Singapore Expats

Many days when i go for a run in the morning i notice that it is always WESTERNERS that do not obey the leash laws with their dogs while locals almost always do. It bothers me as i am sometimes with a 1 1/2 year old in a stroller that like to walk a little - and i never know if the dog is well behaved or not. It irritates me even more as it appears that these Western scoff laws think that all of the rules of Singapore are for Singaporeans only while THEY are free to let their dogs run free.

Am i alone in thinking that this is irritatingly arrogant self-centered egotistical behavior by a few westerners that think they are above the law? - or should i lighten up when i see people breaking what is really just a quality of life type of rule.

Also - has anyone ever seen the leash laws enforced? Or is it just assumed that everyone will obey?

Wham wrote:Am i alone in thinking that this is irritatingly arrogant self-centered egotistical behavior by a few westerners that think they are above the law? - or should i lighten up when i see people breaking what is really just a quality of life type of rule.

Maybe I should change the way I think when I see mainly local drivers changing lanes and turning without indicating, but then I would be deemed a racist and suffering from massive 'chip on shoulder' syndrome.

Most people believe that their dog is well behaved & does not need to be on a leash. However as we all know this is not always the case. There was a time in the UK when children were savaged by Rotweilers and the owners thought their dogs were as gentle as lambs.

I don't think that people think they are above the law it is more likely ignorance of the law as in the uk it is quite common for people to take their dogs out without a leash. If you feel so strongly about it next time you encounter a leashless dog just gently remind the owner that dogs should be on a leash in Singapore by law, but there are special dog parks for them to run around without a leash They may even thank you for letting them know.

What's the worse that could happen?

"rover: kill"

Breaker - you make a very good point - but i prefer to think that two wrongs don't make a right.

Barron - i have had enough encounters with self-rightious dog owners in the past (including one whose dogs DID jump on my daughter and scare the living daylights out of her) to know that the odds on answer is "well MY dog IS well behaved so i am SURE it is not a problem..." which is usually followed by some form of - "so mind your own business."

Hi Wham,

I totally agree with you. When I walk my big dog, even on our very quiet street, he is always on a leash. My husband doesn't believe in this -- why I don't know -- but it is my responsibility to be able to control my pet. He could see something across a busy road and that would be the end of him. Not on my watch.

There is someone else on our street who walks their dog without a leash. The dog is very badly behaved has twice 'jumped' my dog and started a fight. He runs all over the street 50 paces ahead. Its awful. At the same time there is another man who walks his very well behaved dog without a leash and who stays right at his heel, but it still makes me very nervous. They are animals afterall.

Even having said that, every few weeks, my little Westie wants to tag along. Because it is so infrequently we can never find the leash so he just tags along. He's very small, so non-threatening, and when I hear a car come I call him and scoop him up. They'd never see him.

I find it definitely is a western attitude -- this ignoring the leash law. I don't think its ignorance at all, I think its arrogance.

I see lots of local doing the same thing, especially in the HDB flats near where i live. They just let their dog run around freely to sh!t and pee everywhere, then when the dog's done the owners calls the dog back and they disappear.

I think I could never have a dog if I couldn’t let it run freely. In fact I believe dog owners who don't regularly walk and allow their dogs to run freely are neglecting their pets.

Now i'm not saying it should be on the streets and if there are dog parks they should be used but i've never seen one, they can’t be everywhere. I don’t see anything wrong with allowing a dog to run around in a public park, provide the owners are responsible.

Bremen wrote:I see lots of local doing the same thing, especially in the HDB flats near where i live. They just let their dog run around freely to sh!t and pee everywhere, then when the dog's done the owners calls the dog back and they disappear.

Isn't that the truth. Not only do they let them sh1t & pee everywhere they also can't be bothered to clean up behind them either. I've often wanted to drop kick a couple of Jack Russels, or better yet their owners!

ringo100 wrote:Now i'm not saying it should be on the streets and if there are dog parks they should be used but i've never seen one, they can’t be everywhere. I don’t see anything wrong with allowing a dog to run around in a public park, provide the owners are responsible.

OK I see a problem with it. What about people, kids etc who are frightened of dogs? Why do they need to feel intimidated by a free roaming dog who is not visibly under control of its owner? Also, are the owners watching it constantly and going to pick up its droppings wherever it does them whilst it is running free? Unlikely.

I think I could never have a dog if I couldn’t let it run freely. In fact I believe dog owners who don't regularly walk and allow their dogs to run freely are neglecting their pets

Before everyone jumps down my throat here I totally agree with this, I have owned dogs before and I loved them dearly, one was an afghan who needed heaps of free roaming area, but if I was not in a place where I was absolutely sure she could not intimidate anyone (she was a total sop but also pretty big) in other words, a place with no other people or a designated dog park, then she was on the leash, same for my other dogs.

There are many people who are scared (legitimately and not) of dogs and just meeting one on a leash in the street can be scary for them never mind one that just lopes up by itself in the park.

As for who does it here, well it seems pretty much 50/50 where we live

Let's not forget that in this part of the world, there are ppl whose religion have an issue with dogs.

funny... i just figured out why this whole topic was lingering in my mind - last week i was running on some quiet jungle roads in the Philippines and every 750 meters or so there would be a mangy mean looking dog lurking on the edge of the road in front of a nipa hut. As i edged past - most would slink away - but once in a while there would be a threatening growl. So when i encountered the prissy B1tch with the questionable looking dalmation running freely beside her up on Ridley Place - my first thought was D1MN! - i can take it in the rural Philippines - but do i really need to deal with it here?

Re the hdb dogs - good luck!!! do they get fined if they piss in the lifts?

Wow Wham.. way to make yourself sound like a complete ignorant xenophobe. Prat.

@natashag - you do realize that this is a nearly 10 year old post, don't you?

Yes I did realise, thanks.

Too funny - I knew Wham, who is a foreigner, and anything but a xeno.

Thinking to way way back to when he was posting, how many life changes ago that was.

No point in reviving that old thread...