T'was many years back, but a friend and I were finishing up the Rock of Ages - Horsetail - Oneonta loop. Got down to the bridge across the slot canyon above Oneonta Gorge and a whole bunch of people were on the bridge peering down into the slot. We got down there and discovered someone's dog (off-leash) had fallen in. The dog was visible in the creek about 20ft below. My friend and I figured we were a bit more prepared to climb down there than most of the tourists present, so we dropped packs and downclimbed into the slot. Last bit is maybe 6ft of low 5th rock; not too bad. Water was about knee-deep. I made my way over to the dog: a good-sized bulldog with one of those collars with the spikes that point inwards. The dog had a number of cuts around his face and was shivering, but otherwise seemed okay. I approached warily and he seemed to realize we were there to help. A couple of other folks on the bridge (also dog owners) linked their leashes together and lowered the line it to us. We clipped it to the dog's collar -- and with pulling from above & pushing from below, we got the dog up & out... then climbed our ourselves (now completely muddy). The dogs owner turned out to be a 20-something guy who was thanking us. I commented about the dog: "well, he seems okay, apart from being cut up around the face there." The owner: "oh, no... those are from fights." The entire situation reverses. Oh, that was why the dog was down there. Us: "we have to leave... right now."
My two cents: please use common sense and keep your dog on a leash when it's appropriate. Especially around cliffs. Especially on trails when there are a lot of other people and/or dogs around. Also on trails where there's poison oak. The dog runs through the stuff and then happily becomes a vector when brushing up against you, or when you pet it.
(Random coda to the above story: we arrive back at the Horsetail Creek trailhead where we were parked and see a nice couple in somewhat inappropriate hiking attire eyeing the sign and and wondering if they want to attempt the quarter-mile hike up to Ponytail Falls. Then they see us coming down; swath of mud from shoulder to hip. Eyes get wide. Us: "it's not that bad really..." The couple get in their car and drive off without saying a word.)
, but in reality, how many people actually obey any law? When the sign says 55 mph, how many actually drive 60? 65? Even 70+? Plus, you live in a university neighborhood. Shouldn't most resident be used to tolga parties and mardi gras every weekend?
