To the Editor:

Over the past couple of months, I have had five local incidents occur with unleashed or out of control ‘voice controlled’ hefty dogs that lunged at my two leashed five-pound chihuahuas. My old dogs were terrorized by these encounters. So was I. Not one person had the decency to apologize for their dog’s behavior. I hold the owners accountable, not the animals.

Fortunately, my little dogs although badly frightened were physically unharmed but the damage was done. Both have heart problems that were exacerbated by these experiences.

My (retired) Vet believes that all dogs must be leashed, and that it doesn’t matter if a dog intimidates or attacks another the effect is the same.

He suggested that I take the dogs back to the places where they were bullied/frightened to help them move through the trauma, which I did.

Bullying, regardless of outcome is not acceptable behavior.

We will not return to the place where four of these incidents occurred unless some action to control unleashed/out of control dogs is mandated and enforced. I will continue to walk my dogs on the road where the last of these incidents occurred because I live here. Ironically, most of our time is spent in untrammeled forests where no dog mishap has ever occurred.

I have spoken with so many folks who have had similar experiences with their non – aggressive dogs being bullied or attacked that I think it necessary to bring this issue to the public’s attention.

Sara Wright

Woodstock