Dogs!!
 

My wife and I commute to work three to four times a week. Her round trip commute is about 24 miles and mine is about 18 miles. A couple evenings a week I like to ride from my work to her work and then we ride home together which makes my trip about 32 miles. On half a dozen occasions now we been attack by these two dogs on our ride home. She doesn't have to deal with it on her ride in to work because the dogs aren't out in the mornings. I have to deal with them on my way to her work in the afternoon but since going that direction is downhill it's not a problem it's on the way home the dogs have us because its a good size hill.

I've confronted the people who owns the dogs and all they do is apologize and say it won't happen again. I've contacted the sheriffs department but because we haven't been bitten yet they won't do anything.

I did some research and found out the people living in the house are renters. I've contacted the homeowner and explained to her that if my wife and I get bitten she's also liable. She hung up on me so I sent her a certified letter explaining the situation just in case we do get bitten. The only other route from my work to my wife's work makes my commute a little over 50 miles and I simple don't have the time to do that.

I don't want to harm the dogs I feel like the dogs owners should be more responsible. It's a rural area so there are no leash laws.

Any suggestions?

Poon

Is there a local animal control agency? In looking around a bit I found this? does this apply to the area in question?
Animal Control Unit | City of Olathe

On that page it clearly states, "It is unlawful to allow an animal to "run at large".

Good luck, hope you find a way to deal with the owners and their lack of responsibility. I'm sure they wouldn't be happy if their dog got hit by a car.

Video camera mounted to helmet, with footage sent (or perhaps hand-delivered on a DVD or USB drive) to the proper authorities?

Some dog spray and they will leave you alone for good.

If the dogs really are roaming in violation of local animal control laws, have an attorney send a copy of the applicable ordnance to the landlord, with copies to the tenants, accompanied by a warning that the next communication will go to Animal Control. People are terrified of legal letterhead....

You could use pepper spray and they won't forget. There are also products made specifically for this in spray cans.

I grew up in a rural area and when I road my bike as a kid, my mom gave me some ammonia mixed with water in a spray bottle. That did the trick as well. Dogs remember and are easily trained with this stuff. Will stop chasing you.

EDIT: - you don't want to harm the dogs, but if they are attacking you...........

Works well.

http://www.amazon.com/SABRE-RED-Pepp...RCE9H5HXQ53WQ4

I think animal control or ASPCA will take care of that problem , theres' got to be a leash law on the books ,,,,,

+++1 on all of the above. Those were the same responses I received after having been attacked by dogs last year.

In many areas there is a lack of funding and terrible response times. Here in Indy the average response time is like 26 hours - even if you see a loose Rottweiler.

I second the pepper spray option. I would also notify animal control, and document the call.
But the real reason I'm posting here is because your from the great city of Olathe Kansas.
I went to college in Kansas and had a girlfriend from Olathe. This was back in 1968.
I met her folks who were polite but didn't want their daughter going out with an "Eye-talian from New York"
LOL...I guess they were intimidated by all my mafia relatives ....NOT!
Good luck with the dogs. I hope it doesn't take a serious injury to solve your problem

+10 on the dog spray. And on the legal paperwork. I've been a veterinary technician for over ten years and I have two dogs of my own. I'd much rather have a dog have to be treated for irritating, non-lethal spray than to see it get hit by a car. I'd also much rather you spray the dogs than get bitten. Chances are, too, that it would only take one time of actually using the spray. Brandishing the can if they chase you after the first time should do the trick. And as for the paperwork, I have yet to run across a situation where there has ever been too much CYA.

Dogs seem to like the feet when you are pedaling but you can't coast uphill. My approach is to go alpha on them - yelling very sharply, kicking them in the snout, etc. The spray, whether it is pepper or ammonia and water is very effective. We used to use the ammonia and water to teach our outdoor cats on the farm to not climb on our screens. It worked!

glad you started this thread. never knew. i suppose it's good to know if i cycle in rural areas.

