[Artemisia] pets at events

[Arthen ap Rhun]

Morgan,

You now hold the record for the largest single paragraph I have even seen in
an email. My eyes are hurting and I think I need new glasses after trying to
read that one.

Arthen


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!