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Mono County Leash Law Extended to Mono City
Dogs are complicated pets. Technically, they can be well-trained, furry robots with a specific job
description. Or, they can be family members with all the advantages of actual children. And, like children, dogs may not have learned the meaning of boundaries. Those boundaries have been defined in the Mono communities. June Lake, Hilton Creek, White Mountain Estates, Lee
Vining, Wheeler, Chalfant and now Mono City all have “leash laws,” requiring dogs be restrained either in a secure, fenced area or at the end of a leash.
The exact wording of the ordinance: “No person owning or having possession, charge, custody
or control of a dog in the areas June Lake, Hilton Creek, the Mammoth-June Lake Airport, White Mountain Estates, Lee Vining, Wheeler Crest, Chalfant, or Mono City shall allow the dog to run at large.”
The leash issue came to a head when Mono City residents complained of children being chased
by un-confined dogs. Not all locals were supportive. One commenter asked if dogs harassing
children could come under the County’s nuisance provision. In other words, deal with individual incidents rather than a blanket ordinance confining the entire, more mellow dog population.
Another comment: the County doesn’t have the resources to enforce the existing nuisance
ordinances, so how can free-range dogs be corralled.
The Mono Sheriff’s Department response was practical. The ordinance would be a tool in the
department’s tool box. The department would respond to complaints but would not patrol Mono City for unfettered dogs.
Supervisors moved to pass the ordinance, adding “no one should be afraid of walking in their community. If people behaved, we wouldn’t need laws.”
From my experience the “nuisance provision” is useless. I went through one and one half years of calling in complaints about a neighbor’s pit bulls. Once I was trapped in my car with my dogs ten feet from my door, no cell phone. After about a half an hour I… Read more »
You have my sympathies! Inyo County’s response was “ do you have a gun?”
So ….. We have a law but you’ll do what ? If I “take the law into my own hands”?
Saving money for a good lawyer and adding intentional infliction of emotional distress in the charges.
I’ve been told to shoot dogs by animal control. I said no it’s your job to deal with it.
Yes!!! We need more laws!!! Behave!!!
Sadly, it’s the humans that are at fault. Dogs are just acting like dogs. Some people who let their dogs run free forget that sometimes an excited dog can get into mischief. This protects people and other animals from dogs not restrained. I agree, too many laws, but thanks to… Read more »
Doesn’t Animal Control patrol anymore?
One of the problems in Mono County is the distance between communities. Staffing levels may be appropriate for the population but getting from one end of the County to another is a trek. I’ll dig a little and see if I can come up with an answer.
Okay–here’s the answer to your question of Mono Animal Control patrolling: Yes, we do patrol when time allows. As you know, Mono County is a huge county and takes hours to drive the entire county. We only have 2 Animal Services Officers for the entire county (and 2 shelter attendants).… Read more »