PENINSULA – “Dogs – a Growing Problem,” the front page headline blares, informing of the public safety and health concern created by free-running dogs.

“Primarily, the fear of being bitten causes serious social and psychological problems with today’s already fear ridden society,” the article continues, citing a Pacific County Commissioners’ meeting where a community member brought a petition with signatures before the commission asking them to address the local dog control problem.

Although timely, the quotes are drawn from a Chinook Observer article dated March 2, 1973. As recent letters to the editor and the police reports indicate, the issue has not gone away.

Compared to other social concerns – sexual and domestic violence, drug abuse, the economy or the war in Iraq – loose dogs might seem to be a trivial issue, almost a quaint transgression of by-gone days, until someone or their pet is attacked.

“People don’t understand the terror unless it happens to them,” said one such victim. “People don’t want to hear this story.”

Which is why this local individual wishes to remain nameless. She considers herself to be an “anybody” who through no fault of her own, just happened to have the odds turn against her. “I don’t want this tragic incident to define me,” she states.

So she speaks for the many who wish to convey the seriousness and the far-reaching effects of the problem. “I’m sure there are many dog attack victims, people who have been brutally injured or who have had a pet killed before their eyes, who are unable to articulate the horror of the attack, but still have to deal with the repercussions.”

Attack changes a woman’s lifeIn the summer of 2005, this person’s life changed. “I’m not dead,” she states, “but my life as I knew it was taken from me.” A dog owner her whole life, she had never felt truly threatened by loose dogs, and in fact had been charged by three unleashed dogs in separate incidences in the previous four months.

“The dogs’ owners were in the area and called them back,” she states. “I love dogs and neither of those encounters really frightened me.” But the next time was different.

She was out walking her own small 11-pound dog, which was on a leash, taking a familiar and public route on her routine walk of about two miles through Long Beach when the dog attacked, in this instance a pit bull, and would not stop.

“It was not until I experienced the true terror of fighting for my dog’s life as well as, perhaps, my own, that I realized the seriousness of the problem with aggressive breeds,” she states. “I know first hand that when you feel as though you are facing death your life does not pass before you, you are in the moment and fighting for your life.”

She lifted her dog up on her shoulder, trying to keep her pet out of the other dog’s reach. It continued to lunge up at her face and her dog. She fought back, trying to turn away while kicking at the dog. It had no effect.

Fortunately, a stranger came to her aid and was able to pull the dog away. As the stranger told her later, he heard her yell for help, saw the situation, and knew if he didn’t do something, her pet would be dead.

“If this had been a kid or an elderly person, they wouldn’t have had a chance,” she stated of the attack. And she worries about other rescuers. The attacking dog could just as easily turn on them.

Still, she did have a bite on her hand, which required a trip to the doctor and a tetanus booster shot. She also took her dog to the veterinarian for a checkup. “Since I suffered only minor injuries, we all assumed I was OK,” she states. But she and her dog were not.

“Although I’m grateful that our physical injuries were not greater, it’s what’s happened to our minds since then,” she states. “I no longer feel free to snap on my dog’s leash, leave my front door and walk her near my home or on the Discovery Trail. There have been physical changes as well – weight gain with stress eating and less exercise, higher blood pressure, anxiety and sleep problems among others.” And she and her dog are far more aware of the high number of unleashed dogs roaming the area.

Finally, after months of suffering she consulted a counselor. She was diagnosed with post traumatic stress, a condition she continues to work through and confront. She is not alone, not only in her response, but her frustration. Others have also voiced their concern after being attacked by a dog.

“This is the first time I have walked since I was accosted,” writes another victim. “Aren’t there some people out there who agree with me about the (leash) law or will they wait until it happens to them?”

A county leash law with no teethPacific County does have a leash law, as one astute letter writer pointed out, enacted in Aug. 17, 1970. It requires any dog in a public place to be controlled by a leash or chain no more than eight feet in length. Violations are punishable by a $50 fine or the confiscation or destruction of the animal.

In this attack, the police were called. The owner of the loose dog was issued a ticket, but that was all. Law enforcement officers have little choice. Basically, the law has no bite.

“We recognize that it is a serious issue,” said Sheriff John Didion of animal control in the county. He is frustrated too. But they simply don’t have the resources or the funding. “It’s something I wish we could do,” he said.

Officers do respond reports of vicious dogs, but the county does not have an animal control officer trained specifically to handle those potentially dangerous situations, or facilities to house animals. While the county does have an informal agreement with veterinarians to quarantine animals when necessary, there is no county pound. The local humane society is an independent, nongovernmental organization also without the facilities, personnel or funding to handle dangerous animals.

Complaints of barking dogs or those wandering loose but not bothering anyone are by necessity of lower law enforcement priority.

“I would much rather have people upset with me over a dog problem than not responding to an injury,” such as a domestic violence call, said Didion.

He has asked the county commissioners for funding to support an animal control officer, but has been told the county budget was too tight. The money is needed to combat the area’s drug problems, and the crimes that accompany it.

“We have a lack of funding,” said Pacific County Commissioner Jon Kaino. “We have a lot of things that we have to take into consideration.”

State leaves dog laws up to the countiesAccording to Washington state law, animal control regulations are established at the discretion of the counties. “County commissioners may, it the situation so requires, establish dog control zones within high density population districts,” reads RCW 16.10.020.

The county has done that. In addition, the city of Long Beach has begun installing signs telling people of the leash law in effect. But the fine for violations has not been increased since the law was first enacted.

In addition, state law (RCW 16.10.040) empowers counties to establish and collect license fees for dogs. It includes “provisions for the control of unlicensed dogs and the establishment of license fees … Fees collected shall be transferred to the current expense fund of each county.”

Currently, Pacific County does not require dogs to be licensed. Kaino said it was suggested at one point in the ’90s, but was opposed by the community. While identification tags can be bought at the humane society, they are not considered a license.

“I’m always willing to consider anything,” said Kaino about finding a solution, and funding, for the dog problem and urges people to become involved. “If anybody knows of any grant funding opportunity …” he said.

Involved citizens can make a differenceThe American Veterinary Medical Association also urges people to become involved in the report, Task Force on Canine Aggression and Human-Canine Interactions. “Task force members believe a well-planned proactive community approach can make a substantial impact,” it reads.

They recommend several steps, including identifying the scope of the problem, identifying potential partners, allies, support and funding sources, enact legislation such as “dangerous” dog ordinances and establish councils or a task force. The report states, “Reducing the incident of dog bites requires active community involvement; passive attention or a token commitment is not sufficient.”

The report also points out that although an animal control program may require funding, there is also a cost to the community caused by a lack of a program. “Costs associated with dog bite injuries cannot be readily measured, because so many intangible quality of life issues are involved,” it reads. “Intangible costs include time spent by volunteer and paid community officials on animal-related issues, deterioration of relationships between neighbors, building appropriate medical support, citizens’ concerns about neighborhood safety for children, homeowners’ insurance costs within the community and animal shelter support for unwanted pets. These are quality of life issues that ultimately determine the desirability of a community to its citizens.”

In the meantime, the person who was attacked will hesitate to use the public trails and worries about others.

“We know that pets here are being maimed and killed by loose, aggressive dogs,” she states. “It appears that nothing is going to happen until someone is horribly maimed or dies. With the number of aggressive dogs out there and irresponsible owners, it will happen.”