Driving into the parking area of one of my favorite places to walk my dogs, I saw a big yellow sign with red lettering say "ALL DOGS MUST BE LEASHED"! I felt like I had been punched in the stomach and wanted to cry.
Of course all dogs should be walked with a leash for safety and good citizen reasons, but it struck me that we have no where to walk dogs freely so they can enjoy letting their limbs stretch; romp with their pals and just let lose. Over the past few years many of us who frequent the nature preserves in our area have been trying to educate other dog owners that having your dog chase other people, leaving poop all over and being aggressive to other dogs is going to get us kicked out of most of the parks.
There's not too much else to say right now. I just wish that the good dogs were rewarded with more freedom. Or that I could buy my own 100 acres and have a sign that says No Humans Unless Accompanied by Well-Behaved Unleashed Dogs.
1 comments:
I felt exactly the same way. I have been on vacation for the past week and arrived at the George Lorimer preserve at 4:15 sharp, hoping to meet up with some of my dog, Duncan’s canine buddies and my new human friends. What a disappointment! I am wondering if there is something we can do. Has anyone contacted the Open Land Conservancy? I am certain that the vast majority of people who frequent Lorimer are dog people. In the past six months, I have literally seen only two or three people there that were NOT accompanied by a canine companion or two. It may be possible to compromise with the conservancy. Get them to designate a portion of the Lormier preserve as a ‘leash-free zone’. I have seen this done at other preserves so I know it is possible. Specifically, Okehocking (Willistown Conservancy) and The Laurels (Brandywine Conservancy.) I recently joined the Open Land Conservancy as a supporting member since I go so frequently and had hoped to enjoy the space with Duncan for many years to come. I have not been to any meetings and don’t know the makeup of the membership (dog owners vs. non-dog owners.) Is anyone else a member? Anyone have any thoughts?
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