That sucks. We live right down the street from the University's agricultural fields (which are massive because we're in the biggest ag area in the nation). We walk ours around there all the time and there are tons of other people that do the same. Many walking trails around town have doggie stations with bags and trash recepticles for their mess and it's just a really dog friendy area.
I hope you do take this further, you and your dogs should not have been treated that way.
I hope you do take this further, you and your dogs should not have been treated that way.