TCDOG Agenda in the News

Letter to the editor published in The Ithaca Journal March 9, 2005

Make dog park official

The north end of Allen H. Treman State Marine Park has all the signs of a dog park. The people, the dogs, the pooper scooper station with bags and dumpsters to toss the waste. It is spacious, containing open areas to run, shade and water, which gives dogs a place to swim and drink. Parking is next to the area, which lets owners get their dogs to the grass without bothering other park-goers.

It is absolutely imperative that this unofficial dog park be made an official off-leash recreation area for dogs and their owners to enjoy.

There are many benefits to a dog park. They give dogs the ability to exercise and socialize with each other. It is a well-known fact that dogs that are exercised are happier and less aggressive toward people. Dog parks also give owners a common space to bring their companions to legally run off-leash.

Most importantly, dog parks allow owners to watch their dogs play, while promoting responsible dog ownership.

Complaints made in the past few months are outrageous. We, as dog owners and taxpayers, deserve to have an official dog park! We should have a place to take our companions to run free under our close supervision.

We have an obligation to speak up and support an official dog park at the north end of Allen H. Treman Park, a place where we have gone to exercise our dog's off-leash in the past and should be able to continue in the future. It would be a sad sight to come home from college this summer and see this part of the park not being used to its full potential.

Ithaca is a wonderful place to live; a dog park where we could exercise our pets off-leash would make it even better.

Ashley Cary
Ithaca

Originally published Wednesday, March 9, 2005

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