TCDOG Update

Guest column published in The Ithaca Journal (Nov. 23, 2004)

We need off-leash dog walking areas, by Pat Pryor

Recent reports of ticketing for off-leash dogs at Treman Marina and negative comments about dogs in local papers are very dismaying, especially the suggestion that off-leash dog walking is not a recreational activity which should receive government support.

In a community that prides itself, I think, on the breadth and variety of recreational options available for its residents, the idea that off-leash dog walking is not a worthy activity is astounding!

Unfortunately, that view reflects a common ignorance of the beneficial results to a significant constituency in our community -- dog owners -- of provision of a space where they can engage in their chosen form of recreation.

Opponents of off-leash dog parks seem to think that the primary beneficiaries are the dogs.

Yes, dogs do benefit, in a variety of ways, from off-leash socializing and exercise.

I would argue that the benefits to people of off-leash dog walking -- including exercise outdoors on a regular basis, meeting and socializing with others who share a common interest, learning from others and sharing information on responsible dog ownership -- justify the inclusion of off-leash dog walking as a recreational activity as worthy of government support as any other activity which contributes to the health and well-being of its citizenry.

And yes, I believe, as I think most in our community do, that promoting wellness, including healthy recreational options, is most certainly a responsibility of government for its residents of all ages and abilities.

Canine companionship is a well established. It benefits a child who is learning important lessons in responsibility and commitment from the care of a dog, a family that includes a dog in its constellation of activities and events or a senior citizen for whom dog walking is one of the few recreational activities in which he/she can continue to engage as other more vigorous activities are no longer possible.

Canine companionship and the socializing that takes place with others who share the same interest is an important part of family life for hundreds of people in Tompkins County.

Certainly, there are many legitimate concerns when discussing the provision of recreational space for off-leash dog-walking, including impacts on the environment, safety for both people and dogs in a multiple-use area and potential municipal liability.

However, neither these nor any of the other concerns expressed by opponents of off-leash dog walking are insurmountable, as evidenced by other communities that have successfully designated areas and have experience in their management.

A quick search of the Internet will provide a number of examples throughout the United States as well as in other parts of the world.

Studies researched by a local dog owners group while I was on Common Council and presented to council as we studied options at that point included such projects as "The Point Isabel Video Project," and a comprehensive study during 1995-1996 of "Interactions Among Dogs, People, and the Environment in Boulder, Colorado: A Case Study," by Bekoff and Meaney.

Having worked with a sizeable number of dog owners over the past several years to establish legal off-leash dog areas in Tompkins County, I am convinced that it is entirely possible to designate multiple-use areas which can safely share activities among off-leash dog walkers and other users of the space; a possibility that should be more vigorously explored among all county municipalities and the state.

One conclusion that comes to mind in looking at the emerging group of off-leash dog walkers as a recreational constituency is that their needs might well be best met by having a variety of venues available throughout Tompkins County where they can participate in legal off-leash dog walking.

To identify such spaces, complete with the requirements which dog owners regard as necessary -- such as access to water and adequate space -- dog owners, the general public, municipal and state officials would do well to come together and work collaboratively rather than drawing lines in the sand through ticketing and vigorous enforcement efforts.

It seems a bit over-the-top to use scarce law enforcement resources to nab otherwise law-abiding citizens who wish to enjoy shared public space, supported by all of our tax dollars, with their canine companions.

It is time for our elected officials, both locally and in the state parks system, to step up and bring together the resources needed to respond to a legitimate constituency need.

Pryor, a former member of Ithaca's Common Council, lives in the City of Ithaca.

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