Maybe I will keep my dog on a leash....

Tonight, as last night, I took Kooper to Killarney Lake for his walk.  As I did yesterday and every other time I go there, I ignored the two large yellow signs at the entrance warning me that the fine for not having my dog on the leash is $50.  I continued on my way, past the smaller blue signs nailed to trees every 50m or so to remind me of my duty to tether my dog.  I find that after you ignore the first few, it just gets easier.

We took a trail away from the lake and then another left onto a more remote trail where we had seen what I think was a coyote a few days earlier (it didn't stick around to introduce itself).   Kooper seemed keen to go and sniff around the area where it had been spotted and trotted off into the woods.  I noticed that he was just standing in the same spot looking down at the ground.   'Odd', I thought.  He didn't seem to want to move on and so I decided to investigate.  There on the ground was the foreleg of a deer.  The lower part was complete with hoof, hide and flesh, the upper leg - not so much.

I suggested to Kooper in the nicest possible way that he proceed out of the woods and back onto the trail without delay.  He wasn't all that keen and actually growled and snapped in my general direction.  Well, if I was going to have to take the jacket off and fight the dog for the deer leg, then so be it....  there comes a time in every man's life when he must stand up and fight for what is right.  It didn't come to that.  Kooper realised I meant business and reluctantly moved cagily away from the leg.

We continued on our walk and rounded the next corner where I noticed a 30 cm square piece of deer skin with bits of flesh attached.  It wasn't pretty.  I did not want to have to wrestle the dog for it and so I decided to comply with the City's beleaguured by-law and leash Kooper up before he noticed it.  Somewhere in those woods is a deer carcus.  I think I'll let nature clean things up a little before I take him back.  I do not want a repeat of last night, the effects of which are still clearly evident to anyone within about 10 feet.