Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Parks dept. cracking down on dog leash law
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March 20, 2009 at 8:16 pm #590157
EmmyJaneParticipantHas everyone had a chance to rest up since the Beveridge Place Pub debate? Here we go again!
Looks like the parks department is out in full force cracking down on leash laws.
Apparently there have been a lot of complaints recently… Not going to mention any names…
http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_032009WAB-dog-leash-law-LJ.53534bc6.html
March 20, 2009 at 8:36 pm #661213
AnonymousInactivelol@the tags
Hahahaahahaha!
The quote by the gentleman from COLA brings up a great point in that the off-leash park concept is most effective when the OLA is within walking distance from your home. Proof of concept appears to lie in the reality that many folks take their dogs to other parks and run them off-leash because it’s not always convenient to go to Westcrest. Also, Westcrest can get super busy and it becomes less enjoyable, IMO.
I’m not trying to excuse the off-leashery, DFP, just making an observation and providing an opinion ;-)
Get ready for the DOG on NO-DOG rumble that’s about to erupt!
March 20, 2009 at 8:46 pm #661214
trensuelaMemberSo when are we all going to have a gathering at Lincoln Park with our canine children to let them have an off leash play date?
March 20, 2009 at 8:49 pm #661215
AnonymousInactiveI was actually just thinking the same thing T – a show of force may be in order.
That big guy ain’t gonna be able to get all of us!
(cue fast banjo music)
March 20, 2009 at 8:59 pm #661216
trensuelaMemberNow what would make this fantastical event even more amusing would be the arrival of an opposing force composed of large cats.
March 20, 2009 at 9:12 pm #661217
AnonymousInactiveOutstanding idea. We should also consider arming each side with some kind of non-lethal weaponry like nerf weapons:
http://www.amazon.com/Nerf-War-weapons/lm/R1BBJZZ9OA2ZJV
I call the N-Strike!
March 20, 2009 at 9:13 pm #661218
AnonymousInactiveOh and T – the large cats….that was last night at the Yen Wor (i.e. cougar night).
March 21, 2009 at 1:25 am #661219
Dog Free ParksMemberHi All: And, especially, LuigiO’Linguini (the O’Irish version, eh?). Yah, baby. Crack down on them!
I am fully in support of more off-leash parks. I love watching off-leash dogs doing their frisbee fetching and such… just not in my face in a public park designated as a leash park.
Maybe folks here should start suggesting possible appropriate sites for off leash and in water parks. I suggested two in recent history and got no where. I was once a member of COLA, but they seem a little, well, irrational, and not very effective.
Maybe a West Seattle branch or separate org should be started. The biggest sticking point is that Seattle Parks does not have (allegedly) money to spend on off-leash parks and I think COLA actually has to put some volunteer time and possibly money into any efforts to establish off-leash parks.
One — Charles Richey Sr. Viewpoint for in the water. No close neighbors, lots of parking, wheelchair access.
Me Kwa Mooks — off leash park Section of park near Beach Drive. Not used much for anything now except entrance to rest of the area for walks. Big buffer between park and neighbors, lots of parking. Tends to now attract “gangs” but with it being an off-leash park, maybe not so attractive anymore, even at night.
Not sure what other sites in West Seattle would be appropriate in terms of access, buffer zones, neighborhood ambience, etc.
Any thoughts?
March 21, 2009 at 1:29 am #661220
Dog Free ParksMemberOh…. I forgot. Our wonderful mayor is reportedly opposed to IN-water for dogs… yah right.
The Sound is so clean that dogs IN the water would mess it up. Believe me, it ain’t the dogs IN the water that are messing up the Sound… it is the runoff from yards and parks where dogs do their doody and such and aren’t cleaned up after.
So, if you want to get your dogs a legal spot in the Sound, you will likely need a new mayor or at least use whatever pressure or connections you have to influence our current mayor.
March 21, 2009 at 2:12 am #661221
herongrrrlParticipantRichey Sr Viewpoint (aka Constellation Park) and the other “coastal” beaches along Beach Drive are critical habitat for migratory seabirds. I’m not sure an off-leash dog area is compatible with the protections afforded those species. Richey Sr Viewpoint is also the premiere field trip beach in King County, and while that traffic only happens a few days out of the year the damage done to the habitat during that time is significant. Speaking as a beach naturalist, that poor beach needs the rest of the year to recover!
