Birdstud (a neighbor to the park) recently posted...
an interesting comment, wherein he asked, should dogs be allowed to run free in the park, signs be damned. (Yes, that is an actual photo of the actual sign in Enderis Park. I saw this discussion coming.)
As I was told, by a dog owner, not an EPNA representative, the official position on dogs in the park is they ARE allowed off-leash for a half-hour in the morning. Sadly, I do not know which half-hour that is, despite once being told. My wife can attest, I usually must be told more than once and it is best to stand directly in front of the television when doing so.
Are dog owners ignoring the sunrise clause?
I have seen dogs unleashed at all hours of the day in the park, albeit without incident, and it's my belief that currently there is a mixed message and not enough communication. (Someone should start a blog to discuss these things.) The sign obviously says "dogs on leash only", but I believe my neighbor when she says she and others were given permission to release the hounds around sunrise. The problem comes from a select few knowing about the revamped dog rules in Enderis Park. Those without dogs see a clear violation of the sign. Those with dogs see others "flouting the law" and feel emboldened to run their dogs at all hours of the day. So what's the solution?
I do not want to anger the dog lobby.
Despite pumping millions of dollars into the political machine, they also organize hits on journalists and anyone that opposes them (kidding). But dog-walkers love their dogs and as Springsteen said, "Baby, [dogs] are born to run." I think they should be given the opportunity via a special time. The current arrangement seems fair, so long as people know about it and can avoid the park at that time AND other dog-walkers don't abuse the privilege by unleashing outside the prescribed time. Communication seems key. I feel a newsletter article coming.
Yet another solution.
I don't know what effect unleashed dogs have on the local bird population, a subject seemingly near and dear to Birdstud, whose comment inspired this post, but I assume it ain't good. Additionally, unleashed dogs could potentially harm the many children, squirrels, adult residents and fire hydrants who love the park, but let's face it, those children, squirrels and adult residents (I'm giving the hydrants a pass, here) could also do harm to their neighbors. So I propose the following...birds, squirrels, children and adults must all be leashed when enjoying the park, except at the specified "unleashed hour" right around sunrise. Fair is fair.
What do you think?
There are many rules in Enderis Park regarding dogs, people, alcohol and charcoal grills. Some of those rules get broken...usually without incident and in a way that furthers enjoyment of the park. I often see violations, but hold my tongue unless they are dangerous or incredibly annoying for fear the park will become less free and less enjoyable when someone wants to limit the activities I enjoy. I encourage you to speak up in the comments section. By the way, this blog is not the property of the EPNA, nor do I express their opinions. These opinions are mine, not theirs. Now, I'm off to try out my new driver at Enderis, I bet I can hit the pavilion from Hadley. Any takers? (And yes, golf is strictly forbidden in Enderis Park and ruthlessly enforced. I was screamed at once just for thinking about golf.)
7 comments:
I've been told the hours are between 8-8:30 AM. Not sure if this is really the case,but I do sometimes take my dogs to run in the baseball field at this time, but only if there are not other people present. If there are children or other dogs, I don't let them off the leash. A few years back this was a bigger concern, as there were a large number of people there in the mornings and it was turning into sort of an unofficial dog park. I think as a dog owner you just need to be respectful. If other people are enjoying the park then I think your dog should be leashed.
The rule is more defined on the weekend. Between 8-9 am, dogs are off-leash in the ball diamond.
A few years ago a formal agreement with the EPNA was reached that dogs could be off-leash in the morning until 7:30am Mon-Fri, until 8:30am Sat/Sun.
As recently as this past spring, I spoke to Bruce Cameron to clarify the agreement, and he said that basically we could have the dogs off-leash until 8:30am any morning - common sense taking precedence over agreements, of course.
The dog owners who adhere to this agreement are many, and frequently pick up leavings by other dogs (who may or may not have been leashed) as well as the detrius left by numerous humans who frequent the park.
This information should be clarified in the newsletter, and posted on the website. Bruce himself has met with the local police to ensure they do not ticket dogs off leash prior to 8:30am.
B.J. Ermenc, association member and owner of Moxie T.
