To follow up on my previous letter: thank you for your
efforts to set up at least some places for off-leash
exercise. I am writing to inform you of the off-leash
situation in the City of Davis, in case this should
prove to be helpful in making future decisions.I often
go to Davis on business and so have followed the dog
park situation there closely.
The cemetery property, formerly a much beloved dog
exercise area, is bordered by the fences of residents'
back yards and is operated by the cemetery owners, not
by the City of Davis. It differs in major ways from
the properties considered by the City of Menlo Park.
The cemetery site has been closed to dogs by the
cemetery administrators, not as a result of safety
issues but, my sources tell me, because just one of
the back fence neighbors had been complainin about
noise.
In response to the closing of the cemetery property,
the City has designated several off-leash areas at
public sites. Some are fenced, some not. When I am in
Davis I run my dog at a multipurpose site where the
off-leash area borders directly on an athletic field
on one side and a bike and pedestrian path and a
playground on the other. It so happens I was just
there today. I can assure you that off-leash areas are
alive and well in Davis.
I am taking this opportunity to inform you since it
has come to my attention that someone in Menlo Park
has been spreading negative misinformation about the
Davis off-leash parks.

Gail Sredanovic.
 
From Gail Sredanovic
2161 Ashton Ave.
Menlo Park, Ca 94025
Oct.7,2003

Gentlemen:

I am writing in support of maximum feasible off-leash
exercise areas for dogs in Menlo Park. For several
years I have been a regular visitor to the La Entrada
field. As a disabled person I am unable to exercise my
medium-size high energy dog and her play sessions with
other canines have given her needed exercise and
socialization.In fact experts recommend high levels of
exercise for most breeds.

Dog ownership has demonstrated health and security
benefits, especially for seniors. In addition, the
social interactions between owners who frequent this
field have been a great source of social support as I
have navigated surgeries and illnesses. This has
helped a lot to replace the social contacts in dancing
and outdoor activities that I lost upon becoming
disabled.

As for safety, I have never in several years witnessed
or heard of a negative dog-to-human interaction at
this or any other field, and most certainly never a
dog biting a human.

In this context I note that the Bay Area dog bite
incidents reported in the press have, with one
notable and dramatic exception in San Francisco, been
the results of dogs breaking loose from their
enclosures and wandering the streets(possibly because
they were not getting enough exercise).

Finally, I would note that, to my knowledge,of the
many people who use the field only a
few have complaints, some of which are rational and
some of which are clearly irrational.I urge you not to
take away this precious privilege which has existed
successfully and safely for many years.

    
Received on Mon, 24 Jan 2005 01:43:30 -0800 (PST)