Some dog owners ignore rules and endanger other people

The woman, still holding her dog, sneered and tugged at the man's sleeve. "Let's go. That thing won't let us bring our baby in."

Her words stunned me and the other diners. "That thing"? The restaurant owner, an older woman, didn't deserve such disrespect from people young enough to be her children.

Owning a dog is no longer just a hobby—it’s part of urban life. While some owners act responsibly, others see pet ownership as an unquestionable right, ignoring rules and putting others at risk.

This sense of entitlement has led to troubling incidents. On Thursday, a 26-year-old man was walking his dog without a leash or muzzle in a restricted area on Nguyen Hue Walking Street, Ho Chi Minh City. When a security guard told him pets weren't allowed, instead of complying, he argued, grabbed the guard’s metal baton, and attacked him. The guard suffered a bleeding wound and had to be hospitalized.

An unmuzzled dog is left roaming free in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Pham Chieu

A similar case happened on the night of Feb. 2, 2023, at an apartment complex in District 7, HCMC. The complex had a no-pets policy, yet a man openly walked his dog there. When the unmuzzled dog got too close to a child, the child’s father instinctively nudged it away with his foot. The owner lashed out, punched the father, shattered his glasses, cut his eye, and chipped his front tooth. The father later needed five stitches.

These incidents highlight a troubling mindset: Some dog owners believe they have the right to take their pets anywhere, unleashed and unmuzzled, without regard for public safety. Worse, when confronted, they react with anger and even violence.

Now, I understand that owning a dog is a personal right, but ensuring public safety is a shared responsibility. Letting dogs roam freely without a muzzle not only puts others at risk but also endangers the animals themselves.

No matter how friendly a dog may seem, it is still an animal with territorial instincts. In an unexpected situation, it can become aggressive. A single bite can have serious consequences, especially for children.

Yet rather than acknowledging that others have a right to feel safe in public and shared spaces, some owners take the opposite stance—placing their pets above all else. They dismiss those who express discomfort or enforce rules as "uncivilized" or "anti-animal."

Some even escalate matters to violence.

Attacking someone over a loose dog isn't just a scuffle—it's a blatant disregard for the law. Regulations require dogs in public to be leashed and muzzled, yet these owners flout the rules without consequence. Worse, their actions can constitute criminal offenses.

If the victims press charges, the attack on the Nguyen Hue security guard could be considered "intentional tort." The assault in District 7 could fall under "intentional tort" or "public disorder." But beyond legal classifications, a larger issue looms: If authorities fail to enforce harsher penalties on owners who ignore leash laws, these incidents will continue.