If only it was so different here in the UK - unfortunately, it isn't.

Example - lake in town where wild birds/geese etc are encouraged and prolific. Signs around stating on lead only and yet dogs seen daily walking around it off-lead and it's not uncommon to see them chasing the birds (and killing them in some cases). Promenade - on lead only (if only). In summer the beach is a dog free zone, but daily dogs are there off-lead.

All extremely annoying and more so when the off-lead dogs are out of control.

A couple of months ago, I was waiting in the car while hubby was in Tesco shopping. A lab ran out of the car park across the quiet road. The coach that was travelling down the road did an emergency stop, but still clipped the dog (who did seem ok after the ordeal). Comment from the dog's owner - 'he's never done that before'. The dog wasn't a youngster. Dogs are thinking beings and, just like us, aren't always predictable.

Don't you have dog-wardens, police, town councils in your neck of the woods. Believe me it wouldn't be tolerated up here! Something would get done about it - and I don't mean just moaning! Odd cases are always going to happen anywhere in the world, it is up to individuals to band together to get it stopped, if they feel they cannot do anything in dividually. So please don't tar us all with the same brush as the area in which you live. You paint a very vivid picture of lawless Lincolnshire - funny because whenever I've been over there it has seemed perfectly alright and well ordered.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree with Chris.

While the majority of people on this forum are great at training their dogs, respecting their needs and the needs of other people and dogs that isn't the case for everyone.

Many times I have had off lead dogs, either with their owner or without rush at my dog who has been onlead for different reasons. In the past it might have just been we were walking through the car park... yes off lead dogs rushing around a car park, not wise at all. Or more recently because he is getting on a bit and just had chemo and is not able to run around and doesn't want dogs jumping all over him.
Now if the dog is little he doesn't really care, but he is big enough to pick up a small dog like a toy poodle or cavalier and shake it. But no, he just tries to say hello or hides behind me, regardless of what the little dog is doing.
But a big dog, my dog has health problems and doesn't want a 30kg fat lab bouncing on him, he doesn't want a rottie circling around him, he definitely doesn't want that staffy cross growling and snapping at him while I try to block it's path and he definitely doesn't want that collie lunging and snapping while I try to twist his head so he can't bite it back and kill it. I don't use these breeds as stereotypes but as examples of what we have actually been through with him.

No, I refuse to muzzle him, he has never shown aggression to a person and if a dog rushes over and attacks him he needs to be able to defend himself. And this has happened.

And then there are the dogs roaming, to be honest I've not actually had many problems with dogs that are frequently spotted roaming the areas I have lived. It seems they are more social and have prefered a brief hello at a distance or avoided contact as much as possible. It's not right and if I can catch these dogs I have done and tried to find their owners and informed/reminded them about dog laws.

It isn't a priority. Winter seems worse than summer. When you see a PCSO standing talking to the owner of an off-lead dog in a lead only area and not mentioning the restriction, what do you do?

Chris that is it exactly, nobody cares! When my dog and I were rushed at by a collie in a built up area while walking on the opposite side of the road from it and it snapped at us, lunging, growling and tried to bite (only didn't because of my dog's speed and good timing) I reported it to the dog warden, with the flats where the owner lived and the owners car reg. He took a while the make an attempt to get the dog then had a go at me. I reported it within an hour of it happening, (time to get home, check Cookie over and calm us both down). I chased and chased it up but was sent back and forth until I didn't get a reply from anywhere. Nothing happened, even though I pointed out that many little old ladies live in the same flats and walk their little dogs around that area. I even informed the company that owns the flats as they are council or rented and only allowed one small dog or cat per flat and they didn't care either even though he had 2 collies, and decent sized ones at that.

I was hoping that these laws would help stop things like this from happening and punish the owners who allow their dogs to run wild and scare people but it just seems that it a pick and choose when it comes into play.

Why people bring unsociable dogs into areas where lots of dogs will be is beyond me. My girl dislikes most dogs and people and I endeavor to only take her to the park at hours nobody else will be there and walk her when nobody else will be walking. I muzzle her because she will react with aggression if a dog enters her space boisterously. She would gladly maul a Poodle to death, or bite a child, but fears adults and large dogs and backs down. I carry a fire poker and any dog that attacks will feel the wrath of it.

