He was like, 'It's fine!' Then the dog came around and started to try to bite my dog and I had to physically stop the dog, unfortunately," Stratton said. "That's awful for all parties. It's upsetting to me that I care about someone else's dog more than they do based on our behaviors.
McGill agreed it was the right move to follow leash laws, "That is not really being a respectful dog owner either."
McGill did not have information on the timeline for any changes to the leash law in unincorporated Summit County.