Bill & Bob
April 14th, 2004, 08:14 PM
Hey folks,
I started this thread because I didn't think the dog runs away one would catch enough peoples attention, and I think the more people that can provide input the better.
Please consider this an extension of that thread.
Anyhoo, another idea might be to go to your local pet store and ask to speak with the manager. Don't bother with the staff, because they can't make the decisions we want looked at anyway. These places often have bulletin boards for lost dog/cat signs and pictures and stuff like that. Ask if you can put up a poster indicating that you are interested in input regarding the implementation of a dog park. I'd also ask the manager if they would be supportive of the idea. It would be nice to have some corporate backing, and that might help out at city hall too. If you think you pay taxes, imagine how much a storefront operation pays. They might give you some added umph. I'd present the idea to the manager and specifically mention how much their sales would increase if people had a place to take their dogs to play. Balls, kongs, leashes, etc. might go flying off the shelves if there was a place to play with the dogs. Maybe even some form of corporate sponsorship of the dog park. Shared costing? (That's a stretch I'm sure, but having a pet store sign at a dog park might be appealing to the manager).
As well, you might be surprised how much support you actually do have out there. Just because your dog organization said they didn't have enough support to fight the battle before, doesn't mean you really don't have the support. What did they do to assess the level of support if anything at all. Don't think there aren't lazy advocates out there because there are. I ran into lots of them. I couldn't say either way in your situation. I don't know where you live, but if there are dog owners there they are taking their dogs somewhere to play and wouldn't it be nice to do it legally rather than not? With some organized sense of control over the situation like you can have at a dog park?
Anyhoo, if you want a dog park in your area I'm sure others do as well.
I'm a bit of a nut about this because until I got a dog myself I didn't realize how important they are for the dogs and the people who own them. Some good freinds of mine met at their dog park about three years ago. They now live together with their three dogs and will be married this summer. All because of the dog park. I'm trying to convince my friend to have her 16 year old grumpy, female black lab as the flower girl. That would be so sweet.
I started this thread because I didn't think the dog runs away one would catch enough peoples attention, and I think the more people that can provide input the better.
Please consider this an extension of that thread.
Anyhoo, another idea might be to go to your local pet store and ask to speak with the manager. Don't bother with the staff, because they can't make the decisions we want looked at anyway. These places often have bulletin boards for lost dog/cat signs and pictures and stuff like that. Ask if you can put up a poster indicating that you are interested in input regarding the implementation of a dog park. I'd also ask the manager if they would be supportive of the idea. It would be nice to have some corporate backing, and that might help out at city hall too. If you think you pay taxes, imagine how much a storefront operation pays. They might give you some added umph. I'd present the idea to the manager and specifically mention how much their sales would increase if people had a place to take their dogs to play. Balls, kongs, leashes, etc. might go flying off the shelves if there was a place to play with the dogs. Maybe even some form of corporate sponsorship of the dog park. Shared costing? (That's a stretch I'm sure, but having a pet store sign at a dog park might be appealing to the manager).
As well, you might be surprised how much support you actually do have out there. Just because your dog organization said they didn't have enough support to fight the battle before, doesn't mean you really don't have the support. What did they do to assess the level of support if anything at all. Don't think there aren't lazy advocates out there because there are. I ran into lots of them. I couldn't say either way in your situation. I don't know where you live, but if there are dog owners there they are taking their dogs somewhere to play and wouldn't it be nice to do it legally rather than not? With some organized sense of control over the situation like you can have at a dog park?
Anyhoo, if you want a dog park in your area I'm sure others do as well.
I'm a bit of a nut about this because until I got a dog myself I didn't realize how important they are for the dogs and the people who own them. Some good freinds of mine met at their dog park about three years ago. They now live together with their three dogs and will be married this summer. All because of the dog park. I'm trying to convince my friend to have her 16 year old grumpy, female black lab as the flower girl. That would be so sweet.