Can we talk about the law against dogs in Lakewood parks?

[Valerie Molinski]

Granted, I havent lived here too long, and I did know that Lakewood Park has signs that say "no dogs.' But I had never seen one as Madison Park (I usually enter from the Madison side and checked again last night and didnt find one- apparently, there is one on the OTHER side of the park posted).

I went to see my nephew's soccer game last night at Madison Park and I took my four year old and my dog. My SIL also had their dog (they live in Westlake and do not have this law). An LPD officer came through and got out of his cruiser to take our names down. Ok, I was apparently breaking the law, so I cannot quibble with that.

But WHY is this a law? I have a tiny yard and I want to enjoy the parks with my family... and my family includes my dog. She needs exercise and wants to spend time with us. Both dogs were under control and leashed the entire time. Another man was just walking THROUGH the park on the path and he got stopped and his name taken as well. He couldnt even pass through the park?

I am sorry, but this law is ridiculous. Not only that, and I hate to even say this, but I would like to think that the LPD has bigger things to worry about than people passing through a park with a dog.

I've never lived in any other city that has a ban on dogs in parks... yes, they had designated off leash areas and you were cited if you didnt comply. They also had small little boxes that had doggie waste bags available so you had no excuse to not pick it up.

Can anyone tell me how long this has been in effect?

[Brad Hutchison]

I've never understood that either, Valerie. I knew that was park policy, although I did not know that it was a law. Just another page in the recent book of Lakewood dog policy that doesn't make any sense.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I want to enjoy the parks with my family... and my family includes my dog.

Valerie


Well said.




At the entrance to a Manhattan Park.

I would think something like this would be nicer for all, easier to enforce, and make some $$$$$$ for the city.


FWIW



.

[Ryan Salo]

Do we really have the police man power to watch for dogs in the act? NYC has police everywhere. In NYC you have NO backyards like most have in Lakewood.

I would like to take my dogs to the parks too, but it just seems like poop would be everywhere and then we would have parents complaining about all the new stains their kids are bringing home.

To me, parks are for people first, and if letting dogs will interfere with people then we need to keep them out.

I wish the public was more responsible but look at the poop left in tree lawns, it is outrageous...

BTW - my 3 year old would love this post. His favorite word is littered everywhere in it

[Valerie Molinski]

Do we really have the police man power to watch for dogs in the act? NYC has police everywhere. In NYC you have NO backyards like most have in Lakewood.

I would like to take my dogs to the parks too, but it just seems like poop would be everywhere and then we would have parents complaining about all the new stains their kids are bringing home.

To me, parks are for people first, and if letting dogs will interfere with people then we need to keep them out.

I wish the public was more responsible but look at the poop left in tree lawns, it is outrageous...

BTW - my 3 year old would love this post. His favorite word is littered everywhere in it

Poop, Poop, Poop.

That is for your three year old.

Not everyone operates a car in a responsible manner, but we dont disallow those people from certain places.

It's all about policing your neighbors. I used to live on a corner lot and I would actually bust people who did not pick up after their dogs. The best one was when I busted a girl walking her roommate's german shepherd. She was going to leave a HUGE pile in my treelawn (I was leaving my house when it happened and she didnt see me on the porch). I asked her to pick up the poo and when she told me she didnt have a bag, I gave her one. She gagged and almost threw up while picking it up.

Also, I used to use a school's field in the morning and evening to exercise my dog where I used to live. I would pick up my own dog's waste and if I found any others, I would do those as well. Sure, it sucked and wasnt fair, but I was aware that I wouldnt want my kid or myself stepping in it. If I didnt clean up, I know that we would no longer be allowed to use the field.

You said IF they interfere...IF... and I mean, you arent even giving people the chance to prove they can be good citizens and responsible pet owners.

It's all about self policing... dog owners calling other dog owners out on not picking up poo or letting your dog off leash to terrorize other people.

But basically, I have to avoid the parks because I can't even stand there to let my kids swing while I have our dog in tow.

[Brad Hutchison]

Do we really have the police man power to watch for dogs in the act?

But doesn't making dogs allowed in the park free up police to worry about real crimes? It's just like the pit bull ban: it gives the LPD more work by making them police good dogs and owners, instead of just bad ones. A random pile of poop in a corner of a park just isn't that big a deal.

[Valerie Molinski]

Do we really have the police man power to watch for dogs in the act? NYC has police everywhere.

Uh, well while I was at Madison Park for a mere 45 minutes, no less than three cruisers came by and parked. So they obviously DO have time to be around there. Not that I dont appreciate that... because I do... except when they give me tickets for having my dog with me.

And just because I have a tiny yard as opposed to none like in NYC, I cant have a larger area for her to share with me on a walk??

[Mike Coleman]

It's interesting this observation came at a soccer practice, because I never understood the rule until a soccer practice, when I saw a five-year-old go face down in a pile during a scrimmage.

[Valerie Molinski]

It's interesting this observation came at a soccer practice, because I never understood the rule until a soccer practice, when I saw a five-year-old go face down in a pile during a scrimmage.

