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Airport Dog?
Most, if not all, airports have signs that warn about pets, my airport included. Big sign right at the gate that pets have to be under positive control and also posted on the hangar row end hangars.
So, today I have my airplane rolled out of the hangar and in the taxiway when a gentleman drives up to his hangar across the taxiway and lets his big dog out of the car. While I am doing preflight checks he starts to play fetch with his dog. Now i?m pretty easy going but this tics me off. I might mention I?m relatively new at this airport only about 5 months and have seen this guy a few times and with the dog loose. I told him that the loose dog was unacceptable and that when I am going to start my airplane he has to have the dog under positive control. Anyway, he took the dog into the hangar and shut his door, but came out a few minutes later, put the dog in the car, and left. Well, I am friendly with another fellow in a nearby hangar and I asked him if he knew this guy with the dog. He said ?Oh yes, that?s Dave?s dog. Don?t worry, he is an airport dog and won?t be a problem?. ?I ain?t buying that?, I say. I don?t want to create turmoil so I?m not ready to report this to airport management quite yet, I need to talk again to the dog?s owner, but I don?t think there is an ?airport dog?. That implies that the dog can be loose but still under the owner?s positive control. I don?t think so. The dog can become excited and run. If it runs into a spinning propeller, it would be bad news for dog, bad news for dog?s owner, and bad news for the airplane. Everyone would be a loser. So, I?m wondering what y?all think about ?airport dogs? running loose. I think I know the answer though. |
Perhaps taking a breath as the first step would be a good idea.
Sure - posted signs and all that, got it. I offer that our pilot communities govern themselves well without getting the lawyers involved. So how about just asking the guy to put the dog on a lead when you want to start up. That way you both will be good neighbors and the dog gets a day at the airport to play catch. You never know - you may need a favor from this pilot at somepoint down the road. Carl |
FWIW, being the new kid on the block, I would try to catch up with the owner and explain that you're aware of 'plane-friendly' dogs still getting hit by the prop or otherwise putting themselves and/or their owners at risk, and that you'd like him on the leash when you're going to start turning engines. I wouldn't go straight to the ARO/airport owner just yet.
If you want to show the owner a specific example: THIS is what can happen to a dog who is 'used to' being around aircraft. From the report: Quote:
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I agree with Carl about ?taking a breath.? But there are reasons why pets shouldn?t run loose at an airport and especially around airplane parking, taxi areas.
A responsible pet owner should not only take extreme care of their pet but also consider the repercussions of their pet causing an accident and/or damage to person or property. I assume the owner wouldn?t feel good about his dog being injured/killed from a prop strike, people or aircraft hurt, or want to bare the expense of an engine tear down/prop repair. Animals and kids just have a way of doing the unexpected. It?s our responsibility to protect them just like it?s our responsibility to follow airport rules. The unexpected does happen - it?s just a matter of time. Remember accidents usually result from a string of poor choices. |
Dogs loose on an airport is unacceptable. Why would any responsible owner risk injury to their dog or paying for damage to a prop/engine/ airplane? They are simply not thinking and not responsible and need to have a talking to. ONE talk, next time go to the airport manager.
Last year, a big dog came running down the taxiway, while I was moving along at 10-12 knots or so- heading at a tangent right towards my prop with the owner in pursuit some ways back. I slammed on the brakes and cringed waiting for the seemingly inevitable crunch as the dog disappeared from view under the nose. Don't know if he missed the prop by 3 inches or 3 feet but it was CLOSE as he brushed the whip antennas on the belly as he ran under the plane. The dog bounded off up the taxiway behind me with owner still in pursuit but tiring quickly. I flashed him a dirty look and the bird simultaneously. I certainly didn't want to watch my prop splintering or the guy's dog turned to hamburger, it was just by luck that neither happened. It was a heart in the throat feeling I didn't need. I tried to look for the guy on my bike after I shut down a few minutes later. No luck, which is probably fortunate. He was probably hiding is his hangar and thanking his lucky stars the dog was ok and that I didn't find him. I'm guessing he may have learned his lesson because he could clearly see Fido running right for the prop... I imagine he had the same sick feeling I did. |
I would suggest you preface any interaction with a sincere ?I really love dogs? and mean it.
I have absolutely believe you are a dog lover, and are acting in the dogs interest. It really is the innocent party in this. |
As an aside, the airport manager, IA, and DPE at a local airport used to have a pack of about 10 airport dogs under his stewardship. They had free run of the whole place. On at least one occasion, I had to abort a takeoff because they strayed onto the runway after I began my takeoff roll.
Takeoff aborted. Taxi back, try it again. This was the same airport and airport manager where they utilized an ad-hoc IFR approach using a VOR radial and a guy on a handheld radio to tell the inbound aircraft when it passed overhead so it could begin the 270 turn to land. I guess it worked because nobody flying "the approach" ever smacked in. I have a feeling that when I test flew a rather ratty Aeronca Chief that was owned by the same guy, a check of the logbooks might have indicated it was out of annual... Some of these little fields are a walk on the wild side. |
I generally agree with Carl. Talk to the dog owner and get to know him and his dog. Some owners/animals are well trained and some are not. If you still believe there is going to be an issue, clearly let the owner know that you are concerned that his pet and your aircraft may have a potential conflict and you would prefer his dog remain in the hangar while you are preparing to fly, and when you return from a flight. Most airports are communities of varying people, personalities, and casually accepted practices, that may have been in place long before you arrived.
Good luck! |
Caveat, I love dogs, had three for many years until recently. Currently dogless as m'lady says it is time to travel, no more dogs until we are 80. :(
First, positive control can mean different things to different people. I ran into this with a few neighbors, as our rural county does not have a leash law, just a need for 'positive control.' To me, and to the county animal control officers, that means basically a pet that comes when called, with a little latitude given for the presence of other animals. Certain neighbors, who were used to leash laws in a city setting, just could not wrap their head around the fact that a dog running ahead of me by some tens of yards was still in positive control. Regardless, when ever there was an issue, I was happy to alter my dogs interaction with others who did not see eye to eye with me on this issue. I remained friends with those that asked for some consideration in a pleasant manner. Second, just because an animal is domesticated does not make it any less of an animal to me in an airport environment. A dog running free familiar with the airport environment is equivalent (to me) to the deer that routinely graze next to the taxiways, oblivious to the machines that pass them by. Are there going to be unfortunate interactions from both of these animals from time to time? Yep. Part of aviation life, to me anyway. Others, not so much, they will not move if any animal is nearby: deer, dog, rugrat, makes no matter. That is there choice, mine is different. I respect their choice, I hope they respect mine. |
Things Go Bad quickly..
We recently lost our little dog Scooby (Been on VAF in his mini RV4 pedal plane), but he was always tethered when on the airport. Unfortunately, there have been local neighbors who used our airport as a dog park, even against the posted signs...a couple years ago, one such trespassing neighbor was walking their large breed dog along the perimeter tree line (leashless), and it bolted in full run at a landing vintage Cessna 172 with a father (pilot) and young daughter. He was in "flare out" when the dog attacked it, causing prop strike and buckling the nose gear aft into the firewall. The dog was killed instantly, and the airplane was heavily damaged. The situation could have had fatal results if he would have tried to avoid hitting the dog. The dog owner and his wife where hostile and argumentative over the incident, criticizing the pilot for killing their dog. Fortunately, he is a preacher and resisted beating the dog owner to a pulp on the spot. The whole event took months to settle, and the dog owner eventually paid out for the repairs, but never even apologized. To me, ANY unleashed dog is unacceptable on an airport, as they can NEVER be fully predictable.
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