Mat-Su trail users must restrain four-legged friends -- or risk a citation, officials say

What you need to know:

• Mat-Su Borough officials are reminding trail users to restrain their animals or risk a citation.
• A complaint from a trail user about off-leash dogs prompted animal control officers to address the issue. Officers began the effort last month by visiting popular trailheads, speaking with users and handing out educational materials.
• The focus is on education first, but repeat offenders may face citations and fines of up to $200. Trail users can report animal issues through the borough’s problem reporter.

PALMER —  Mat-Su animal control officers are urging trail users with four-legged companions to keep their animals restrained — or risk a citation.

The message is part of a new outreach campaign requested by Matanuska-Susitna Borough officials that aims to reduce complaints about loose animals and incidents involving bites on borough trails while improving safety for all users, officials said.

Officials rolled out the effort after a recent complaint from a trail user concerned about encounters with off-leash dogs, said Jillian Morrisey, the borough’s community development director, whose division oversees parks and recreation.

“We had a member of the public come in and ask, ‘I’ve had so many dogs run up to me, jump on me — what can I do?’” she said. “They’ve had multiple experiences and thought, ‘I’m powerless; there’s nothing I can do.’ But actually, no — this is in borough code.”

Mat-Su area laws, including those within Palmer and Wasilla city limits, require that animals be restrained at all times when off private property — either by leash or voice control, including through electronic collars.

That broad rule can create conflict between users who feel safest when dogs are visibly leashed and those who prefer to let their pets roam freely, borough officials said.

The situation can become dangerous for animals and humans when owners claim their pets are under voice control when they are not, said Matthew Hardwig, the borough’s chief animal control enforcement officer.

“Some people believe that their animal is under control at that specific time,” Hardwig said. “If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard, ‘My dog has never done that before.’”

The outreach campaign is designed to focus on education first, Hardwig said.

Owners who violate restraint rules are initially issued a warning, he said. Repeat offenders may receive citations and fines of up to $200, plus fees.

So far this year, Mat-Su animal control officials have issued nine such citations, according to borough data.

Under borough law, animals that injure humans or other pets are subject to the borough’s classification process. That system includes official hearings and imposes restrictions on how and where classified animals must be restrained. In cases of severe injury or death, the process can result in an order to euthanize the animal, according to borough code.

Animal control officials have logged 203 animal bite cases this year, including in-home incidents, according to borough data. None of those cases have resulted in borough-ordered euthanasia, according to borough hearing documents.

Officials launched the education campaign last month with a two-week surge of visits by animal enforcement officers to trailheads across the region, Hardwig said.

Officers visited at least one new trailhead daily, where they spoke with users, reminded them of restraint rules, answered questions, and handed out cards with a QR code linking to more information, he said.

Those visits will continue into the summer as time and other duties allow, he said. Officers will focus their visits on the borough's busiest trailheads, including Lazy Mountain, Bodenburg Butte and Crevasse-Moraine, Morrisey said.

Hardwig said he hopes the effort will ultimately make parks and trails more welcoming for everyone.

“This is trail courtesy — these trails are multi-use, so you have everybody from skiers to joggers to dog walkers to horseback riders to bicyclists,” he said. “We’re all trying to get along.”

Trail users who want to report an unrestrained dog or log an incident can do so using the borough’s online problem reporter, Morrisey said.

-- Contact Amy Bushatz at contact@matsusentinel.com

This story was updated May 16 to clarify that the total number of bite cases logged this year includes in-home incidents.