Despite what the other responders to this blog would have you believe regarding "permission" or "agreements" that "allow" a blatant disregarding of the posted signage law (A law that they {dog aficionados} themselves had changed through closed-door organized, incessant, nag-lobbying of the Milwaukee Public Schools, from "NO DOGS ALLOWED" to what you see now) there is nothing or no one with any real power to speak on behalf of an entire neighborhood, either formal or informal, that says that this illegal behavior may continue. I was there at the neighborhood "meeting" designed to steamroll the dog-lobby led decision to continue to "socialize" their animals freely off leash, over any law abiding, rule following detractors. The room was clearly divided between the law abiders and law ignorers, with the latter group out in large (tour de) force. NOTE: I have purposely labeled the two groups as such, to ensure that this does not become a discussion or “argument” about people who own (and love) animals and those that do not…it’s about law, rules, and the general public’s right to live in a neighborhood where everyone is expected to follow them. That meeting was for me, utterly unbelievable from a logic standpoint. Law Ignorers With Dogs (LIWDs) made every argument from “our animals need and deserve socialization just as children do,” to “cmon even though the speed limit on 70th Street is posted 25…does anyone REALLY drive 25?” Their passion is certainly laudable, as they truly love their animals, but a rule is a rule and a law is a law until it’s changed. The LIWDs told the room that afternoon that their intent was to pursue all avenues to have rules changed, zoning augmented, public opinion swayed, whatever it took to have a section of the “enormous” 3 acre park {tongue buried deeply in cheek} designated as a “dog park.” I say God bless you and good luck, but in the mean time…keep your animals from breaking the rules and law, thank you very much. As an admitted “conservative” I tend to be more of a rule following, law abiding citizen that believes in the democratic process. Perhaps that’s where I miss their points and their mob-rule mentality, hell I don’t know, but I do know that if LIWDs took their own logic and went to the next level, allowing whichever currently illegal (prohibited) activity to exist in the park just because a few folks felt that their “cause” was just. How about allowing go carts on the running track from 10-11:30 on Sundays? No, I know…skeet shooting on the green space from 4-5PM every other Thursday? You get my point here I hope…these activities are prohibited and therefore not allowed in Enderis Park. For one individual to give tacit “approval” to the LIWDs to run their animals for ½ hour (yeah right…½ hour) on Saturday mornings is a joke. Don’t forget that the police were regularly issuing tickets to the LIWDs every time they were called until folks just got worn down and stopped calling the police. I really think that the LIWDs think that because they have not been visited by the local gendarme in a while that it’s now “OKAY” to run their dogs. It is not…it’s just exasperatingly tolerated due LIWD’s belligerence with attempts to change the behavior. Derek “jokes” about LIWDs and their mob mentality so as not to “anger” them, but it’s true. Just try to have a law and order discussion with one of them and you’ll be treated to a nonsensical diatribe about socialization, Welcome Wagon commonality, and a steady diet of whining about everyone else does it, so what’s the problem, B.S. My own remaining sensibilities tremble when I see animals on the tennis courts and my ire rises accordingly. Derek, (and the rest of you) this isn’t about birds, birdlife, and what the LIWD’s activity does to anything related to wildlife…it’s about “what about the rest of us who follow rules and laws?” To see a LIWD throwing a Frisbee, or using one of those dopey plastic “throwers” so that fido can go on a really long (free) run, is maddening to me. Why? Cause I can’t respond in kind, with my go cart!
I have been living in Enderis Park for two years now, and we have been brining our dogs to the ballfield for nearly as long. To characterize the dog owners, especially the ones who meet on Saturday and Sunday mornings, as law- flouting nags is a bit extreme.
While I must confess that my status in the neighborhood as a relative newcomer means that I have learned of the rules through word of mouth, I have always understood that the off- leash time is restricted to the aforementioned time of 0800- 0900 on Saturdays and Sundays.
Nonetheless, it has been my experience and observation that the group of people who meet in the park on Saturday and Sunday mornings are friendly, considerate, and approachable folks. I enjoy taking my dogs to the park because I like taking my dogs for some exercise beyond the 0500 runs I take them on several times a week. I also like going to the park with my dogs because I like talking to my neighbors and meeting people who also happen to like dogs.
We pick up after our pets, we generally keep the park area claner than we found it, and we like to socialize. That's what neighbors do, and I think there exists some grey area to negotiate to allow all parties to be content.
jonlareau, it doesn't matter what I or anyone else "call" or categorize your behavior as. That behavior is what it is referred to as "illegal" plain and simple. There is NO "rule." Bruce Cameron does not run the park, (or like the Lifted Lorax) "speak for the trees." He made a deal with the devil when he said "OK" to the demands of the dog-running masses. His "approval" means nothing. If I called the cops ANY time I saw your friends running rover (8-9 included) they would HAVE to write you a ticket. It's their job to enforce the law, not to look the other way because Bruce said so. Last time I check, no one had voted in the EPNA members as "governors" of MPS-owned and maintained land.
Last weekend (well after the holy hour of 9:00 AM) I witnessed a hapless woman loose control of her animal as it ran towards an unwitting track walker, totally outside the forbidden zone of the ball diamond. The woman's tiny daughter (faster that the woman) ran to try to coax the dog away from the walking (woman) with the dog-owning woman screeching to the animal to "come!" It was scary and ridiculous to witness.
"But that's not MY doggie...my doggie would NEVER...blah, blah, blah..."
I have lived in the neighborhood for 11 yrs and 10 of those, I let my dog off leash on a regular basis to run and chase her ball. She is now running in doggy heaven, so I won't be breaking the law anymore! Never had a negative incident. If there were other people or children around, I kept her on leash. Always picked up after her - it's just using common sense, which if everyone would use, this law banning dogs never would have had to be implemented.
If someone is so irritated by a friendly dog getting exercise and chasing her ball for 15 min, they can call the police and I'll pay the ticket. But I will never abide by a law or rule I don't agree with. This will continue to be a problem until there are more dog parks in the city and county.
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