HomeMy Public PortalAbout20091217 UlrichDecember17,2009DearMcCallCityCouncilMembers,IrecentlyattendedaCitymeetingandbecameveryconcernedattheCouncil’sagreementtoauthorizedogsintheCityparksattherecommendationoftheParksDepartment.Ibelieveitwasbasedonthefactthatdogownerswouldresponsiblypickupaftertheirdogs,bagsandreceptacleswouldbeprovidedtoaccommodatedogownersandallwouldbewell.Therewasnoconsiderationregardinghealthandsafetyofpeopleintheparkortheenvironmentalimpactofallowingthisinourparks.YourfirstandforemostresponsibilityistoprotectthehealthandsafetyoftheCommunity(people)youserve.Withthatinmind,Iamaskingyoutoconsiderthehealthandsafetyofourchildren,puttingthemabovethedogsinanyCitypark.Ihavefirsthandseendogfights,dogattacksanddogsoffandonleashes’“doingtheirbusiness”intheparktobeleftforchildrentocrawlinandstepin.IhaveseenveryangrydogstieduptothenewtreesintheLegacyPark.TheordinanceprovidingforthehealthandsafetyofourchildrenintheCityparkshasbeeninplaceforyearsandIsuggestthatisstillneededparticularlyinLegacyandBrownsParkwheresomanysmallchildrenandmothersareenjoyingtheparksandfacilitiesplacedthereforchildrennotfordogstourinateon.Therearemany,manyplacesfordogstoplay,roamandswimfreelywithouttheCitytakingthechanceofachildoranadultbeingattackedorharassedbyadoginaparkthatwasdesignedtoaccommodatetheirplayandenjoyment.Certainly,nochildshouldhavetowadethroughdogfecesanddogurinetoenjoyapark!Whilesomeofthefecescanbepartiallyremoved,theurineisalwayspresent.Notalldogsdefecateintheparkbutmostdoleavetheirurine.Mothersarelayingtheirbabiesdownontopofdogurinewhichcannotberemoved.Surely,wedon’twantourchildrenorgrandchildrenbeingexposedtodogdiseasesandafflictions.AccordingtotheU.S.CentersforDiseaseControl,“Whendogfecesaredepositedongrass,theeggsofcertainroundwormsandotherparasitescanlingerinthesoilforyears.Childrenaremostsusceptible,sincetheyoftenplayinthedirtandputthingsintheirmouthsoreyes.”TheLegacyParklandscapeprovidesthatalldrainageandallcontaminationwillflowdowntothesandandlakeourchildrenareplayinginandthewatertheyareswimmingin!Dog’sdiseasesarenotalwaysvisibleorapparent.Dogscarryfungalskininfections,cysts,worms,rabies,distemper,fleesandmanybacterialinfectionsamongthecommonbeinggiardiaande-coliwhichalsoinfecthumans.Stickyfecesleftbysickdogscannotbepickedupeasilyandthereforewouldbeleftontheparkgrounds.Ifindthatunsanitaryanddisgusting.AccordingtotheEPA,dogfecesisaveryseriouscontaminationissue.Manypublicbeacheshavebeenclosedduetodogfecescontamination.Notonlyaredogsintheparkahealthriskforallwhofrequenttheparksbutasafetyconcern.Naturally,dogsheadrightforkidsandwater.Quiteoftenchildrenhavefoodintheirhandsandthisisquiteenticingtoadogalso.Littlechildrengetknockedover,scaredandintimidatedbyotherpeople’sdogs.Dogdispositionsarenotalwaysapparent.Evenonleashes,dogsareveryclosetochildreninstrollersandsmallchildrenwalking.Manypeopledonothavecontrolovertheirdogs.Thisisaproblemwhenyoumixdogswithchildren.Mynephewwasbitbyadogandlostpartofhiseartoarestraineddog!Hewasonasidewalkmindinghisownbusinesseatingahotdogandthedogbrokelooseandattackedhim.Hehadtoundergotestingforrabiespriortoeliminationofthedog.AchildwasattackedinBrown’sparkthissummerbyadogona
leashthatgotawayfromhisowner.Thankfully,therewasanadultmalewhorestrainedthedogandsavedthelittlegirlwhowassimplysittingonablanketwithherlunch!Thedogownerandtherescueralmostgotintoafistfightoverthesituation.IstheCityequippedandeagertorespondtothesekindsofsituations?Shouldwehavetoexperiencethesekindsofsituationsinourcitypark?Whataboutthepeoplewhoareafraidofdogs?Shouldtheynotbeallowedquietenjoymentoftheparkastaxpayers?Ifthisordinanceischanged,Iwouldsuggestthatfulltimelawenforcementofficersbestationedattheparkstomaintainthesafetyofpeopleinthepark.WhiletheCityAttorneyhasindicatedthathedoesnotthinkthereisanyincurredliabilitytotheCity,surelytheCouncilmusthaveconcernoveranychildbeinginjuredorharmedbyanunnecessaryincident.Surelyourchildrenmustbepriority!Ihavesomeseriousquestionsregardingtheseissues:HowwilltheCitydeterminewhichdogs(oranimals)aresafetobeintheparks?HowwilltheCitydisposeofthefecesandtheplasticbags?HowwilltheCityensurethesafetyofchildreninthemixwithdogsandotheranimals?HowwilltheCityensurethattherewillbenolakeorbeachcontaminationfromthefeces?WilltheCitycomplywithallEPAregulationsregardingfecescontaminationandremovalanddisposal?Whatisthefinefordogbiting(oranimalbiting)?WhatactionwilltheCitytakeifsomeoneisbitbyadogoranotherpet?Willthedogorotherpetbeeliminated?Willtheownerofthepetbearrested?Willotherpetsbeallowedintheparksuchaspetpigs,petsnakes,petrabbitsetc.?Howmucharethesenewservicesgoingtocost?Whowillpayfortheseadditionaldog(animal)services?Whileplasticbagsforfecesdisposalmaybemadeavailableforuse,whowillenforcetheuse?Howwillthisbeenforced?Willitbeenforcedinallparks?IhavedeepconcernsregardingachangeintheexistingordinanceregardingdogsinMcCallCityParks.IsincerelyhopethattheCityCouncilwillcarefullyconsiderthisissue.PerhapstheCitymightthinkaboutcreatingadogparkfordogs.Ilookforwardtotheanswerstomyquestionsandconcerns.Thankyouforyourattentiontothismatter.,_}€in$~egards,/r...cJfusanU/p;chSusanUlrichP.O.Box1983McCall,ID83638