Raise the Hammer

Good Luck on getting that Leash Free Area, Lindsay! You may need it.

'Human's comment about sums it up: "Off-leash park? How about a dog-free neighbourhood?" (why do I suspect 'Human', or a few like him live in my neighbourhood? ) :P A barking dog is a bored dog. Maybe it needs a walk, or a dog park. :)

There have been about 6 or 7 letters recently in the local paper about 'dog residue' as a serious health threat. Even if you scoop, some fecal material may be left behind, it's true. However. does this mean your dog should never be allowed off your property? Maybe dogs should just be banned? Who knows where this opinion is going to take us? Maybe it's a decent argument for dog parks -60 miles out of town?

There are an abundance of dog haters in the GHA, just as there are in many places, however some of them seem to have some friends in high places. If you live in one of these areas, you won't likely ever get a decent leash free area. You may even find that you get followed, & harrassed for walking your dog on leash & pooper scooping. (not because you are breaking any laws, but because you have the nerve to ask for something 'different', & 'How Dare You!'.

We had 2 heavy coated, large dogs & somehow we 'must be up to something' since we walked them after dark in the Summer. Nevermind that shift work was involved. It's pretty hard to walk a dog when you are at work. We would be routinely followed, & have the local unofficial 'park wardens' suggest that we 'move along' if we stopped to rest & talk. The dog were leashed, & we had flashlights & pooper scooper kits, which needless to say we used.

Somebody was actually threaten with a gun & physical violence to himself & his dog in a park near here. (& people who simply want a dog park are supposed to be the 'weird-os'?)

You may even be told that, "Parks are for people only." (? because God deemed humans to be superior to animals?) My person fav. is the fellow who wrote a thoroughly nasty letter about me to the Ed. of the local paper asking, "How would I like a bunch of dogs tearing around My back yard?" This man clearly feels that a public park is his personal property & the rest of the neighbourhood uses it with his (grudging?) permission. If the owners pooper scooped & brought well behaved dogs to my yard, I would not have a problem with that.

Parks & green spaces are at a premium in some areas & only 'paying guests' are welcome. Individual activities within a park may be looked on as wasteful, counter productive, or worse.

In some ways, Hamilton/GHA is light years behind Toronto, New York, Mississauga, Ottawa & other major cities. All you have to do is read this board to see that. Public transit is looked at as unnecessary by many, just as bike lanes, Rapid Rail, & skate parks may cause Society to crumble.

Some see driving for 1/2 an hour to get to a dog park as appropriate, since it's "such a freaky concept". Some see dog owners getting together as some kind of threat. Some see dogs as a threat. Even the Health Canada commercials state that walking a dog is wonderful physical exercise, having a dog provides companionship, & the social interaction between dog owners is great for the soul. Night dog walkers also provide a good measure of security to a park & prevent vandalism & other crime.

Me? I'd like to live in a neighbourhood without dog haters, & dog owner haters. (Maybe I'd just like to live in a place without Haters at all.)