Off Leash Dogs In City Parks?

La Cañada Flintridge officials say that they are launching an initiative with Pasadena Humane to educate residents about the city’s leash laws after an uptick in reports of dogs off leashes at Mayor’s Discovery Park. 

I accept that off leash dogs can be a hazard in suburban and urban areas. I also get that more FENCED off leash opportunity areas could be created throughout urban and suburban communities to address public concerns. The difference between my solution and traditional off leash parks is a matter of scale. Small off leash parks are a formula for conflict. I don't like them. 

 

Any time you concentrate animals in a confined area there is increased risk of fights. That is true for so many animals, from fish to birds to mammals, it is considered accepted science. This is why I don’t encourage my students to use off leash parks. Go to one for a few hours tonight, and you will see at least one actual or threatened dog fight. These parks are unnatural, and they are not suitable for most dogs. Yes, some dogs do fine, but many can’t use them. 

 

Contrast this with my idea. There are areas in all cities with large areas that aren’t suitable for development but are large and varied in terrain. Often, they are occupied by people living in tents, lean-tos, campers, or other improvised living situations. They are often dangerous, with hazardous people and hazardous substances. They are too filthy to take your family. Imagine instead putting a large fence around the entire area, putting in walking paths, and allowing pet owners to use these areas for recreation and allowing off leash dogs. Certain areas could be segregated for active, small, or low activity dogs. This has been done on a smaller scale in some cities. Bring in the dogs, out goes the bad elements, down goes the crime. It is a win for the city. 

 

It is amazing to me how the public in many cities have become desensitized to seeing homeless people living in the streets, often high and dangerous. How can they just look away? How can they not make sure these people are not taken advantage of? How can they tolerate the crime and filth? Whatever happened to teaching the tale of the Good Samaritan? Changing the use of these properties, as I propose, could be an easy partial step to cleaning up these blighted areas and forcing these people out of these situations. It would also not be a large burden on first responders since the presence of the public would be a deterrent to this blight. People care for things that they care about. Once people care about these areas, they will naturally want them properly managed. My idea is cheaper than allowing the blight and homeless situation to remain as is. It is also cheaper than funneling money to these non-profit groups that suck up tax dollars to pay their executives to go to fancy dinners in their limos while pretending to do good for the community. 

 

So, these cities don’t have an off-leash problem. They have a poor land use problem. 

 

Fix that. The dogs and their owners will be glad to help.