Update on the McIntosh Dog/Bad Dog Owner Situation
You may remember that we had a group captain taken down, bitten and significantly injured by an aggressive dog in the bike lane of US-441 North, in Boardman, (just north of McIntosh,) in late November, while on a group ride. The dog was not positively identified at the time of the incident due to the trauma and chaos at the time of the crash, (there were multiple dogs chasing the group that needed to be chased away from the downed, injured rider,) and while a report was filled out at the time of the incident, the dog owner was not definitively determined and so, was not cited for allowing the dogs to run free and cause a dangerous situation.
A month later, (December) I was chased out into traffic on 441 by a dog at what I discovered after talking to the injured group captain, was the very same location. Fortunately, the vehicles swerved around me, I was able to outpedal the dog,(and her 3 half grown young dogs,) and I was not injured. So, I was able to call Marion County Animal Control immediately, ride back to my vehicle, return (in my vehicle) to meet the officers at the scene, and fill out a sworn affadavit identifying the dog(s) who chased me. This initiated a citation process against the irresponsible owner of the dogs. A month later, I was again chased by the same dogs in the same location. (This time, I knew to wait and to make sure there were no cars in the right lane of 441, and ride as fast as I could. The dogs chased me, and my buddy, but we were ready for them.) I filled out another sworn affadavit, this time getting the form online and having it notarized, because it was a Saturday, and the Animal Control officer was slammed with calls and couldn't come to the scene for many hours. By then, I was 99.99%, (no, really 100%) sure this was the same dog that took down the group captain, and I was determined to not let what happened to her (or worse) happen to anyone else. The irresponsible owner was served with a second citation. (Fines of over $400 were assessed on him for those two citations.)
Well, 3.5 months later, the irresponsible dog owner seems to have gotten the message. He has paid his fines and was adjudicated "Guilty" on two charges (for letting the dogs run loose, and for being an "irresposible pet owner.") If he receives any more citations the fines will escalate.
On my weekly (random) checks, driving by there and stopping in the bike lane/grassy median in front of this guy's single wide mobile home, I have seen the situation greatly improve from 5 loose dogs running around his property, (ready to chase cyclists in the bike lane,) through the months of December and January, to two tied up dogs last month, and then, last Wednesday when I drove by, and again on Thursday when I rode by on my bike, there was no sign at all of any dogs. The Animal Control officer that I spoke to on Friday believes that the owner has built a pen in the back of his property and is now keeping his dogs there.
So, I would say, riders are probably no longer at high risk of being chased by dogs at this location. There are some really nice cycling routes that go through that area, and I am going to ride them, and just be aware that there is an irresponsible dog owner with a lot of dogs there, just past the "Boardman" sign and the speed limit sign as you leave McIntosh, heading north on 441. I will defintely post something here if the situation changes.
If you/your group are ever chased on a ride by a loose, aggressive dog, I would recommend calling Animal Control in that county and filling out a report to get the process going of citing the owner. You should call in the complaint and you can either wait for them to send an officer out, which might take awhile, or you can get the affadavit complaint form on line in Marion County, and probably all of the surrounding counties. Just ask when you call in the complaint. If you can get a photo of the dog safely, this will really help a lot. It takes time to do this, but it may save another rider from being injured. If you or a buddy are injured by a dog, (after you call EMS if that is needed,) do whatever you can to document the scene, (including photos of the dog(s,) if possible,) document the injuries, and file a report with Animal Control and local law enforcement.
Ride safe, Everyone!!