Be a good neighbor

As the days get longer and the sun grows warmer, we all anticipate the arrival of spring. We long for the green grass, the blooming of flowers, the birds chirping and the fresh air.

We are excited to get out of the house. We can’t wait to go jogging, running, bicycling, skateboarding — the choices are endless.

The problem is, our pets also want out. They also have been cooped up all winter and want to run free and explore.

It is easy to just open the door and let them go. However, dogs (and cats) running loose in a neighborhood create a lot of problems for everybody, even the owner of the animal. You could be held civilly liable for any damages your pet causes. You could receive a fine for failing to restrain your animal, your pet could be hit by a car and, if it survives, could cost you thousands of dollars in vet bills. The accident could cause property damage to the car and driver, and cause emotional suffering to the person who hits your animal. If your animal is impounded at the local animal shelter, it will cost money to get it out.

Being a responsible pet owner also means being a good neighbor. Owners often assume that everyone likes their animal and it’s OK, because everyone in the neighborhood knows their animal is friendly. Some owners simply don’t care what happens to their pets, or they think it is cruel to keep them tied up. An animal running loose can travel far from home and become lost. Even if your closest neighbor is miles away, your loose animal can destroy your neighbors’ property, attack their livestock and get shot, get into garbage, defecate on their property, tear up landscapes and gardens, scare, chase and bite children, and the list goes on. On the flip side, your animal may be attacked and even killed while far from home.

You might think that you have the nicest animal in the world and that it wouldn’t harm a fly, but the fact is our animals are just that — animals, with predatory instincts.

Not to long ago, it was normal for animals to roam free, especially in remote areas. There weren’t very many neighbors or cars on the road like there are today. Times are changing in the Mat-Su Valley and it is the responsibility of pet owners to keep their animals safe. A dog that “has never left the yard” could someday be tempted by another animal getting to close to its territory.

People think stray dogs are abandoned and will sometimes keep them for themselves or give them away. Your pet could be stolen by someone who thinks that you are irresponsible or because they are malicious and greedy and don’t want to pay for an animal, especially purebred pets.

There are many hazards out in the world and it is the “adult” pet owners’ responsibility to insure their animals are not a nuisance and are kept safe. Please enjoy the summer and get out and exercise your pets. Take them for a walk on a leash, play ball in your yard, teach them agility. But overall, be a good neighbor and be responsible. Please keep your animals restrained.

It’s also a violation of the Mat-Su Borough’s Restraint Ordinance and you could receive a fine of $110 dollars.

Darla Erskine is an animal care officer with the Mat-Su Borough.