Re: RC: Dog Rules

[Tina Hicks <tina@autoairbagcovers.com>]

At 03:10 PM 10/19/01, you wrote:
>  I started to post something about AERC making a rule about dogs as well.
>However, aren't ride managers the ruling body at their own rides?
they do - lots of folks choose to break them :(

>Can't
>you ride managers throw out, or not allow trouble makers to stay in camp?
Easier said than done and how would you suggest doing that? if the person 
didn't get in their truck and nicely drive away (not likely after driving X 
hours and paying an entry fee), then what would the RM do? drive their 
truck off for them? probably not. Call the local sheriff's office? no 
because there was not a crime - just a broken rule. Implementing this would 
be a nightmare on top of whatever else the RM is dealing with.

Have you been to a large ride? As much of a pain as they are to a few 
people, I can't imagine that a loose dog or two would even make in on a 
RM's radar screen for what he/she has to handle over the course of the weekend.

>  If
>dogs are really THAT much trouble, then just boycott rides that allow
>them!
then I wouldn't go to most of the rides in my region and I'm sure that 
other regions are similar in that regard

>Or the responsible dog owners and other riders need to get on the
>irresponsible ones.
and have little fistfights breaking out all over camp?

I don't know what the answer is but putting it on the RM on ride day is 
probably not it and having roving bands of vigilantes :) probably isn't it 
either.

I have a very well trained, quiet, non-obtrusive dog that travelled with me 
for several years to rides - I never had a problem with him and neither did 
anyone around me - people used to easily find me because they could just 
look for the dalmatian on his tie-line. I kinda stopped taking him the last 
year or two because I found it was just one more thing to focus on when I 
was a ride - not because he caused any trouble. However, I have had food 
stolen and saddle pads peed on from other dogs at rides. Because of that, 
even though I used to *always* travel with a dog  I would gladly support a 
RM ban on dogs at any given ride.

This is just like in first grade when someone else talked too much and 
caused the whole class to stay in at recess - some things never change, huh?

Tina