This past Friday, a dog in Glenvar was shot and killed by Roanoke County police officers after it aggressively attacked a woman walking her dog.
Attacks like the one that happened this past Friday in Roanoke County can happen to anyone at any time.
“I mean, there are leash laws here,” Beverly Amsler, owner of The Well-Trained Dog & Pet Care, said. I’ve been attacked numerous times, and basically in a year and a half, it’s gotten much, much worse.”
Amsler has been training dogs professionally for 11 years and has dealt with aggressive dogs that come after her and her client’s dogs on walks.
“What I would try to do and I have done in the past, is I would take the dog that I would have on the leash and I would put it behind me,” Amsler said. “Then I will stand out and start doing this and start yelling, get your dog, come get your dog, help me or sit.”
According to Amsler, there are many reasons as to why a dog could be aggressive when seeing another dog, including the nature of the dog’s breed.
“Some of the dogs aren’t neutered, and I think that might contribute to it. Also, if I was walking a dog that was in heat. Other dogs can smell and so they might come,” Amsler said. “Some dogs just don’t like other dogs, maybe they’re having a bad day. Maybe that dog reminds them of another dog that they were attacked when they were younger.”
She also had some words of wisdom for people who leave their dogs outside.
“People need to keep their dogs in a physical fence. When they are outside, have them on a leash,” Amsler said. “If they want to give the dog more freedom, have them on a 15-foot-long line.”
While the Commonwealth of Virginia has no official leash laws, Roanoke County requires dogs to stay in their own yards unless with their owner or caretaker.