WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah, Dec. 20, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — The Washington County Sheriff’s Office wants to clarify a dog leash ordinance after a hiker with an unleashed dog had an altercation with an armed hiker.
The incident happened on Dec. 6.
“Washington County Deputies responded to a report of an altercation between a hiker and an individual carrying a firearm in the area of the Tukupetsi Trailhead in Ivins,” says a Washington County sheriff‘s statement released 15 days after the incident.
“Deputies gathered information from the individuals involved and discovered that the reporting person was hiking on the trail with a dog off leash and had encountered a male in his 70’s walking on the trail openly carrying a firearm.”
The dog owner alleged the armed hiker threatened him with a gun if he didn’t put the dog on a leash.
“The investigation revealed that the male felt threatened by the dogs approach and had retrieved his firearm and held it in front of him, but pointed downward towards the ground to protect himself if the dog began to attack him, but denied pointing the firearm or making threats towards the hiker.
“Based off of the interviews and evidence collected, the deputies did not have sufficient evidence to bring charges against anyone at this time.”
But WCSO “takes these situations seriously and due to the increased concern for public safety in the area, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office has utilized the four deputies that are designated to patrol the rural areas of the county to conduct extra patrols on the trails in the area,” the sheriff’s statement says.
“We understand the public concern with this matter and we are doing everything we can to maintain public peace while also respecting the constitutional rights of individuals while on public land.”
Signage will be added for educational purposes, the statement says.
Leash the dog
The ordinance says, in brief:
- It is unlawful for the owner or keeper of any dog to permit such dog to run at large.
- It is unlawful for an owner of a dog to permit such dog to go upon or be upon the private property without permission of the property owner.
- The owner of any dog running at large shall be deemed in violation of this section regardless of the precautions taken to prevent the escape of the dog and to prohibit it from running at large.
- In case of violation, any dog running at large in violation of the provisions of this section is hereby declared to be a nuisance and a menace to the public health and safety, and the dog shall be taken up and impounded.
