A Sunday Morning Walk In Puna

[PaulW]

I hope Gypsy gets the same welcome from The Others as he wishes for The Others here.
But only until he is able to understand how that works.

[MarkD]

Quite the heated debate. Won’t pick sides, but will say generally the dog situation is out of control here. Two incidents in past year:

1) Am walking along Bayfront fence (inside) toward bandstand. Usual set of homeless drunks carrying on inside. One guy has got a rusty old shopping cart loaded with stuff by the fence, with two dogs on short leashes. Space between the dogs and bandstand: about 40 feet.

I hope to pass between fence and bandstand, but as I approach dogs start barking. I angle toward bandstand side, both dogs violently jump and try drag the cart toward the bandstand so as to intercept me. Cart doesn’t move. I figure no problem. But the closer I get the more agitated they get and start snarling like crazy. They hurl themselves against their leashes. The cart starts to move. I am not going to make it. I just shake my head and go the other way.

2) Talking the walk along McKenzie short at cliff’s edge. Start near Pohoiki side where you can see ocean a bit from road. Heading south. A family is camping. Not tourists. I do not get less than 150 yards from them when 3 dogs start up. Intense barking, dogs all agitated. You would think I was breaking into the guy’s car. Closer I get, worse it gets.

Couple people lackadaisically try to calm dogs down. Does not work. They continue barking the whole way I pass, until I get about 150 yards beyond. 300 yards was about 6-8 minutes of walking, so 6-8 minutes of agitated dogs. So much for a peaceful walk. Have hiked out there for 30 years, from here on probably will avoid the place if I see campers out there.

Two observations: 1) Leashes can break. If they do, you may have big trouble. 2) A lot of dog owners posturing around public places and parks with barking/agitated dogs have an attitude. Like: wot, bodda you? Both these dog owners and their dogs are unpredictable. Trouble. Walk away.

[TomK]

"Two observations: 1) Leashes can break. If they do, you may have big trouble. 2) A lot of dog owners posturing around public places and parks with barking/agitated dogs have an attitude. Like: wot, bodda you? Both these dog owners and their dogs are unpredictable. Trouble. Walk away."

That's all well and good, and decent advice, but in this case, HOTPE was trying to get to his vehicle which was in a public parking lot. Walking away would mean abandoning his vehicle due to the behavior of some obnoxious and thoughtless dog owners.

[MarkD]

Tom, Your point is well taken. Perhaps he might have been able to do something I did in a similar situation once. Enter my car on the passenger side to avoid the situation. I have been bitten by dogs 3 times in the past 15 years so I am overly cautious. My main point is that we need more dog regulations.

[dmbwest]

Like them or not, Gypsy's points are ON point and well stated.

Learn from them and glean perspective.

[TomK]

Pog opined:

"Like them or not, Gypsy's points are on point and well stated.

Learn from them and glean perspective."

Yes, in a public area you have to be attacked and bitten by a dog, possibly to the point of being maimed or killed, before you should defend yourself. It's only at that point the police will ask the dog owners to put their dogs on a leash.

[TomK]

Mark,

"Tom, Your point is well taken. Perhaps he might have been able to do something I did in a similar situation once. Enter my car on the passenger side to avoid the situation. I have been bitten by dogs 3 times in the past 15 years so I am overly cautious. My main point is that we need more dog regulations."

I think I know where HOTPE was when this happened although am not certain. If it's where I think it is, your suggestion probably wouldn't have helped, as he would have had to pass the dogs to even get to his vehicle.

As for more dog regulations, we've recently had a discussion about that here - http://www.punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=23295 - the problem is the current laws are not enforced, so what difference will new laws make?

I appreciate your points and have also been a victim of irresponsible dog owners in the past, even in my own yard let alone public areas, but without enforcement, the problem will continue.

[glassnumbers]

quote:

---

Originally posted by pog

Like them or not, Gypsy's points are ON point and well stated.

Learn from them and glean perspective.

---

Like it or not, Gypsy is both morally and legally wrong on several counts. Let's be real here, his points are not very well stated, either. Learn from your own ignorance and glean perspective. By the way, I've read about the legal situation in more "wild west" type areas that have some similarities to Hawai'i where the law is not as strictly enforced for smaller cases.

In places like the rural south on the mainland, it's completely acceptable to just pull a gun and shoot a dog that's snarling, unleashed, and running in your direction. The reason why is rabies control, it's a thing, and it's not worth risking your life over a dog. Given that it is entirely acceptable to slay a dog that is clearly moving to attack you in these "less-enforced" settings, mace is actually a pretty friendly option.

[dmbwest]

Oh glass ... I have tried to hold back for Rob's sake but man, you are one clueless ---- .

I cannot wait to read how 'wronged' you feel when you get here. PLEASE,,,, keep posting your experiences on Punaweb.

Dear long time punawebbers ... Stand by for an epic meltdown worse than Oneself's

Mrs. Mimosa, tutu will do her thing on this one.

[dmbwest]

What ever happened about your neighbor Tom ? That was a good story unfolding.