janet_rose:I consider a cell phone an important piece of equipment when out and about (with or without a dog). I want to be able to call for help if I am harassed by humans or dogs. Or if my car breaks down. Or if I witness an accident. Etc., etc.
I was just going to say that. Besides, the number of times I've found a dog and been able to call the owner right there on my mobile because the number has been on the tag. Otherwise I'd have had to take the critter home, or if I didn't have a spare lead, just let it go and hope it didn't come to any harm.
To the OP - you need to check if it IS against the law for your dog to be loose. I can't imagine that it would be if you are on private property, but CHECK.
In any case, you could reply to her that the law requires the dog to be under control when in a public place, so she needs to sort her own house out before she has a go at you. (you might want to check that as well, but hey, it sounds true and it probably is.... 
)
"Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life." (Pratchett, Jingo)
"I used to look at [my dog] Smokey and think, 'If you were a little smarter you could tell me what you were thinking,' and he'd look at me like he was saying, 'If you were a little smarter, I wouldn't have to.'" - Fred Jungclaus