The Parks Department has designated one park where dogs can, in a
well-marked designated area, run off-leash - that's Marymoor, and that's
why there are so many dogs there, and that's also why the responsible
dog-owners organize to keep the place clean and to keep irresponsible
dog-owners in line. They know that retaining this facility depends on
maintaining both it and good relations with the non-dog-owning public.
Luther Burbank Park also has an off-leash dog area, though it's extremely
small. As for the lady with the malevolent German Shepherd - I could fill
the whole of cyberspace with stories of perfectly reasonable dogs that
have been turned into dangerous brutes by the ignorance and
neglect of their owners. Once they get that way, unfortunately, there's
nothing much can be done about it except to put the animal down - which
is precisely what Animal Control does after one warning. The blame rests,
in my book, with the owner rather than the animal - the vast majority of
dogs are good-natured, smart and eager to please, and it isn't hard to
keep them well-trained and sociable. BUT... we're getting a little far
from the thread here - this began as a discussion of the avifauna of
Marymoor Park!


On Thu, 16 Feb 1995, Russell Rogers wrote:

> >From Russell Rogers, Seattle WA, rrogers at halcyon.com
>
> I for one, don't go to Lincoln Park here in West Seattle because there are
> so many inconsiderate dog owners. I was once walking along the beach there
> when someone's happy little wet dog came up to me, started smelling my
> crotch. Shortly there after, the owner stepped up, paying no mind to the
> dog, asked if I had seen the eagles. Actually I was looking for the "No
> dogs allowed on public beaches - $500 fine" sign. When I looked down the
> beach and saw the sign, this very person had hung the leash for their dog
> right on it! They had to know that the dog was not allowed in the water. I
> was so pissed I could not form whole sentences. I just walked away.
> Another time, a lady had six big shepherd size dogs running around. One
> of the dogs came up to me and started barking at my feet. When I tried to
> move the barking tuned to threating growls. I knew that these dogs were
> serious, and were going to bite if I moved. The lady, in a very nonchalant
> fashion said "Oh, he is just playing, he would not hurt a flee". Then she
> proceeded down the trail. After she got twenty or so yards away I noticed
> that her dog had no intention of going with her and she had no intention
> of doing anything about it. I then knocked the ever blessed *#$% out of
> the dog with my tripod. This of course sent the owner into orbit. She came
> over to me and started threating me with a law suit and physical harm. I
> pulled the pepper spray out of my back pack with every intention of using
> it on her and the dog. She finally walked away in a huff.
>
> These are good examples of a few careless and irresponsible pet owners
> making a public park unenjoyable for anyone but themselves. Most dog
> walkers in Lincoln Park obey the law, and it is the law, and keep the pets
> on a leash.
>
> When I'm outside in a public park, I should not be confronted by peoples
> dogs. Many dog owners just can't understand why other people don't like
> their pets as much as they do. In my case, I was mauled by a German
> Shepard when I was 6 years old. I carry an irrational fear of dogs around
> with at all times. When one comes running up to me I get tense. I can't
> help it. Even thought I know that the dog probably will not bite me, and
> even if it did, I probably would not get hurt, I still get very upset at
> it.
>
> I don't mind sharing the parks with dog walkers. All that I ask is that
> they obey the law and keep them on there leashes. If the parks system
> would designate a park for dogs to run free in, I would stay away from it,
> no problem. I have signed a petition towards this end, but I don't know
> what became of it.
>
> My two cents,
>
> Russell
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> Russell Rogers
> 4510 Glenn Way SW
> Seattle, WA 98116
> (206) 935-6280
> rrogers at halcyon.com
> --------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> On Thu, 16 Feb 1995, Susan Collicott wrote:
>
> >
> > Dennis: I thought, last time I was at Marymoor Park (to gawk at the climbing
> > rock), that they had an established Dog Run area. It's behind the cluster of
> > old buildings, on the opposite side of the park from the velodrome.
> >
> > Susan
> > susan at pmel.noaa.gov
> >
>