To the editor:
It’s been three weeks since I went over the handlebars on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT) and fractured my femur because of an uncontrolled dog. I’d been felled by a ten pound canine that had darted from the weeds on the side of the trail. What started out as an easy bike ride on a beautiful Vermont summer day to be followed by pizza on our monthly date night, turned into a 911 call and three titanium screws holding my leg together.
Our summer travel plans are gone and I’ll have to endure at least six months of pain and rehab. I was a competitive cyclist back in the day and I can’t emphasize enough how important riding my bike is for my mental and physical well-being. The prospect of months of inactivity and discomfort is traumatic not to mention making work difficult.
The accident could have been so easily avoided if the dog’s owner had been responsible and obeyed the law:
“Pets are allowed on the trail provided they are under the control of their owner at all times. For their own protection and that of other users and wildlife, dogs should be leashed,” from the LVRT Management Plan.
Complying with these laws is a matter of courtesy, responsibility and legal obligation.
How many times have you heard, “Don’t worry my dog doesn’t bite,” or “She hates leashes?” While some owners think their dog may be well-behaved and obedient, dogs are dogs. They’re unpredictable. They don’t know any better but their owners should.
While losing a summer is tragic for me, I know it could have been much worse. What about the person that has no insurance? A broken neck? A spinal cord injury? These are very real possible scenarios.
As I write this, a cyclist friend is recovering from broken ribs as a result of another unleashed dog incident on the LVRT.
Please let this letter be a reminder to always have your dog under control, whether on the Rail Trail or anywhere else, as a matter of safety, courtesy and law.
If there can be an upside, I experienced a prompt, warm and professional rescue by Northern EMS and Lamoille Ambulance Services and thanks to the occupational therapist, I would have never known how handy a two-foot shoehorn could be! It may not seem like it but I still love dogs!
Kathy Swanson
Craftsbury Common