So he got a little extra fiber that day?

[Ryan Salo]

But doesn't making dogs allowed in the park free up police to worry about real crimes?... A random pile of poop in a corner of a park just isn't that big a deal.

I really believe that if we allow all dog owners to take dogs to the parks we will have a poop problem if police are not there to enforce it. Which will put the burden on our fine park workers who don't have the time to clean it up.

In regards to your last line, do you have any kids?

Poop in the middle of a field, or anywhere kids play is a BIG problem. My kids don't want it on them and I don't want to have to clean them up.

Take your dogs to the valley or the dog park.

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

Do we really have the police man power to watch for dogs in the act? NYC has police everywhere.

Uh, well while I was at Madison Park for a mere 45 minutes, no less than three cruisers came by and parked. So they obviously DO have time to be around there. Not that I dont appreciate that... because I do... except when they give me tickets for having my dog with me.

And just because I have a tiny yard as opposed to none like in NYC, I cant have a larger area for her to share with me on a walk??

Valerie,

is the Metroparks Reservation too small for you?

I'm all for dogs, but comparing walking a dog to driving a car is a bit out there.

Apparently we can't have basketball hoops because we don't have the manpower to patrol that part of the park, but if we have to pull police off the street to watch for irresponsible dog owners then that's perfectly fine.

I could list off a hundred thoughts to make into ordinances, but that just means more ordinances that won't always be enforced. Sometimes they can be the answer, but most of the time they make the divide bigger because the people that want it are complaining that it's not being enforced all the time and the people that break it complain because they think the concept isn't a good idea and is infringing on our 'Freedom'.

My solution to the problem: the metroparks offer plenty of green area and they offer pathways to walk on. Sure it's not directly in your back yard but a 5 minute drive through trees and nice scenery won't hurt either. There are many things that are unappreciated in this region and the Metroparks are the first item on the list.

[Valerie Molinski]

I do have kids, Ryan. I would hate for that to happen to either of them, and it is gross... just trying to inject some levity into the discussion.

Ivor, I am saying that we dont have the manpower nor do we need it to enforce poop pick up. But apparently, we DO have the manpower to enforce the no dogs? Because there was no less than three cruisers were at that park last night, just hanging out there. I am not asking for police supervision for poop pick up. Self police yourself and other dog owners using the park.

I don't take my dog to the dog park anymore because she is getting older and most of the dogs there are puppies or young with lots of energy and she's not interested in playing with those types anymore. She used to play all day with other dogs, but she's just not into it. And the last time we were there, two other people's dogs jumped on my daughter as they were off leash.

The metroparks IS great, but we live clear across town from it. I want to be able to walk through and enjoy the parks with my kids and dogs that are within walking distance. I dont have time to go down there every night instead of near my house.

Why is this city so "uptight" about this stuff?? Again, I have lived in many places and I have never come across THIS many ordinances against animals than I have here... least of all the no dogs in parks. And yeah, some people dont pick up poop, but it wasnt rampant at the parks in those cities and such an issue that people were covered in poo when they used the park.

[Valerie Molinski]

Upon re-reading Ryan's last post, I realized he was posing the question to Brad, not me.

I digress.

Metroparks ALSO doesnt have a swing set for my kids where I can stand there with my dog (on leash) while they play on the equipment. Unless, they do... but I havent' found it.

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

Valerie,

apparently we don't need the manpower when the law says that it's forbidden to have dogs in a park. So instead of having a constant threat of owners not picking up after their pets, it's outlawed for the pets to be there and IF someone does come along with a dog, it will be less frequent of a visit from the PD than if there were a constant group of dogs scattered around the park, every single day.

So instead of having constant watch at a park, police only shows up the one, maybe two times that someone unknowingly brings a dog to a park. There's a big difference in time between the two.

Another reason is that other cities aren't as heavily populated as Lakewood. Well, maybe now that the city has lost so many residents, it might not be the densest city between Chicago and NYC. That's a lot of people and a lot of dogs, hypothetically speaking.

I was waiting for the reason why you didn't want to go to the metroparks. I understand that once the dog is older, things aren't as interesting to it.

There is a playground area in the metroparks (I forget the name of it) but it's about a 10-15 minute drive from my home, which is in Ward 3.

Here I am at one of them, flying in the air.


It's either going to take a bit more effort, or obeying the law. The law won't change for 50,000 other citizens because two can't find the time in their day to drive 15 minutes in order to solve their dilemma.

[Valerie Molinski]

Valerie,


Another reason is that other cities aren't as heavily populated as Lakewood. Well, maybe now that the city has lost so many residents, it might not be the densest city between Chicago and NYC. That's a lot of people and a lot of dogs, hypothetically speaking.

.

The last city I lived almost had more dogs than people and was just as dense as this one. Another city I lived in that had a lot of dogs (I didnt have one at the time) and was very dense was San francisco. I dont buy the density argument because if you look at the parks dept website, it lists all of the parks. If you take the people population and potential dog population, I would surmise that there is enough space to go around where the density issue would not come into play.