Not far from where my parents live a runner stabbed a small dog (jack russel) to death when it started running alongside him. Here is the only English news article I found on it:
All major media are reporting about the case (in Dutch) and lots of people are making threads to the runner, shaming and threatening him on social media.
According to the owners, the small dog was not aggressive, but it was not on a leash. The runner was carrying a small pocket knife in his trail vest and used it to stab the dog. Apparently he's a nature lover (ooh the irony) and sometimes collects rare plants when out on his runs where he uses the knife for.
What do you think about this case? What are your experiences with dogs while out running? Personally I quite like dogs, but hate them when out on a run. Especially when they are off the leash. In almost all parks and nature reserves here in Belgium you are obliged to have your dog on the leash, with ample signage. But still, almost everyday I encounter dog owners that do not follow this rule. I can't count anymore how many times a dog has ran behind me barking aggressively. I can quite imagine if you are really afraid of dogs you freak out, even if the dogs is really small.