Keep Fairfield Hills Safe

For Dogs And People

To The Editor:

The Fairfield Hills campus is a gift. Vast and beautiful, this Newtown gem offers dog owners a chance to walk their pets in a safe environment. Unfortunately, many owners do not respect Connecticut’s leash law.

By nature, dogs are gregarious creatures, but occasionally, they may not respect another dog’s or owner’s boundaries. When a dog on a leash is approached by a strange dog off leach, the tethered animal will often defend his space. This natural reaction can have serious consequences for both canine and human. Anyone who has ever witnessed a dog fight will attest to the ferocity of the conflict.

Furthermore, it is not just dog owners who use the Fairfield Hills grounds. Joggers, bikers, and walkers also benefit from this bucolic wonder. Many people do not understand that if a person obtains an injury due to contact with an unleashed dog, the dog owner is legally responsible. Occasionally, unleashed dogs approach young children who may not always respond to dogs in a calm manner. Though they may not sustain a dog bite, they could be frightened or knocked to the ground. Parents are wise to use Fairfield Hills as a safe place for their children to learn to ride a bike, but an approaching dog could cause a child to lose control and fall.

I walk my dog in Fairfield Hills on a daily basis. She is always on a leash. Often, another dog approaches, and I hear the cheery voice of the owner, who is often 50 feet away or even in a car, call out, “Don’t worry, she is friendly!” Although we love to think of our dogs in this way, giving a dog human attributes is unwise and possibly dangerous. On the one or two occasions I have asked an owner to please leash his or her dog, I have been ignored or insulted.

Some towns have created dog parks for those owners who want the off-leash experience. Certainly, they provide a safe place for dogs to romp and play and socialize without the inhibitions of a leash, but Fairfield Hills is not, at this time, one of those parks. It is very satisfying to teach a dog to walk calmly on a leash, and most dog trainers advise that it is the best way to establish a positive relationship with a dog. This area abounds with a number of excellent trainers and classes for dogs. Meanwhile, let’s work to keep Fairfield Hills a safe place for dogs and people and leash our dogs. It is, after all, state and local law.

Penelope Odell

Johnnie Cake Lane, Newtown                                         July 28, 2006