Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Welcome to Bar S: Our new off-leash dog park!!!
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November 6, 2015 at 4:09 am #818743
angelescrestParticipantNot! However, it’s starting to feel that way.
Hello, woman in the tan VW van, who parks right in the entryway. Has at least two dogs off-leash, and claimed today to have only used the baseball fields once this week, but uses the park area to let her dogs run loose. Her off-leash pooch ran right at us this morning, barking angrily, paying no attention to his owner, who kept calling his name–to no avail. I calmly told her that it just wasn’t cool. So, being diplomatic, she asked me when I’d like her to come–at what hour, and I pointed out that the fields were for baseball, and the park was not an off-leash dog park. To which she said, “Then why don’t you call 911?”
Minutes later, on the parking lot side of the park, it was a man playing fetch with his off-leash retriever, who made a beeline right for us: absolutely ignoring his owner’s voice. I mentioned he was lucky that my dog was friendly.
This sucks. My other dog would not enjoy being greeted by either the snapping poodle-mix nor the over-zealous retriever! And I don’t want to have to think about it when I take a walk in the morning. Two weeks ago it was the idiot on her phone on the field, ignoring her two extra-large poodles, one who took a hankering for my terrier and headed off the field right at us, snarling. “He won’t hurt you!”, said the idiot as I screamed at her to get her dog away from us, and she yelled uselessly at her dog to return.
Besides feeling threatened by these loose animals, that baseball field is getting a regular workout by many a dog, and y’all know what dogs can do to the terrain. Isn’t it our tax dollars that pay for the upkeep of the park?
This is small stuff…I know. There are so many other, real problems. But being good to each other starts small. And, Bar-S is not a off-leash dog park.
No longer can I walk my on-leash dogs in the periphery of the fields
November 6, 2015 at 7:43 am #828888
LynnParticipantIt’s not just that they’re off leash. Dogs are not allowed on play fields or playgrounds on leash either.
I wish the parks department would enforce this. The tickets would pay for necessasry personnel.
November 6, 2015 at 8:00 am #828889
SniperKittyParticipantEvery time I go to the athletic play fields at High Point or Hiawatha there are always off-leash dogs running around. I was in a play field doing a series of warmup exercises last summer and some woman’s off-leash dog started chasing me and jumping at me. I was a little bit nervous because I didn’t know the dog’s intentions and I’m not really a fan of dogs (or getting jumped on). The woman (ineffectually) yelled for the dog and then she finally came over to pull the dog away. I told her that dogs aren’t allowed on play fields and that the signs say there is a $180 fine. She just gave me attitude, yelled something at me, and then wandered off. So I’m the bad guy because she ignores the rules and is an irresponsible dog owner. I would love to call someone (parks dept., police, animal control) to complain about all the off-leash dogs on the beaches, parks, and play fields, but there is absolutely no enforcement of the rules and that empowers a-holes to do whatever they want and cop an attitude if you try to call them on it.
November 6, 2015 at 3:53 pm #828890
JoBParticipantNovember 6, 2015 at 4:04 pm #828891
angelescrestParticipantI don’t feel any better calling them out. It’s just so jarring…you’re walking along, getting that nice peaceful vibe that an early morning experience brings, when–zap!–you’re assaulted by off-leash dogs. Or suddenly you have to change course…choose another way.
I know, too, that in my neighborhood there are several dogs that are very “shy” on leash, and I know how to give them space and go around. The off-leashers show them no mercy!
Again, this rant pales against the big things in the world…
November 7, 2015 at 12:38 am #828892
JKBParticipantThere are four offleash dogs at Hiawatha right now. One is pretty calm and staying near it’s owner, three are running wild. One of those on the play field.
November 7, 2015 at 12:46 am #828893
JoBParticipantanglecrest..
i am not sure this rant does pale against the bigger things in this world.
what better to fight for than the right to that peaceful morning walk?
i would walk my dogs a lot more if i could do so safely
November 7, 2015 at 2:14 am #828894
herongrrrlParticipantWait, Bar-S and Hiawatha are the new off-leash parks? I could’ve sworn it was Me Kwa Mooks.
Seriously, the problem is SO bad and so pervasive, you would think the fines would pay for the personnel necessary to enforce the laws. But I guess those of us who are responsible with our pets, or don’t want to risk our kids (our ourselves) getting mauled by an unpredictable, uncontrolled dog, are just SOL.
