Unrestrained dogs are a menace

I am a senior who walks her small, leashed dog most mornings. This summer, no fewer than six dogs of various sizes have charged out of their yards to attack my dog. All of these incidents (except one) happened on a weekend morning when the dogs were in their yards with their owners.

The dogs’ territorial instincts kicked in and because the dogs were unrestrained, I was placed in the position of having to defend my (small) dog. On one occasion I fell and the attacking dog, which weighed more than 100 pounds, straddled me and kept me down. My dog lost her three top middle teeth, which were loosened during the altercation. I had to pay the vet for their extraction.

On Aug. 20, another dog raced away from its owner to chase my dog, who jumped into the street.

I was pulled off the sidewalk, bashed my head and ended up in emergency for a few hours dealing with a mild concussion. These incidents have shaken me up to the extent I no longer feel at ease walking my dog. It is highly inexcusable and irresponsible of dog owners to allow their dogs to be unrestrained even in their yards. It’s also against the law. Linda Biasotto, Regina