Roving dogs are continuing nuisance

I have two dogs; one stays in his lot and the other is a house dog.

I just spent almost $2,000 in vet bills to have them treated for heartworms and hookworms. Hookworms are transmitted from dogs using my yard as a bathroom. It has gotten to the place that I can’t take my inside dog out for a walk to use the bathroom without having to run off someone else’s dog or be afraid that I am going to run into a stray.

I just got ready to take her out and there were two stray dogs in my yard that I had to run off. They will be back. I wish that people would take better care of their pets and not let them be a bother to other people and also endanger other people’s animals or the people themselves.

A dog knows when you are scared of it and with the treatment for heartworms, you have to keep a dog calm. How do you do that when there are stray dogs in your yard every time that you try to take your dog out on a leash on your own property?

I know that there is a leash law in Rowan County but it is not enforced as it should be. Animal control has been called many times but the loose dog population doesn’t seem to get any better.

Any help that someone out there can give would be greatly appreciated as the problem doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

— Susan Kimmer
Salisbury