As I was driving my normal route to work this morning (through a long stretch of neighborhoods), I enjoyed some lingering fog...and the sight of a cat leisurely strolling across the street a couple of blocks ahead of me.
It occurred to me at that moment that I've never once seen a dog cross the street in the 18 years I've lived in Oakland. I've, of course, seen dogs being walked....but no unleashed dogs have the freedom of cats. And, of course, it's the leash laws that have caused this.
I recall being startled in Johnston SC a couple of Christmases back when a dog ran up to me, barking, while I was walking around the series of ponds by my mom's house. The dog was furious with me for being on his road, but he never actually put a paw onto the blacktop. But he paced the border of his yard in absolute hysterics that I dared enter his sight. This dog was unleashed, and I was prepared to fend him off if he attacked. My mom later told me that was common around her neighborhood...that Johnston -- and probably South Carolina -- had no leash laws.
This morning, while considering the absence of dogs, I realized what a good thing that was...that most dogs chase passing cars and that it's very easy to be involved in an incident during which a dog runs under the car, or at least the wheel. I remember my cocker spaniel, Toby, always chased cars....at least when me, my mom or dad were in the yard. It was his way of saying, "Look! I'm doing my job!"
