Reader report: Safety alert, if you walk your dog in Schmitz Park

| Safety | West Seattle news

Out of the WSB inbox, from Beth:

I was just in Schmitz Park talking to the park warden and he asked if we could get some info up on the blog. People had a campout under the bridge (last night) and left all their supplies/ garbage strewn about. They had a large amount of chicken wings and he is working on getting it all picked up but wants people who bring their dogs in to be aware that there may be chicken parts he can’t reach around the bridge/going down the ravine; they can cause a choking hazard/ digestion problems for the dogs.

Legal Dog Walker October 16, 2014 (12:12 pm)

Why would this be a problem if you are obeying the law and walking your dog on a leash? Since when does the blog post “news” that only applies to people breaking the law? People who walk their dogs illegally off leash don’t care about their dogs safety anyways!

JanS October 16, 2014 (12:12 pm)

amazing..or maybe not. I’ve come to expect almost anything from people anymore. Some of them can be real thoughtless, selfish pigs, that’s for sure. :(

JanS October 16, 2014 (12:22 pm)

Legal Dog Walker…why are you criticizing the editors of the blog? They are just reporting what was passed along. And…many people use retractable leashes, so the pups can venture out a little. If this hadn’t been posted, and your dog had been harmed by a chicken wing bone (that may have been carried somewhere by another animal), you’d maybe complain that there was no warning?

WSB October 16, 2014 (12:26 pm)

I am not a dog owner, nor do I get to walk in Schmitz Park often, but the “retractable” leash is what came to mind when I thought of a dog exploring more than a few feet away from her/his owner. We very seldom get this type of request/report, took me all of five minutes to post it so it’s not taking away from anything else we have in queue, and it seemed to have the potential to save at least somebody’s critter from harm.

Kate October 16, 2014 (12:35 pm)

Gosh. When I read it, I thought “How wonderful that the park employee took the time to point out the hazard and how nice that Beth took the time to contact the blog and how great is it to have this resource where we can get all sorts of information about where we live.”

And I don’t have a dog.

Thanks for all you do WSB!

Oakley34 October 16, 2014 (12:58 pm)

I walk my dog only on a non-retractable leash, and fore-knowledge of chicken bones strewn about is still good to have. Unfortunately (for some weird reason) there are a lot more random chicken (i assume) bones lying about the sidewalks of west seattle than one might expect, and unless I’m staring at my dog’s muzzle every step of our walk she will manage to find and snag them before I notice. Seattle is leaps and bounds ahead of other cities I have lived in and visited when it comes to litterers, but we still have enough to make this sort of stuff a nuisance for dog owners, and a blemish on our neighborhoods for all.

Me mama October 16, 2014 (1:02 pm)

Just me or anyone else sick of people camping in our wooded areas? Makes me feel unsafe to use these beautiful areas w my kids. Is enforcement of the “no camping” rules socially unacceptable?

SJ2 October 16, 2014 (1:06 pm)

Actually, it is a huge problem if you obey the law and walk your dog on a short leash. Especially if you have vacuum cleaner like dogs who snatch things before you even realize they are there. Unless I am walking with my eyes completely focused on the ground the entire time, it happens very quickly. I always carry treats with me so that when they have something to swap for if we encounter a chicken bone. They are great at releasing, unless it is something like chicken bones. Thank you for sharing this info!

sam-c October 16, 2014 (1:18 pm)

thanks for the heads up and warnings all.

and yes, dogs seem to have the ability to find / eat these things faster than I ever do, but its good to keep an eye out. yes, Oakley34 -chicken bones can be all over. I’ve seen them on roofs even. (I always blame it on birds and always assume that a crow/ seagull, what have you, went digging around in a garbage can to find leftovers and leaves their bones where-ever they finished their snack, sidewalk, roofs, etc. )

WSince86 October 16, 2014 (1:19 pm)

Legal Dog Walker- I, too, am a legal dog walker and my dog still manages to find all sorts of ‘goodies’ left on the street, in the alley or in the park. Did you hear on the news not too long ago about the poisoned hot dogs that some creep was leaving around in parks? Glad they warned us about that, too!
We also have a lot of crows in our neighborhood that get into the garbage cans, even when the lids are secured down tight. Could be why bones and such are littering the area.
As always, thanks WSB!!

miws October 16, 2014 (2:21 pm)

Legal Dog Walker, others have pointed out the potential dangers to dogs being legally walked, so I won’t go any further than this acknowledgement, to that point.
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However, your comment seems to imply a lack of compassion towards dogs not being properly leashed. How is that fair to the dog? Do you think “Oh, well, too bad, so sad, Fido?“. Is that “Fido’s” fault?

I’m all for enforcement of Leash Laws, and wish Animal Control had enough staffing for thorough enforcement, and I would be playing the smallest violin in the world, for those nailed, even if they had to pay a Fine that many might feel disproportionate to the offense.

Mike

lox October 16, 2014 (2:23 pm)

Sure is tiring reading complaints from people who like to find any reason to, well, complain. Great work, WSB.

Melissa October 16, 2014 (2:38 pm)

Thanks for letting us know. That was mighty neighborly.

On another note, you know what I hate more than people camping in green spaces? I hate that we live in a society that doesn’t provide mental health care that’s sufficient to the needs of its citizens, too many of whom end up homeless. And I also hate that we as a society don’t have a safety net sufficient to the needs of low income folks. Oh, and I hate loose chicken bones. That, too.

