Get your pooches under control

Austin has turned to what it does best – music – in an effort to raise awareness about the importance of keeping dogs leashed in public spaces. Two local musicians each have recorded an original music video as part of a campaign spearheaded by the parks department, the Animal Advisory Commission, the Austin Parks Foundation, and the Trail Conservancy. Shinyribs frontman Kevin Russell belts out a bluesy number urging Austinites to get “poochie control” – with park rangers dancing backup. Irish singer/songwriter Andrea Magee takes a gentler tack in her video, crooning, “It’s a human world, so we’ve gotta teach them. … If you love them, let’s leash them.” Of course, dogs love to run around off-leash, but the reasons for keeping them on-leash are pretty persuasive. A leashed dog is a safe dog (providing it isn’t attacked by an off-leash dog, as happened to one Monitor staffer), and leashes keep people safe from overenthusiastic dogs. Protecting the lives of small wild creatures is another biggie: Dogs don’t know the difference between a squeaky toy and a little opossum going about its business. The leash awareness campaign kicks off at at an album release event for Magee’s Belfast Girl. Friday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m., 2701 S. Lamar Blvd.