By LEANN BURKE

lburke@dcherald.com

Phil Mundy remembers cycling on rural Dubois County roads in a group of about five when a dog ran from its yard and chased the cyclists. Eventually, the group had to stop and hold a bike between themselves and the dog. No one was hurt, but Mundy remembers it as a jarring experience.

“We don’t always know what the dog’s intentions are,” said Mundy, who is part-owner of Adventures Recreation and Gear in Jasper and a member of DC Multisport, a group that organizes community fitness activities such as bike rides.

Mundy’s experience is not the only issue local cyclists have had with dogs, nor are issues between cyclists and dogs a new problem.

Mundy has heard complaints from at least 25 other riders about dogs in various parts of the county running out and chasing people as they come by. Usually, he said, it’s not a huge problem. The cyclists can usually outrun the dogs. But if the dogs catch the cyclists on a hill or are persistent in their pursuit, the situation can get harry. Mundy said he knows about three people who have been bitten and one court case.

Dogs running loose aren’t just hazards for cyclists and runners. The practice is illegal. The county and the three largest municipalities — Jasper, Huntingburg and Ferdinand — all have ordinances on the books placing responsibility on dog owners to keep their animals controlled.

The laws state animals cannot be “running at large,” which translates to outside the owners control. When outside, dogs have to be kept on the owner’s property through a fence, chain, leash or commands. When out on walks, owners have to be able to keep their dogs off other people’s property and away from others. When dogs run out of their yards after passing cyclists, the requirements of the ordinances are not met, and Mundy advises people to call the police, which is usually enough to take care of the issue.

A lot of times, Mundy said, people don’t realize their dog is running after people, and they’re happy to take the necessary action.

When officers get a call about an at-large dog, they try to find the owner and educate them about animal laws and their responsibilities as owners. As for penalties, Dubois County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Stuart Wilson said there is a range for how it can go. If officers catch the dog, they can either return it to the owner or take it to a holding facility, according to county ordinances. Fines for dogs running at large range from $25 to $100 in the county, Huntingburg and Jasper, depending on the number of offences. In Ferdinand, fines go up to $150. If the dog bites someone, the situation becomes more complicated. In dog bite cases, police must verify vaccination records.

“Any dog that anyone has is required by law to be vaccinated,” Wilson said.

Indiana Code lists not vaccinating your dog as a misdemeanor.

If the dog bite requires medical attention, criminal charges become more serious. Wilson said, though, that criminal charges for dog calls are the exception, not the rule.

Both Wilson and Mundy say that generally, one call and some education is enough to take care of the problem. There are a few people, though, who don’t think it’s their responsibility. Mundy knows of a few dogs he’s called the police for multiple times. In those situations, Mundy said, people will tell him to let it go and take another route. But with more and more people using the roads to bike or run, there’s a good chance someone else will come up on the same dog. He doesn’t blame the dog or the owner for issues. He realizes that in the rural areas, people have traditionally let their dogs run without issue. Now that the fitness community is growing, however, there’s a culture clash.

“I think a lot of people aren’t expecting riders to be out there,” Mundy said.

Wilson encourages cyclists and runners to call about at-large dogs. It can be a dangerous situation, he said, but if no one calls, police can’t do anything about it.

And don’t worry about the safety of the dog when you call. Neither Mundy or Wilson want to see the dogs harmed. In fact, Mundy advises fellow cyclists against carrying weapons to use against the dogs, and Wilson said law enforcement would rather talk to the owner than harm the dog.

“Almost all of us are dog lovers,” Wilson said.

The bottom line is this: The roads are everyone’s, and Wilson and Mundy want to keep them safe.