Josh October 16, 2014 (2:43 pm)

I was walking my dog at Roxhill Park and there’s a full blown campsite/tents in the bog area. Not knowing what’s going on in there, it’s the last time I’ll be using those trails until something is done about this illegal campsite thing!

annika October 16, 2014 (3:08 pm)

Thank you so much for the head-up!!! That is very considerate of you to let us dog-guardians know about this hazard!!!

JKB October 16, 2014 (3:36 pm)

mmm….with offleash dog owners and chicken-bone litterers on topic, it’s LegalDogOwner that gets the torches and pitchforks?

As for the dogs running at large, I try to remind myself that it’s probably not a bad dog. It’s definitely a bad owner.

dsa October 16, 2014 (3:57 pm)

So there seems to be a tolerance policy that the homeless (assumption it wasn’t kids) can sleep in the parks. And the thanks we get is that we pay a ranger to clean up their trash.
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Pack it in, pack it out

30MikeMike October 16, 2014 (5:28 pm)

Thanks for the warning WSB. After all the recent fun in that area I won’t be walking near there.

bestbets October 16, 2014 (5:46 pm)

Yes, I do not like people camping in the parks either – in fact I wish the city/state/country would do more to address the issue of homelessness so that people would not have to live/find shelter in tents in public recreational areas (I volunteer with an organization that works on this). So many potentially bad outcomes including danger to dogs, appreciate the heads up.

Mike October 16, 2014 (8:27 pm)

Is it legal to camp in our city parks? What other dumping items were left? Chicken bones may be a concern but seeing what has been left by ‘campers’ in other parks around Seattle I’d bet there’s more dangerous materials than a chicken bone.

Ttt October 16, 2014 (8:54 pm)

I agree with best bets!

Zane w/ a dog on a chain October 16, 2014 (10:10 pm)

Thanks for posting this WSB and for the heads up. I walk my dog with a retractable leash in the park often.
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Some of us are a little uptight it seems. Relax a little!

Greg October 16, 2014 (10:15 pm)

Legaldogwalker (that’s your name??) – I know many a dog and its owner both of whom are better trained and the dog is off leash, than many of the folks walking dogs are that lunging half out of control at every other dog they meet. Your assumptions about others and whether they care for their dogs are just that – assumptions based on your perceptions and bias rather than facts, and you know what they say about assumptions ….

dis October 16, 2014 (11:34 pm)

I didn’t know there was a park warden at Schmitz Park, or any other park in Seattle?

JoAnne October 17, 2014 (8:16 am)

We are plenty “for homelessness” as it is, and that is why more and more people migrate here to Seattle to enjoy the easy mooching and leniency toward crime.
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People camping in parks need to be cleared out and taken to jail for vagrancy. Unless we all don’t mind being accosted by crackheads every time we go to the park.
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I have been approached by these creeps several times in more than one city park. They are dangerous people, and it is foolish to feel sorry for them.

My Eye October 17, 2014 (8:55 am)

Seriously though. Put your dog on a leash.

sgs October 17, 2014 (10:35 am)

Schmitz Park Elementary School offers an after school Wilderness Awareness program where the kids explore the park and learn about the flora and fauna. I’ll give them a call to give a heads up about the camp so they are aware.

G October 17, 2014 (12:01 pm)

dis,

I think it’s an honorary volunteer title.

Talks to Steve October 17, 2014 (12:36 pm)

WSB thank you for the heads up!! Here is another place where another proper dog park may help!!

One more dog park please!!!

Linda October 17, 2014 (12:53 pm)

I was walking my dog in Lincoln Pk and once again encountered a person walking his dog (pit bull type) with the leash dragging behind. I commented that I would feel much better if he had his hand on the other end of the leash. My dog is small and friendly and always on a leash but many people insist their dogs are “friendly” therefore don’t need to have them on a leash. I wish there was someone patrolling and giving out warnings to the rule breakers.

furiouskitty October 17, 2014 (4:08 pm)

Thank you for sharing this information. I appreciate it.

Lynn October 17, 2014 (5:18 pm)

Many of the extendable leashes don’t meet the requirements of our leash law. City code says it’s unlawful for the owner to permit any animal, except cats and pigeons, to be at large or trespass upon the property of another. The code says “at large” means a dog or other animal inside The City of Seattle, off the premises of the owner, and not under control by a leash of 8 feet in length or shorter.

My favorite little known rule related to animal control: It is unlawful to tether an animal in such a manner as to permit the animal to enter any sidewalk, street, alley or place open to the public, or to enter any adjacent lot or premises unless authorized by the occupant of the adjacent premises.

Ray West October 18, 2014 (8:25 am)

I no longer own a dog, but if I did, I’d want to know about any potential hazard that was out there. There is always someone who has to make an “issue” out of nothing. If people would read things more carefully and think before they post comments online the world would be a little nicer.

Thank you West Seattle Blog for all you do!

Ray West October 18, 2014 (8:38 am)

Lynn, while it may be illegal for a dog to “wander” onto private property, the issue here is about a potential hazard in a PUBLIC park. Dog owners can let their canines wander a little more freely. Also, in wooded areas on paths with brush, roots, etc, it’s not always possible to see every potential hazard that a dog may encounter. Giving a “heads up” to others is never a bad idea.

Edog October 19, 2014 (9:20 am)

Will no one speak out for the poor chickens?

Erithan October 19, 2014 (6:27 pm)

Not good!, Glad someone was able to get the word out for people to keep an eye on their pets. My mother’s Golden over the summer actually walked over a piece of glass in Schmitz Park and it completely tore off the large part of her paw pad on one foot. Slow recovery, but thankfully she recovered fully, no scarring or nerve damage.

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