Police threatening to Shoot any dogs off leash.

natenqen · 02-25-2010, 11:17 PM

I thought this would be something to enlighten to you guys since you all don't know much about the rural areas of Alaska. Bethel is just north of where I live. A lot of dog owners here don't view dogs as we see it. (Some of you guys are a bit too passionate compared to me and a few of my friends.) Most people see's our types as 'crazy' for caring like a dog is more than just a dog. Anyways here it is.

http://http://www.adn.com/2010/02/20...danger-of.html

**fawkese1** · 02-25-2010, 11:55 PM

i'm not sure if it is me, or the link, but i can't get it to open for some reason...

natenqen · 02-26-2010, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by natenqen

I thought this would be something to enlighten to you guys since you all don't know much about the rural areas of Alaska. Bethel is just north of where I live. A lot of dog owners here don't view dogs as we see it. (Some of you guys are a bit too passionate compared to me and a few of my friends.) Most people see's our types as 'crazy' for caring like a dog is more than just a dog. Anyways here it is.

Loose Bethel dogs in danger of being shot: Rural Alaska | adn.com

Okay, let see if this works. I realized there were two http instead of one.

Sorry about that.

**fawkese1** · 02-26-2010, 01:26 AM

wow, i didn't even notice about the address...sorry, usually i look for that

i know this will sound... i dunno, harsh? but i can't say that i fully disagree with this move, i mean, if the dogs are causing the stated problems and other courses of action are being attempted and owners still aren't taking responsibility for their dogs... well... i don't know, one thing tho... is there no animal control there? just curious, seems like they should just be sent in to a shelter, and the owner cited for neglect etc... but then again... it sounds like the shelter would be over-flowing in a very short time... sounds like a really crappy situation all around, one without a great solution except for people to start taking their pet ownership responisibilities seriously...

natenqen · 02-26-2010, 02:28 AM

No, it's not harsh, but sad. Bethel is like my town (interms of being rural), there are no roads that lead to any of the other villages or even the major cities in alaska. When we say rural, we are really more of a rural place than most places in the states. The only way out is by snowmachine or vehicles in the winter (to get to nearby villages. Snowmachines on tundra and vehicles on frozen river.) Or by boat in the late spring to early fall (normally to the smaller villages.) And than there is the jet, (only way to get to the larger cities.)

I just think that not all owners can't be as bad as was put. And I've only visit there on special occasions. (such as the kuskokwim 300 sled dog race and the Camaii, and of course when our high school basketball team travels there when they have the regional finals.) I can only talk about what I hear from some of my friends there. According to them, they have only one dog pound and one main dog catcher. and that the police help out when the dog catcher is 'off' duty??? (After I read that, I had called one of my friends to get the scoop. I'm a really nosie person can you tell? tee hee hee)

She was actually shocked and thought I was pulling her leg and I told her to look on that site and she was surprised. (apperantly she didn't hear word of this until I called and asked about it.) Which means that the local media didn't get this scoop yet. How strange. I would think the police or who ever, would tell the local media to warn pet owners about what might happen if things don't change.

**fawkese1** · 02-26-2010, 02:47 AM

i totally agree sad....

i grew up in a rural area, and for a long time there was a big problem with feral/stray dogs, and they were dangerous, from what i remember (i was a kid so...) eventually i think they started trapping them and i am guessing that they probably ended up euthanizing most of them....

on the other hand, from what you are saying, the situation isn't what they are claiming?

that is very sad

and very wrong imo...

**Criosphynx** · 02-26-2010, 03:07 AM

well I will say its nice to have another "west coaster" on during the wee hours LOL

I agree it is sad, they tend to shoot them in som' foreign countries too.

natenqen · 02-26-2010, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fawkese1

i totally agree sad....

i grew up in a rural area, and for a long time there was a big problem with feral/stray dogs, and they were dangerous, from what i remember (i was a kid so...) eventually i think they started trapping them and i am guessing that they probably ended up euthanizing most of them....

on the other hand, from what you are saying, the situation isn't what they are claiming?

that is very sad

and very wrong imo...