My Nigredo is a friendly guy and I've had owners say he could greet their dogs, only for the wretched animal to snap at him. He's always able to jet out of the way but still. I avoid small dogs or areas where they are since he is 40 kg and can trample them.

I'd never bring Jade to areas with many dogs, and it confuses me when people bring snappy, aggressive, or anti social dogs to free run areas such as our local dog park, keep them on a leash, and then act mad when a playful off lead dog comes up to them and their dog reacts with some aggressive, inappropriate, or annoying behavior. It's like really?

A PCSO who was acting in this manner was obviously not doing his job. I would first of all, politely enquire as to what was the reason for this dereliction of duty and if I received no effective action, take his number and present myself at the nearest large police station and ask to see the duty Inspector, presenting him with a written complaint as to the conduct of this particular police employee. This would be followed by a letter to the Council, the local police commissioner and dog control officer for the area. A copy of course with strenuously worded covering letter would then be sent to my MP. Believe me, I'd get something done!

I've seen some pretty frightening stuff at the dog park, but it's about knowing your dog and erring on the side of caution at all times. If someone brings a dog on leash and muzzled into the dog run I will be one of the first owners scrambling to the gate. Callie does well with other quiet dogs but I never want to put him in a position where he feels he has to defend himself.

Then there are dogs like one they used to bring with the unfortunate name of Lucky. The owners insisted they were trying to socialize him. A large dog run of mixed pups ain't the place to do it...Lucky regularly pulled down his owners and got into scuffles with other dogs. If I even heard the owners in the distance we would go back on the trails far, far away.

The last time I saw Lucky and his humans they were in the parking lot of the nature reserve surrounded by park rangers. What happened I don't even want to know...but we haven't seen them since. Fortunately there aren't a lot of Luckys around here.

Taking a dog who's desperate to get at any other dog to attack to a park during the middle of the day (or at school run hours) and expecting a quiet walk isn't going to happen, but taking an older dog for a gentle on lead walk around a large park in the early hours (7 to 8 o'clock) shouldn't result in having that poor dog harassed and jumped all over. It's not fair to expect owners of dogs that aren't wanting or capable to deal with being bounced on to go else where. If a dog had good social skills and a decent recall it wouldn't be near my dog in the first place.

In the case of a dog who wants to destroy all other dogs, walking in a busy place isn't going to be good for the dog, the owner or others they come across. I don't think they have a less of a right to access the same areas, but I think they need to invest in a decent trainer to help their dog learn to accept other dogs nearby and overwhelming their dog isn't going to help.

As all can see I live in the USA. Most areas here do have a big stray dog problem. Especially in some larger cities. Animal control in every place I've ever lived didn't do their jobs and were never forced to do it by their bosses. Animal Control is always a government position on some level. Once you are permanent, usually 3 to 6 months, most Americans will tell you that it takes "an act of congress" to get the bad employee fired or to get anything done. Why? I think too small a thing for the powers that be to be bothered with. I spent 18 years working for city government until I retired from a non-job related disability. Many, many of my fellow city employees, including the city manager and two other high up employees, made a point to tell me how to go about making it job related in order to get a higher check for life and better health benefits. They would, of course, back me up for a small price. Even make sure I was seen by "the right" doctors. I'm no "goody two shoes", but I wasn't interested. Sure, I have as much larceny in my heart as the average person. The extras would have been very nice. But I also know that in the end social security and disability is paid by the working public in their federal income taxes at the end of every year. The amount you pay is based on your gross yearly income. So some middle class people, just like I had done for so many years, were going to be paying me the check I will get every month for the rest of my life. How could I have a good conscience lying in order to get more money? Very bad karma! And I intend to live past 100 yrs. old. LOL. Anyway, we Americans just have to deal with some rotten employees and stupid owners who don't care about their dogs much less yours. I take care of it by having a large enough, fenced property so I can take care of my own. My babies have an extremely good recall. Have to...we walk and they run and play in the woods. But they are like young children......not perfect.....sometimes one will forget the rules, so I have to be there to give the recall. All have to wait for me at the gate and WALK out to the clearing and back to the house 'cause I'm kinda slow and one could be excited and forget. To my was of thinking people need to be trained and licensed in dog ownership before being allowed to have even one. But then in the USA it would be a violation of their "right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."as stated in our constitution. You and the doggies just can't win.