Will just reply to this by talking about my experience.

I walk my dog in the Lynn Headwaters/Fromme/Mosquito Creek area every day. If we're in an area with lots of people and dogs she is on a leash, if we're in an area where it's unlikely we'll meet anybody, she is off leash.

We encounter a lot of poorly behaved/controlled dogs who are usually off leash. I've never seen any of them bite a person.....most are friendly.....they are much more of an annoyance to my dog than they are to me.

We do find the odd "poop bag", which I agree is annoying and unsightly. If we're near a garbage container, I'll pick it up. My general observation is that most dog owners in the area we frequent clean up and dispose of their dog's poop.

We do encounter a few children who obviously have a fear of dogs, but many more are curious. If a child we pass comments on my dog, I'll stop and ask the accompanying adults if the child would like to pet my dog. I think it's important that children and dogs learn how to interact with each other.

Dogs are part of our society. People like myself will take them hiking, where permitted. There are and will be problem dogs and problem owners. A lot of them are just unaware that their dog's behaviour is causing problems for other people/dogs. Most have no idea of how to train a dog properly. I think the onus is on responsible dog owner's, like myself, to help educate these people.