City officials are mulling how to respond to several recent dog attacks after two owners detailed harrowing encounters with canines on the loose that left them shaken.
The incidents were brought to the attention of the Rye City Council this month as part of a plea for stricter enforcement of off-leash dog rules and restrictions across the city — prompting the police department to post the city’s dog control regulations on social media. They include limits of no more than three dogs per owner, prohibit aggressive dogs, and require that dogs not be left unattended.
Both attacks were said to be instigated by off-leash dogs, with one encounter leaving a woman with injuries to her arm.
All canines in the city’s public spaces are required by law to be leashed and under control of the owner, according to City Manager Greg Usry.
Various signage around Rye makes note of the rule, Usry said.
The only exception — if the owner has a permit — is on the grounds of Rye Town Park, where dogs are allowed off leash between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. The 28-acre park along Forest Avenue overlooks the Long Island Sound and is governed by the town and city of Rye.
“It seems that law-abiding citizens should not have to limit their behavior in enjoyment of our public spaces because others don’t follow the dog laws,” said Kristine Augenthaler, whose dog was a victim of one of the recent attacks.
Augenthaler urged the council to implement citywide police patrols to reduce the number of off-leash dogs — suggesting stiffer penalties, increasing signage, and designated fenced-in areas.
She added that Rye police should be more consistent when dealing with the issue, saying she was largely dismissed when contacting one cop about the attack.
Currently, owners are subject to a $50 fine for having their dogs off leash or not properly permitted. But there is no escalation of that fee regardless of how many times a person is issued a summons, according to City Attorney Kristen Wilson.
Mari Moerschen said she also had a horrifying experience when her 10-pound dog was attacked by a yellow labrador on New Year’s Day behind the Playland parking lot around 9:30 p.m.
Moerschen, 19, was walking her dog, Maxi, on a leash when another dog, Simba, started growling and barking at her — before charging from about 200 feet away, she said.
“Panicked, I picked up Maxi and tried to walk away, but it was too late,” Moerschen said. “Simba bit my left arm, dragged me to the ground, and attacked Maxi.
“Simba grabbed Maxi’s neck and his jaws and tossed him around like a chew toy.”
Moerschen said the dog bit through three layers of clothing causing her arm to bleed. The dog also damaged the nerves in her tricep, she said.
Previous complaints about off-leash dogs led the city to ramp up enforcement a few months ago, particularly in Disbrow Park, where a dozen signs were installed in late October, according to Usry. Spot checks are also conducted on occasion, the city manager added.
But Mayor Josh Cohn asked Usry to further address the issue with Police Commissioner Michael Kopy, and the city is expected to consider additional actions at the City Council’s Jan. 29 meeting.
“We should be able to walk our dogs without having to wonder if, or when, we will be attacked,” Augenthaler said.