Well, I know we have a lot of feral/stray dogs and we even have some owners who want dogs but lets them out with out a tie out or a kennel or gate or anything. Just roam around. (I'm sure it happens in the lower 48 too or worse, chaines with only 3 feet to move from.) I'm sure it's the same for Bethel residence.

But the local media should have gotten a hold of this and announce it to the residence that the police are going to go to drastic masures. Judging on my friends response to when I asked about it, it seems the police are only telling the irresponsible owners about this. The only reason Anchorage Daily got it was because they are good at getting this kind of information, the problem is not many rural residents think Anchorage Daily is also for them. Most everyone around here goes with the local daily news such as Tundra Drums and Delta Discovery and their (our) local radio stations.

Okay, I'm going to bed befor I end up blowing up on a new's report I posted and cause unneeded embarressment and stupidity to myself. Anyways, I think I will do more research on this. It's interesting and one of the comments from a vet who was thrown out of the state really intreges me. At least the vet board made changes to have them go out to the rural areas more than just 2 months out of one year long ago when I was maybe 6 years old. (Not just to Bethel, but the rural areas of AK.)

**fawkese1** · 02-26-2010, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by natenqen

Well, I know we have a lot of feral/stray dogs and we even have some owners who want dogs but lets them out with out a tie out or a kennel or gate or anything. Just roam around. (I'm sure it happens in the lower 48 too or worse, chaines with only 3 feet to move from.) I'm sure it's the same for Bethel residence.

But the local media should have gotten a hold of this and announce it to the residence that the police are going to go to drastic masures. Judging on my friends response to when I asked about it, it seems the police are only telling the irresponsible owners about this. The only reason Anchorage Daily got it was because they are good at getting this kind of information, the problem is not many rural residents think Anchorage Daily is also for them. Most everyone around here goes with the local daily news such as Tundra Drums and Delta Discovery and their (our) local radio stations.

Okay, I'm going to bed befor I end up blowing up on a new's report I posted and cause unneeded embarressment and stupidity to myself. Anyways, I think I will do more research on this. It's interesting and one of the comments from a vet who was thrown out of the state really intreges me. At least the vet board made changes to have them go out to the rural areas more than just 2 months out of one year long ago when I was maybe 6 years old. (Not just to Bethel, but the rural areas of AK.)

i understand more of what you are getting at now... hopefully the person you contacted at the shelter there will work to get the word out.... i think that is what people need to know, i don't let my dog wander, but accidents happen, especially since i am not the only one to work with him all the time, he has wandered off once bc the gate was left open, what if someone shot him for it? how unfair, and how sad...

natenqen · 02-27-2010, 01:17 AM

Okay, so I did more research and I was a bit too passionate about this without reading the full problem. Sorry guys.

lol, yeah, i have a tendency to not get my point accross too much when I'm running of fumes. (emotionally. ^_^' ) And I am glad you realized what I was getting at fawkese and yes, unfortunatly that does happen. (But my big lug gets out once in a blue moon now that he is a senier and when he does man he is gone.)

But that was my biggest problem. But, after reading the Tundra Drums on line. (Finally they posted it.) I was more relaxed and I guess now the whole community knows and I am glad they aren't going to shoot just any dog that is out lose by accedent.

I am somewhat upset that it took almost one week to get this out to the public. (Was stated it was supposed to be issued last week.) So, my pointing fingers at the local media was both correct and wrong. (The police did make attempts to alert the city not just irresponsable owners.) And any dog who is lose with 'tags' on collars will not be shot. (Thank God it's not going that extreme.) Although I would worry that the officers might get... shall we say... trigger happy?

Anyways, the are issues too that are being resolved in some of the bigger cities to help low cost spay/neutering for our part of the world. YAY!

So here is the Tundra Drums site and if you guys have any more 'interest' about this, let me know. By the way, I just got an email from my friend in Bethel and she said the only breeders here are back yard or 'oops' litters and she will get other responsible dog owners to help her in going to a city meeting and see if they could get a law to have spay/neutering law mandatory. I wonder they had tried to pass a law or bill before and it didn't work out???

The Tundra Drums - Police aggressively enforcing leash law