The serious danger of dog attacks at Northampton’s beloved dog walk were predicted as inevitable “in the long run” by the well-intentioned letter in the May 4 Gazette.
However that is a misguided premise. Firstly, it has already been a “long run.” Decades of families of all ages have been enjoying the gifts of the nearby woodlands, while their pets safely revel in their own joyful romps.
For over 30 years we have been impressed by the dog walk etiquette that the pooches seem to inherently absorb, as well as the comradery and goodwill that flourishes among their owners.
There has always largely been a self-policing awareness of which dogs play well with others and which are better left at home.
Many people may not be aware that groups of dogs on leashes are the real danger.
They do not get to know each other and can become overprotective or feel afraid when approached while restrained.
With increasing awareness and group encouragement to clean up waste, the trails have never been cleaner. Many of us kindly remind transgressors, or just pick up an errant unidentified poop.
For the most part, the dogs are focused on the sheer joy of running, innate to their species, much like the Northampton runners! And some dog walkers are also runners. How about simply making the Tuesday 5K race evenings off limits for dog walking rather than banishing an entire population that has no other safe local resource.
The sentiment of “share the road” that is so emphasized among cars, bikes and motorcycles would well be shared here. In fact, the dog walk offers overall, a most excellent example of a healthy, multi-activity and multi-species community from which we can all learn.
Lilly AND Bennett Gaev
Florence