Cattle dog owner’s tearful plea after off leash golden retriever chases her ‘reactive’ pet

A runner has tearfully hit out at ‘selfish and irresponsible’ dog owners after being chased by a golden retriever.

April, who lives on a Queensland farm, broke down crying while sitting in her car after she and her cattle dog Winnie were chased by the larger canine while she was out jogging.

She begged dog owners to ‘please leash your dog’ after being forced to desperately protect Winnie from the golden retriever – whose owner was nowhere in sight.

‘Oh f***, I think I’m just overwhelmed because I just finished the longest run I’ve ever done and I just felt Winne pull and I look behind me and there’s this big golden retriever,’ she said.

April became emotional describing how the golden retriever bailed up her and her dog Winnie

‘[It’s] just chasing her and Winnie’s terrified, tail tucked, running into me.’ 

April said she became exhausted and fell into a bin trying to fend off the unleased animal. 

‘I tried to back away with her and hit a bin and that just freaked Winnie out more and this dog’s still coming right at us.

‘The owner was nowhere to be seen … it’s so frustrating.’

She managed to flee from the dog and get Winnie safely into her car.

‘Why are you letting your dog off in residential streets to come and rush people on a path where you are nowhere to be seen? Why? What is the point?

‘You’re putting your dog in a dangerous situation.’

April also posted a message to people who don’t leash their dogs in the video description. 

‘You might think letting your dog off-leash, out of control, and free to run up to whoever they like, is totally harmless because your dog is friendly. 

‘It is not harmless. Our leash laws exist for a reason.

‘What about the dog owners who have invested thousands of hours/dollars into training their dog, only to have it ruined by your selfish and irresponsible actions?’

But viewers noticed out a contradiction in some of the young woman’s other popular TikTok videos.

In at least two clips, she has allowed her dog to run off-leash in public.

Once was on a beach, in June, and the other time on a street in August, although her dog appears to be well-trained and under control.

Mostly April received support from empathetic dog owners.

‘It’s such a scary thing, you did amazing. So thankful nothing bad happened, it’s never easy. 

‘You did all the right things.’

But viewers pointed out a contradiction evident from some of the young woman’s other popular TikTok videos. In at least two clips she allowed her dogs off the lash in a public places. Pictured: April and her dog running at the beach

One follower wondered whether the golden retriever followed April and her dog because she kept running

But some were confused.

‘A golden retriever?’ one person asked.

‘[They] are so friendly it would have just wanted to play,’ said another.

‘Little confused, so did it try and attack your dog or just run with you because you kept running?’

Another nailed her main message though: ‘Never unleash you dog unless you can 100 per cent trust them with recall.’