Aside from the concerns about dogs harassing wildlife (which I have witnessed on the beach at Me Kwa Mooks many times), cobbly beaches with lots of barnacles aren’t good for dogs’ feet. Those things are really sharp and can shred dogs’ pads. The water in Puget Sound is also pretty gosh darn cold all year round, and I have seen many a dog struggle to please his or her master by fetching balls or whatever chucked out in the Sound over and over and over when the dog is clearly cold and tired. Also, dogs + sea lions or harbor seals=quite the vet bill, assuming the dog lives through the encounter long enough to get treatment. If this seems far fetched, it isn’t–a friend of mine lost his lab that way.
It’s true that this time of year the grassy area in Me Kwa Mooks is pretty empty (except for all the unofficial off-leash dogs…), but come warmer weather it will be prime real estate for picnickers and in recent years it has become a more popular location for reserved-space events like weddings and reunions. There has also been a tremendous effort to restore the native plant communities around the edges of the grassy area and in the greenbelt behind, and the time and money invested there would be for nothing if it became a dog park. (There are already patches in the grassy area that are bare or have holes dug in them from the unofficial off-leash activity there.)
I don’t see why an off-leash area couldn’t exist at Lincoln Park where there is so much space, and there’s also a little park on the south side of Alki Ave at Duwamish Head that is pretty much a big lawn and seems like it would have space for a moderate sized off-leash area. And I think it’s reasonable for people to expect that they might not have the exact kind of park they want (playground, play field, off leash dog area, swimming pool, hiking trails, whatever) within walking distance of their house.
March 21, 2009 at 2:36 am #661222
EmmyJaneParticipantVery constructive ideas Dog Free Parks- thanks! Lincoln Park does seem to have enough space at first glace. I’m going to try and look into what this would take and maybe contact Cola in the near future.
Stay tuned.
March 21, 2009 at 3:28 am #661223
grrParticipantyeah..I don’t get why Lincoln park continuously gets denied every time COLA approaches them for an area…silly.
March 21, 2009 at 8:06 am #661224
Mayor QuimbyMemberI am currently working in Fauntleroy Park, doing the restoration that is underway for the city. (Please check out the work underway in the park) I will be planting natives and weeding and end up kneeling in or putting my hand dog goodness quite frequently. Even when I am working well off the trail. You just can’t seem to avoid it.
I also notice digging and trampling of our newly planted starts from dogs. Why dogs are interested in new plantings is not important.
I love dogs, just not dog owners. Please be responsible.
The city is paying a fair amount of money to having Fauntleroy and other parks restored and rehabilitated. The laws aren’t there to annoy you and bring in revenue.
vote quimby
March 21, 2009 at 3:16 pm #661225
DuckitudeMemberI think the denial of off-leash park applications related to Lincoln Park has something to do with it design being governed under rules related to Olmstead Parks. I am not sure. I think it would require an amendment to some municipal code and thus would need to go through the Seattle City Council. In other words, you need to really organize well and work hard to make it happen.
As for the rocky, barnacle encrusted shorelines common in West Seattle being “unhealthy” for dog feet… uh, I am not sure what you are trying to say. It seems to me that the point of having an area for dogs to swim in or retrieve objects from the water is to utilize the water. Dogs don’t necessarily need to run on the beach.
I observe off-leash on the beach dogs all the time at Lowman Beach (where I live and sailboard), which is a classic rocky, barnacle-laden beach. Most people are NOT running their dogs on the beach, they are letting them play in the water. So, it seems to me that the issue of sandy vs. rocky shoreline is kind of irrelevant to dogs having a place to be in the water.
I fully support more off-leash areas, and, again, please don’t start teaching your dogs how to sailboard… I have enough competition from them on the beach already (they can be so territorial!).
Seems to me that there is some project taking place about covering a reservoir somewhere… can’t exactly remember. It might be a great place for off-leash instead of, I think, a skateboard park? Not sure on that…
March 21, 2009 at 3:51 pm #661226
JoBParticipantduckitude…
as much as i want to see another off leash park in West Seattle…
i think a skate park to occupy kids and satisfy the need for acknowledgment of daring is a good thing.
there is plenty of room in West Seattle for both.
March 22, 2009 at 2:44 am #661227
AnonymousInactiveDOG SKATE PARK! Except it would have to be all inclusive and there would need to be room for squirrels to water ski:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xxKwesCKJk
HAHAH! Check out the ones “driving” the boat!
There are a LOT of squirrels in Linkin Park, so maybe we could capture some (friendly way) and make show? I nominate DFP as the producer. I will do the lights.
March 22, 2009 at 2:55 am #661228
PDieterParticipantas a frisbee team we just want to clarify that you can not play at an off leash park, it doesn’t work with a pack of dogs.
But don’t worry about us…we have our spots.
March 23, 2009 at 4:50 am #661229
trensuelaMemberLuigilinguini,
I wonder how many squirrels have died as a result of practicing their water skiing vs. collecting acorns.
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