Fence, and leash?

[Rumi in Hawaii]

It is, indeed, a difficult issue. So many folks in Hawaii own aggressive dogs (and yes, they do protect your property...most of the time)...certain breeds that are large and unpredictable (OK, I know there are exceptions, and some pitbulls and some rotweilers are calm and submissive, but let's be honest - how many Shih-zus have attacked kids, or people on bikes???) are downright scary if I'm walking down the road, or riding my bike. Even when folks have these kinds of dogs behind fences, when the dogs are going rabid attacking the fence, I wonder if the fence will hold up long enough for me to walk or bike on by. That's one side of the issue. Another, obviously, is dogs running free and getting hit by cars. I don't know how anyone can legislate dog owner-responsibility any more than you can legislate intelligence or good child-rearing, and how do you determine if one dog is OK, but another isn't..... All I know is that "man's best friend" is not only being injured (think: dog fights, puppy mills, getting run over) but also being used as a weapon when a weapon is overkill (like when kids are walking down the road and dogs go ballistic). I also hate seeing dogs chained up....both for the dog's sake, and for my sake because I don't know if the chain will hold the dog back as I walk by. Fencing would be better, but it's very expensive. What's the answer???? It's a complex problem.... I realize people want their families to feel protected, they want their stuff to be protected. I have to say I found posting a "Beware of Dog" sign on my gate was a great deterrent.... no one had to know it was only a Shih-tzu!! And by the way, walking my little dog on a leash along a road with either dogs running loose, or dogs about to break their chains or fencing, is an intrusion on my freedom, too.