[Artemisia] pets at events

[morgan wolf]

First, let me make this PERFECTLY CLEAR, this message is not in reference to ANY one specific person, nor a specific event, it is in reference to things I've seen consistently over the last 20 years, right up to last weekend.  Having said that-

FELLOW PET OWNERS, when the event announcement says "pets are welcome, but must be leashed/controlled at all times", why is it so hard to understand that that means YOUR PET?  Do you really think that having the leash in your hand while your dog walks loose is okay, or even worse, that putting the leash on the dog and letting him drag it on the ground because YOU aren't holding it actually counts?  Does it not register in your mind that when the Event Steward states that this is a site rule that you are actually endangering the event and/or our ability to use the site again in the future?  No matter what Brass Hat/Belt/Medallion you wear, the rules still apply to you, just like they do to all the rest of us.  If my dog was loose and attacked yours, you would complain to the Event Steward about my violation of the rules, right?  So why should I wait for your "sweet/friendly/loving/gentle/passive/well-trained" dog to attack mine *before* I complain
 when you are breaking the site/event rules?  Especially since my 11-year old dog has been attacked 4 times by supposedly friendly dogs that weren't leashed while their owners took them for a walk.  You pay the site fee when you arrive, you park in the designated place, you don't bring alcohol to a dry site, you clean up after yourself, you wear all of the required armor to fight, you follow all of the other event rules, so why is it so hard to follow the pet rules?  If your dog doesn't like being on the leash, DON'T BRING HIM TO THE EVENT!  When I bring Cardhu to an event, he is either on his leash, his tie-down cable, in his kennel, in the car, or in the tent *with the door closed*.  If I can do it, and believe me bending down to put his leash/tie-down on him *hurts me*, why can't you do it?  And when I politely ask you to leash your dog, *in accordance with the site/event rules*, why are you giving me the dirty look?  You are the one
 violating the rules, I'm being nice enough to give you a chance to follow them before I complain to the Event Steward.  Is it going to take being asked/told to leave an event before you realize that you really are expected to follow ALL of the rules, not just the ones you agree with?  What really kills me is the people that say they completely agree with me, and complain about the other owners not controlling their dogs, while that person's dog drags his leash over to mark the neighboring tent! 

Please note that I am not talking about the dog that just got loose temporarily, i.e. he ran off, jerking the leash from your hand while you were cleaning up after him, or other such situations, I'm talking about the dog who is never leashed, who's owners think that because he is "well-trained" they don't have to actually use the leash, or that it's okay to have him off the leash because he's in the tent, even though the door of the tent is wide-open and there is NOTHING stopping the dog from running out to attack the leashed dog that just entered his territory.

mundane leash laws apply to every event site in the kingdom that isn't private property, and the site owner's leash rules apply to the private property, so if you can't be bothered to properly control your pet, don't be surprised when the Event Steward comes over and tells you to either control your pet or take him home, and if you don't get the message the first time, don't complain when the Event Steward tells you that it's time for you to take Fido home, NOW, because the Stewards *will* be receiving complaints from people who *do* follow the rules or don't have a dog and don't want one in their camp.

Morgan
 
 
Baron Morgan Blaidd Du,
GHA(2), CQC, PCA, CCH;

Protege and Ghillie to Baron Master James Ulrich MacKellar, OL OP;
and Baroness Mistress Rachel Ashton, OP