[mswalsh]

How do you enforce the leash law in the Villages? I live in the village of Santiago (Sumter County) & one of my neighbors lets their dog out without a leash & they do not come out to watch the dog. So, he roams everyone's yard & does you know what. The people have been asked to please keep an eye on the dog & they "yes" us to death & still don't watch the dog.

[chuckster]

Won't have much impact, but call neighborhood watch and at least you and the neighbors will be on record with a complaint regarding the roaming dog. And the neigborhood watch can.............watch.

[barb1191]

Originally Posted by mswalsh

How do you enforce the leash law in the Villages? I live in the village of Santiago (Sumter County) & one of my neighbors lets their dog out without a leash & they do not come out to watch the dog. So, he roams everyone's yard & does you know what. The people have been asked to please keep an eye on the dog & they "yes" us to death & still don't watch the dog.

Since the leash law is enforced by the County, I would imagine that you should contact the Sheriff's office and issue a complaint. Would also help if your neighbors joined in on the complaint.

In accordance with the County law, I would also complain to TV as they also enforce this law. It's no doubt part of TV Covenants. If the complaint is ignored by the perpetrator, then possibly TV would or maybe even the County would fine them, or even make them remove the dog from the premises completely.

You have the law on your side, go for it.

[handieman]

Originally Posted by mswalsh

How do you enforce the leash law in the Villages? I live in the village of Santiago (Sumter County) & one of my neighbors lets their dog out without a leash & they do not come out to watch the dog. So, he roams everyone's yard & does you know what. The people have been asked to please keep an eye on the dog & they "yes" us to death & still don't watch the dog.

Ok heres the cure!

Carefully lift the doo doo into a brown paper bag.
Sit the bag with contents in front of the neighbors front door.
Light the bag on fire about 12 inches from the door
Ring the door bell when you know they are home (TIP! do this at night for greater effect)
The home owner will promply answer the door and stomp out the bag.

Hey what did you expect, I'm sitting here in a motel on I95 with time to kill
Handie

[another Linda]

Handi, what are you doing on I-95? Not coming back here are you?

[handieman]

Originally Posted by another Linda

Handi, what are you doing on I-95? Not coming back here are you?

YES
handie

[another Linda]

Not * a * good * idea!!!! It's cold up here.

[Talk Host]

Neighborhood watch has nothing to do with dog leash violations. They will do nothing. You can call the deed compliance office and they will send somebody out to talk to the people....if you give them specific information on the owners. However, deed compliance has no authority. They will come out twice, then they will tell you to call the Marion County Animal Control office in Ocala. The county will send an officer to the offenders house and give them a warning. They will return on a second compaint and give them a citation.

You can choose to bypass the deed compliance office and go directly to the County. That will get things done more quickly.

I recently called the deed compliance office about a guy who walks his dog every day without a leash. They told me that I had to "secretly follow him home" to get his address. I said I would not put myself into that situation, that should be a job for Neighborhood watch. I was informed that it was "not" and that it was up to me to gather the information.

[golfnut]

never mind

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by golfnut

talk host, seems to me if it's too much of an inconvenience to follow this person home (at a safe distance) to get their address it can't be that big of a problem.

Under the law, following somebody can be considered stalking. Secondly, it is not a matter of inconvenience, it is a matter that a mere warning that it should be done at a "safe" distance denotes danger attached to such activity. Why are the compliance office and neighborhood watch in existance if it is up to the residents to do their work. I told them where it was and the exact time it occurs each day. That should have been enough for action of their part.

I can hear it now! Me, "Hello, police, somebody just robbed the bank." Police, "did you follow them home to get an address for us." Me, "NO" Police, "...well it can't be that much of a problem if you didn't follow them home."

[SteveZ]

Why worry about being a "good neighbor" on this?

This problem is solved the same as anywhere else in the country.

Call the county sheriff on the NON-emergency number and report the fact that the dog is loose and runs through the area and the owner knows about it and encourages the action. By the way, you can't tell if the dog is tagged or not. County animal control will check to see if the dog has a county tag.

If the county sheriff keeps getting calls (on the NON-emergency number), there will be a "stop by and see" with the dog's owner.

[Talk Host]

If there is any member here who has never said something they thought was funny, but turned out it wasn't, please raise your hand.

I for one, have said lots of things in my lifetime that I thought were funny but they weren't. I'm glad that most people realize they have done the same thing and have forgiven me.

[drdodge]

Not a villages leash law its a county law so call Sumter county dog officer and he will tell you he is to busy to come out here.

drd

Originally Posted by Talk Host

Under the law, following somebody can be considered stalking. Secondly, it is not a matter of inconvenience, it is a matter that a mere warning that it should be done at a "safe" distance denotes danger attached to such activity. Why are the compliance office and neighborhood watch in existance if it is up to the residents to do their work. I told them where it was and the exact time it occurs each day. That should have been enough for action of their part.

I can hear it now! Me, "Hello, police, somebody just robbed the bank." Police, "did you follow them home to get an address for us." Me, "NO" Police, "...well it can't be that much of a problem if you didn't follow them home."

Maybe, the dog owner and/or friends of the dog owner use TOTV? What kind of dog is this Talk Host?

I hope this is a big dog that would scare of an alligator like a Great Dane, Mastiff, German Shepard, Doberman, or something along those lines.

Hate to think if it is a Yorkshire Terrier or a Chihuahau?

I have not seen any dogs in my neighborhood of Lynnhaven wandering any further than their immediate vicinity of their own houses.

[SABRMnLgs]

We have a beagle and I believe I can count on one hand the number of times she has been on a leash, other than going to the vets, etc. She is allowed to roam free anywhere in our yard but is not allowed outside it's boundaries.
Taught to her beginning as an eight week old puppy.