LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Be responsible for your dog and keep it in the yard

By: Dear Editor: | SCNow
Published: March 13, 2010

I have been told that there is no leash law for dogs in Florence County. If this is true, then I think its time for county representatives to start thinking about putting one into effect.

I live in a residential neighborhood two streets past Carolinas Hospital, an area that is zoned for the county. I am personally tired of having my yard messed up by my neighbor’s dogs, which are constantly allowed to run loose. My husband and I have complained to animal control many times, and the last time the animal control officer came out, he told me he couldn’t do anything about these dogs because he couldn’t catch them.

Tonight, my Boykin was attacked in our fenced in yard next to our back steps. I was badly frightened by the incident, but I did go out and chase the dogs out of the yard. Then my blood pressure really soared when I saw that my dog was bleeding from the attack. Since it is Sunday night, I did not get to talk to anyone at Animal Control when I called, but I left a message for them to call me back.

Needless to say, I am fed up with having to put up with other people’s dogs in my yard; I don’t like the fact that these dogs roam loose when my grandchildren visit; and I am now very angry that these dogs entered my fenced in yard and attacked my dog.

Am I out of line to think that if someone wants to have a dog, he or she needs to be responsible for that dog and keep it in his or her yard?

Mary Baker
Florence