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Dog Parks Are Making Some People Angry

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

The Christian Science Monitor published a very interesting article about the rise in popularity of dog parks, and the people they are angering.

Use of dog parks and the establishment of new dog parks are at an all time high all across of the country. In Arlington, Virginia, the county decided to relocate a dog park after discovering it had been inadvertenly built within a historic Civil War fort. But when the county decided to move the dog park to another park, a group of parents put up a fight, claiming that children were more important than dogs.

Clearly, the parents concerned about dog parks are not dog owners, which explains their prejudice against dogs.

I take my dogs to a dog park in Upland, California, which is also carved out from a larger park, and find there is very little problem. The children have plenty of play space of their own, and there is plenty of room for picnickers too. Believe it or not, the dog owners turn out to be the most responsible of the park visitors, cleaning up after their dogs, while other visitors can be seen allowing trash fly off the tables without bothering to retrieve it.

And as for dogs being a danger to kids, there more are kids being hurt by other kids, than by dogs. I've not once seen a violent dog attack a child. I've not seen a dog owner even bring a violent dog to the dog park. In fact, there are more kids vandalizing the park, whereas I haven't yet seen a dog vandalize park property.

2 Comments:

  • In my opinion a dog park makes it safer for children and for dogs. In a proper dog park, the area is contained and dogs off leash are not able to go after their children and vice versa. Dogs who are well socialized tend to be more even tempered and less likely to attack people. The dog community is like a sub-culture that polices itself. If there is an incident everyone knows about it and deals with it. If someone does not clean up after their dog, they face reprimand or group disapproval. There are rules and there is a strong incentive for dog owners to follow them. This is a group that you do want acceptance if your dog is to play and socialize. Much like playgroups with children there are certain "kids" that they get along with better than others and there are "parents" that you get along better than others. You discuss what little Snoopy did in puppy school last week or how Fido doesn't like his new food so he tips over his bowl in protest. I do acknowledge and try to respect the feelings of those individuals who don't like dogs and I think that the best solution for everyone to get along is a contained designated dog area. Instead of getting angry about a dog park, I should think that if they were truely concerned about the safety of their children they would welcome one.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:11 PM, June 11, 2005  

  • What the parents are missing is the natural intersection between dogs and kids. Last weekend I was at the same dog park Steve takes his dogs to in Upland CA and there were two birthday parties going on in the park next door. It turns out that the kids had requested to have their birthday parties at the dog park so they could watch the dogs while they were eating their cake and ice cream and then visit with the dogs afterward. It was a little crazy with so many kids, but the ones who did not have dogs at home loved the experience, and the dog owners as always were more than obliging.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:54 PM, September 27, 2005  

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