Take another route home or give the dogs a good beating/chemical douse. Or throw them some red meat with pills crunched up inside. Or whip it out and pee on them.

Police strength pepper spray will train them quickly. Just be sure and get the one that shoots a stream not a mist.

Are the dogs attacking (attempting to bite), or are they just chasing and barking? I know, it's a stressful situation so it's hard to differentiate.

If the dogs are attacking, spray them. You have the right to defend yourself and the owners' rights end where the road begins.

If the dogs are just chasing, turn and shout at them with a loud "NO!". All the rural dogs that chase me will stop in their tracks (or at least hesitate) when I yell "NO!" at them.

As you can tell from the myriad responses above there is no simple or universal answer to this issue. Multipronged plan of attack is on order then.

Try the simplest and cheapest solution to the more drastic measures in order if th eproceeding actions fail. Start with the spray and yelling, then move on to taking legal action via an attorney willing to send them a warning. Then try and file an official complaint with the Animal Control Office - go in person and ask that you be given a chance to file a complaint. As the old adage goes the squeeky wheel gets the grease.Hope it all works out for you.

Some animals ARE vicious and not trained. Some are out just for fun. I used to have a big dog on one route I took that would launch out across the yard, catch up and pace me, not a bark or growl during the whole "chase", my guess is that it was just fun to run with someone. At the end of the property he would stop, plop down and have a very satisfied look on his face. His instinct was satisfied and he was feelin' good. Others have been snarling and snapping, a few have brushed my leg with their mouth. I chose to avoid those routes. It's a tough situation and it's going to take persistence, investment and effort on your part to protect yourself both physically and legally.

I think a combination of elements from posts # 15 and #16 is without a doubt the best approach

15...... Or whip it out and pee on them.
16...... Just be sure and get the one that shoots a stream not a mist.
:50:

It can be done effectively.

Ammonia in a squirt gun is effective , burns the eyes.

Put the county animal control officer on your phone , send a picture, file a formal complaint, they will put the dog on death row.

When you say attack, what do you mean specifically?

Do you mean they run along side of you and bark?

If so, that means I get "attacked" by 5-10 dogs every ride.

That's what I was thinking. If there is no leash law and you haven't been bitten a legal letter and calling anyone is just a waste of time. I sort of like when dogs run after me going up a hill gives me that little extra umphhhh to I need to pedal faster. One of my best times up a local hill was when this huge dog pulled the lease from the owner and stated running toward me. I never knew I could hold my HR at 160+ so long!

You need to show this to the sheriff. It is recently passed legislation to make up for the fact that Kansas has a one-bite-free policy dating back hundreds of years.
21-6418. Permitting a dangerous animal to be at large. (a) Permitting a dangerous animal to be at large is the act or omission of the owner or custodian of an animal of dangerous or vicious propensities who, knowing of such propensities, permits such animal to go at large or keeps such animal without taking ordinary care to restrain it.
(b) Permitting a dangerous animal to be at large is a class B nonperson misdemeanor
History: L. 2010, ch. 136, § 63; July 1, 2011.
Statute | Kansas State Legislature Now that he knows the law, he ought to get off his ass and enforce it.

Link is to a lawyer who specializes in going after clueless dog owners.
Kansas makes a dog owner responsible for injuries caused by "dog fright." Henkel v. Jordan, 7 Kan. App. 2d 561, 644 P.2d 1348 (Kan.App.1982). In that case, the issue was whether the defendants could properly be held liable for personal injuries suffered by a plaintiff when, frightened by defendant's "bouncy, pesky, yappy little dog," he lost control of and fell from a bicycle. The dog owners had been put on notice by numerous individuals that the dog had frightened people who passed along the street. The court held that the facts could support a finding of negligence.
Kansas Dog Bite Law

personally, unless the dogs seemed very mean and aggressive, I would start by trying to walk the bike passed one day and attempting to make friends with the dogs. Leftover bacon works well for that.