It might be the most violated law on Colorado Springs’ books.By some accounts, more than 90 percent of dog owners ignore the city’s leash law, especially at city parks and open spaces.While some say it’s not a problem, others are frightened, jostled, even injured by dogs running loose.”I watch people with their unleashed dogs walk past the posted signs without hesitation,” Susan Youngworth wrote to the Parks Department about Red Rock Canyon.”When confronted they shrug their shoulders and say, ‘Who’s gonna catch me, no one, deal with it or don’t come here.’ Good point. Who is responsible to enforce the ordinance?”The city is responsible, but parks officials aren’t sure how to do it, so they’re seeking comments about people’s experiences.A month into the process, the majority overwhelmingly backs stricter enforcement of the law, which requires dogs be leashed unless otherwise posted, such as the city’s dog parks. Penalties are $50 for the first offense, $80 for the second and $100 for the third.Of the 64 responses received so far, 17 say off-leash dogs aren’t a problem; the rest disagree, said Scott Abbott, regional parks, trails and open space supervisor.One woman said because of a trick knee, she gets nervous that a dog might knock her down.Pendelow Bullard wrote she was attacked by a Rottweiler and pit bull at Stratton Open Space.”These dogs are very scary,” Bullard wrote.Jan Dawson told the city her dog was bitten in Red Rocks Canyon, and the owners can be just as violent.”We have been threatened to be beaten up when we asked someone to leash their dog,” Dawson said.Complaints also have come from people who use Cottonwood Creek Park, Ute Valley Park and Monument Valley Park.The mounting complaints have made the city consider cracking down, but not everyone thinks that’s necessary.”I have never seen a dog act aggressively toward another dog or any person, whether on foot or on bicycle,” John Jennings wrote of Stratton Open Space.The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, which is paid $870,000 annually by the city for animal control, enforces the leash law by responding to complaints and patrolling hot spots, including Stratton and Red Rocks.”We walk the trails and see if we can locate these individuals that have dogs off leash,” said community resources director Ann Davenport.She said if the city wants additional enforcement, the agency would have to hire more workers than the seven who work an average of 78 calls a day.The Humane Society couldn’t provide numbers for off-leash violations, but Davenport said in the first quarter the agency issued 245 summonses and 1,301 warnings for all offenses, including the leash law, barking and aggressive dogs and cruelty.Davenport said the Police Department could authorize parks officials to enforce the leash law, as it has with laws requiring owners to clean up their pets’ waste, an issue the city acknowledges is a problem and will address later.Councilwoman Margaret Radford said police won’t get involved. “We don’t have enough officers to handle priority one calls in a timely manner,” she said. “We’re not doing this.”She favors a “messaging” campaign to encourage voluntary compliance.CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0238 or pam.zubeck@gazettedev.gazette.com

WEIGH IN• To give the city your take, e-mail myexperience@springsgov.com.• To report an off-leash dog, call 473-1741.

Tyler Firlit, 14, gave a homeless man a sandwich, chips and a drink in Dorchester Park downtown. He and several members of the Fellowship of the Rockies church fanned out over the region Sunday to help others. Photo by