November 7, 2015 at 3:10 am #828895
jissyParticipantNo, no, wait Herongrrrl…. I could have sworn it was Fairmount park!!
November 7, 2015 at 4:25 am #828896
JeannieParticipantSniperKitty, yes, you SHOULD call Animal Control if you see off-leash dogs where they shouldn’t be. That doesn’t make you “the bad guy.” The irresponsible dog owners are the bad guys. It isn’t like Animal Control is going to rush over and arrest the dog owner – but they do keep records of the complaints. And if they catch the lawbreakers in action, there’s a fine. The more people speak up, the more attention will be paid. Animal Control: (206) 386-7387.
November 7, 2015 at 5:11 am #828897
karenParticipantWhat a lot of complaining! I see LOTS of dogs on leash – at Target, at QFC, at Safeway and on and on.
Totally tongue in cheek. I wish the dogs were on leash where they belonged and kept away from where they don’t.
November 7, 2015 at 3:36 pm #828898
kayoParticipantThis is a constant source of frustration for me as a dog owner who always walks on leash because my rescue dog is reactive and fearful of other dogs and some people. I have to turn around a lot on walks and just go the other way because I don’t know what might happen if an off leash dog were to run up to us. The ones that scare me the most honestly are the puppies because I don’t want my dog to give that puppy the same bad experiences that resulted in my dog’s extreme fearfulness. (He was almost killed by another dog and we have no idea what else might’ve happened to him). Also puppies are seldom under any sort of control. I feel your pain Angelescrest, truly I do. I don’t think this will ever change though so I will continue to be a stealth ninja dog walker who avoids off leash dogs or anywhere we might encounter them (pretty much everywhere so hard to do). Oh and heads up to off leash scofflaws that eating dead salmon is very bad for dogs so if you let your dogs run free where spawning salmon might be present be careful. You also should know that your dogs are probably destroying salmon nests if they are galloping up and down stream beds right now (along with damaging habitats). Please think about that and go to the dog park rather than the local green spaces for your pups off leash playtime.
November 7, 2015 at 4:15 pm #828899
SniperKittyParticipantAn off-leash dog owner thinking about someone or something other than themselves? Now that would be something to see!
November 8, 2015 at 10:30 pm #828900
JeannieParticipantGood point about the salmon. People need to understand the implications of what they do. And a dog owner who respects the laws (those laws are there for a reason!) shouldn’t have to worry about avoiding off-leash dogs, but that’s the unfortunate reality. Please do call Animal Control, even if it’s a weekend or after hours. You can leave a message.
November 9, 2015 at 12:29 am #828901
QueenieParticipantI rarely saw off leash dogs in Hiawatha while the side yard by the High School was unlocked. Since it was locked up at the end of school last year, you’re right, there are always unleashed dogs in the park. Its almost like there’s no place the owners can take them within walking distance where they could legally play fetch with their dog…
But I’m sure THIS thread about off leash dogs will be productive, unlike the last seven year’s worth.
November 9, 2015 at 3:40 am #828902
SunuvaParticipantI agree with all here frustrated by these irresponsible dog owners. We have a dog that doesn’t do well around other dogs so we also have to change directions often on walks to avoid off-leash dogs. Sometimes it doesn’t work and we’ve had some scary instances of dogs charging at our dog. I understand there aren’t a lot of places to take dogs to play fetch, but there are at least a few you can get to pretty easily, right? Dogs are dogs and even the best trained will ignore their owner’s call if they are honed into something that excites their dog senses. It’s scary for me walking my dog but it’s also bad for spawning salmon, nesting birds, etc to have dogs tramping through their areas.
Lack of enforcement is a pretty big problem. I just imagine someone new to dogs who wants to get one seeing this and thinking “Hey look! If I get a dog, we can totally go play fetch in the playfields. Everybody else is doing it!”. Without enforcement, the problem will continue to get worse. After reading this thread, I will save Animal Control’s number in my phone so I can do my part to make a difference.
November 9, 2015 at 5:06 am #828903
JoBParticipantQueenie..
you do realize that off leash parks don’t have to be within walking distance of your home, don’t you?
even if you don’t have a car, you can take a well behaved leashed dog on our local bus system…
yes, the bus does go there.
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