... To keep your pets confined.  

I took the day off from work today; to get a break from there, and
to get some things done at home.

When I went out this morning, I saw a dog on my property. I've seen
it before, but in the past when I tried to approach it, it got
spooked and I was afraid if I closed in further, I'd scare it right
out into the busy road.  Today, though, when I spoke to it, it laid
down in a submissive stance.  I went to it, to see if it was hurt,
and it wasn't, but it was friendly to me.  It laid on its side, and
I didn't see a penis, so I called her a she.  Long story short, I
got a rope on her/him as a lead, and tried to find her people.  One
neighbor knew who she was, but they weren't home.  I tried to
confine her to my property until they were home and I could talk to
them, but she found an opening in my un-dog-proof fence.  She
disappeared.  I had to go out to do the things I took the day off
to do, and later after I'd gotten home, I saw her again running
loose, and this time ACROSS the busy road.  I stopped my chores,
got the rope, and tried to follow her.  She disappeared again.

A couple hours later, when her people were supposed to be home, I
walked down to talk to them and tell them their dog runs around the
neighborhood when they're not home, and that I was afraid she'd be
killed.  They didn't answer the door, so I walked back home and
wrote a note, walked back to their house and taped it to their
door.  

They just called me to tell me they got the note, and were
grateful.  I wasn't convinced that they are though, when my
suggestion of a higher fence was blown off. The friendly dog isn't
a she; his name is Rocky, or Buck.  He responds to both. WTF.