We went to the arboretum yesterday with our 19 month old son. He had a great time running around on the trails until we came across SEVERAL dogs who were not on leashes. There are many signs telling owners to keep their pets on leashes, but five out of the eight dogs we saw were NOT leashed. I was not comfortable letting my child hike knowing that there are so many potentially dangerous animals running free. I'm sure the owners are not aware of how dangerous a dog can be to a small child, but I am. My brother was hospitalized from defending his 3 year old son against an attacking dog who's owner didn't find it necessary to put a leash on him. Dogs not on leashes are a danger to small children. It's that simple.
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