Either there aren't leash laws in the country or hundreds of criminals are exercising their canines daily.
When I was in Cork City with my parents, we were in a small shop when this man walked in with his three dogs happily at his feet. None of them were leashed but they all maintained a 5 foot radius around him and, though they severely needed baths, were as happy as can be. And the owner of the shop did not question it once! Not to mention that one of the dogs had a cone around his head an visible stitches from a recent surgery.
It is just so funny and adorable that dogs can roam and people deal with it, in fact, people don't even look twice.
This also happens at UCD frequently when people exercise around campus. Since UCD is situated between neighborhoods and has public walking trails on campus, it is a common-place for locals to come for a stroll. And, you guessed it, their dogs too.
I just think of my dog and how she would react in a no-leash scenario. While she loves us and has a wonderful life, she would bolt for the horizon if we took her off her leash. She is a terrier, she is hyper, she is very fast, and knows that an unrestrained situation is not a natural part of her existence. She would not survive as an Irish pooch, I suppose, or we would have had to spent way more time on her training.
Not to mention most Americans would at least question, if not freak out, about all of the roaming dogs in this country. They are not all lap dogs but range from dachshunds to sheepdogs to Great Danes. I don't know if they have issues with these dogs ever getting aggressive but if the Irish dogs are like the Irish people, they are too laid back and friendly to even consider biting a child.
All in all, I appreciate the dog policy here. I love seeing dogs around without having to construct a story about them being underfed and miserable as soon as they leave my sight.
Good for them good for me, win win for all.
The Opinionated Lassie
No comments:
Post a Comment