The Bedford Town Council voted to establish a leash law on July 22, despite resistance from numerous dog owners who spoke during a public hearing.

The law, which goes into effect in September, passed by a single vote, 4-3. Chris Bandazian, Bob Young and Michael Scanlon voted against it. Young had suggested a law that take more time before going into effect, while Bandazian suggested a period of “strict enforcement” of current laws – such as cleaning up after dogs and keeping them in control – to see if the problems raised by those in favor of the law would be solved.

“I didn’t support to have this public hearing because, quite frankly, I do not support the leash law,” Scanlon said. He echoed sentiments heard during the hearing, such as, “It’s not the dogs’ rights, it’s the owners’ rights,” at stake. The discussion focused on Benedictine Park, which many said had become a popular defacto dog park. Bedford has no specifically designated dog park.

Peter Clemons said he knew his dog paid no taxes, but he did.

“I know my dog has no rights,” he said. “This is about the rights of the dog owners.” He said he uses few of the services his tax dollars pay for. “I do pay for that park. I pay for the high school and the elementary school despite (the fact) that I have no children that I send to them,” he said. “This is the one park that I use. Why should I be removed because somebody doesn’t want me to use it?”

But Joleen Worden said her elderly mother was almost knocked down by a loose dog.

“One, one incident where someone is badly hurt is too many,” she said, adding that many minor incidents such as her mother’s were unreported. “Don’t tell me that hundreds of incidents aren’t occurring in this town.”

Jim Scanlon had planned to bring his dog into the hearing, but was barred from doing so out of concern about allergies.

He argued that there were 3,422 registered dogs in the town, and that the council should not rush to make a decision in “the dog days of summer” when they might not all be available to speak up.

“This is a very controversial issue with emotions on both sides,” he said. But adding a dog park to the town, so dogs could run free in a fenced and designated area, might mitigate the situation.

Police Chief David C. Bailey said the department would continue to monitor the situation in the park with or without a leash law, but that it would make enforcement easier.

“When a dog is off a leash and it bites somebody, the only time we can do something is after the fact,” he said.

Jennifer Craig, and her daughter Isabella, 9, were happy about the vote, saying dogs in the park are not under the control of their owners. Isabella said that dogs had bothered her in the past when she was flying kites at the park. “They were running everywhere, running at us, growling,” she said.

Jennifer Craig said she walks her own dog – a Doberman – at Benedictine Park. “Always on a leash,” she said.

After the vote, Clemons, said he felt let down. “I’m beyond disappointed,” he said.

He said he thought many dog owners would stop going to the park – he said he would – and he thought the park would face more trouble with fewer adult, responsible eyes there. “The condoms in the parking lot were not left by dogs,” he said.