Question: Why can't I let my dog run loose?
Answer: For some owners, this seems like the simplest part of raising a dog. Open door, release the hound. And not always in a designated dog area, or fenced yard either. Dogs running at large in the neighbourhood are a problem for everybody it seems, except the owner of the dog running loose. Being a responsible owner also includes being a good neighbour, and making sure that your dog is too.
Free-range dogs represent a lot of trouble. They scare children and other adults who are unable to tell if the dog is friendly or aggressive, they fight with other dogs who may be secured in their own yards, but that does not prevent the loose dog from entering. Free-range dogs terrorize cats and other small wildlife (although cats should not free range any more than dogs).
Owners under the misconception that "everybody likes my dog, they know he/she is friendly" seem to be the biggest offenders. Or the excuse that "it is cruel to keep a dog tied up, he should be free". Owners who simply do not care are the most frustrating of them all. If you do not care about what happens to your dog, why do you have one in the first place?
What can happen when your dog runs loose? Read about the dangers of free-roaming dogs.