ACC in dog parks

[lezzpezz]

Hi guys! We seem to have an issue with Animal Control staff entering the new off leash park and merrily barking out orders to folks to leash their out-of-control dogs! These are dogs that are legally in the park and having a riot, but just not under total voice control of the owners.

What the heck do ACC expect?? Dogs are there to have fun and they come in and berate shocked owners and the owners pack up their dogs and leave!

I suspect the ACC is there to try to give out fines for other infractions, but this is rediculous!

My dog group now has to set out guidelines for complaints against ACC and how to give complaints about dog owners TO ACC, as we have to work with this authority. I hate ACC, but that is beside the point....

Do others out there that use dog parks have such an issue and if so, how did you and your community deal with it??

[Lissa]

I have never once seen Animal Control Officers at the park I go to...our park is a combination of off-leash and on-leash areas which of course are never followed...

Are you thinking they are just trying to make money!?

The rules at my park, are that the dogs must be under total control - which of course is a rare occurence...most of the dogs that I see at my park are just running loose and doing whatever they want...so I can sort of appreciate people trying to stop that from happening...when people don't have control over their dogs ban things are likely to happen.

[Georgiapeaches]

Lezzer, you would think they would be paying attention and enofrcing the leash laws through the city. I see about two dogs off leash, walking down a street with the owner atleast twice a day.

[lezzpezz]

Lissa, I do think the ACC has an agenda to make $$. I realize that dogs are sometimes left to run around on their own at the parks, as many owners don't get the point that they actually have to watch their dogs and keep them under control. BUT, there are times when dogs get into the playing and calling them and expecting them to cease and desist 100% of the time just doesn't happen every time, especially when they are having a blast!

I am learning that ACC in London is just hanging out there waiting to give out tickets for any infraction. I guess it's like a cop at an intersection off to the side....will pull you over if you speed or run the light. These ACC officers are stationed at the leash free areas with ticket book in hand. I think GeorgiaPeaches has the right idea: go after the owners that are not using the park but walking dogs loose in areas not designated for this. There are hundreds! I see them too!

[katy82]

I was down at the old pottersburg creek dog park in london today and we were talking about the ACC down at the new park and someone mentioned something kind of interesting. He said that because the new park is completely fenced in some owners are dropping off their dogs running some errands and then coming back to pick them up later. Have you heard anything about that? I think the ACC should be trying to catch those people if its true!

[Lissa]

Originally Posted by katy82

He said that because the new park is completely fenced in some owners are dropping off their dogs running some errands and then coming back to pick them up later. Have you heard anything about that? I think the ACC should be trying to catch those people if its true!

That's AWFUL! I've never heard about anything as bas as that...although the people who let their dogs run free in the park when they know they have no control are almost as bad!! Last weekend a saw a couple do this...I ended up looking for their dogs with them...in the end they drove around and found that they had been running loose on the road and someone had tied them up to a dumpster!! He found them almost a mile from the dog park!

[StaceyB]

I would have a panick attack if my dogs were even out of my sight.

[lezzpezz]

Originally Posted by katy82

I was down at the old pottersburg creek dog park in london today and we were talking about the ACC down at the new park and someone mentioned something kind of interesting. He said that because the new park is completely fenced in some owners are dropping off their dogs running some errands and then coming back to pick them up later. Have you heard anything about that? I think the ACC should be trying to catch those people if its true!

I would not be at all surprised. How does one catch them, unless you get the liscence plate and call authorities right away. I will definitely bring this up at my LDOA meeting tonight!

I work at the public library and parents do the same thing with their kids! Dump them off expecting staff to watch them while they go off shopping....who would ever leave their kids unattended in this day and age....let alone their dogs!

[maddoxies]

Maybe the local print media would like a couple of photos of these ACC folks "lounging" around the dog parks. Your tax dollars at "work"?? If people would get the point???