A Poopy Problem
Nobody cares for a foot full of poop. You know the story—you head to the park, kick off the flips for some barefoot grass-strolling, and your first frolicking leap comes down on a huge, steamin' pile of doggie delight. Not pleasant. This is the kind of problem recently investigated by the Bozeman Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Plan, a survey of 900 local citizens and their opinions on outdoor recreation in the area. Turns out the most popular means of recreation are walking, hiking, and biking local trails and parks—and one of the most common complaints is off-leash dogs and left-behind waste.
The Recreation and Parks Advisory Board held four public forums this past winter. Dog owners and pup-free people alike discussed possible ways of increasing dog-owner responsibility and to find a happy median for both parties. The committee decided on the following measures:
•Create a completely leash-free park
•Implement seasonal leash-free availability in other parks
•Increase funding through higher fines and registration fees
•Increase enforcement to two patrollers with ticketing powers
•Launch a civic responsibility motivation movement (complete with a possible slogan contest)
•Create a Pet Control and Activity Advisory Board to oversee execution of these changes
The “Snowfill” property off McIlhattan Road on the north side of the landfill is currently slated to be the new leash-free park. To meet their goal of getting the area fenced by mid-winter, the city needs volunteers. Anyone interested in helping build or maintain the park can contact Ron Dingman at 582-3222. Oh, and a general awareness of the appropriate dog care and constraint would also be much appreciated from us, the shoe-free grass-walkers of the world.
The Recreation and Parks Advisory Board held four public forums this past winter. Dog owners and pup-free people alike discussed possible ways of increasing dog-owner responsibility and to find a happy median for both parties. The committee decided on the following measures:
•Create a completely leash-free park
•Implement seasonal leash-free availability in other parks
•Increase funding through higher fines and registration fees
•Increase enforcement to two patrollers with ticketing powers
•Launch a civic responsibility motivation movement (complete with a possible slogan contest)
•Create a Pet Control and Activity Advisory Board to oversee execution of these changes
The “Snowfill” property off McIlhattan Road on the north side of the landfill is currently slated to be the new leash-free park. To meet their goal of getting the area fenced by mid-winter, the city needs volunteers. Anyone interested in helping build or maintain the park can contact Ron Dingman at 582-3222. Oh, and a general awareness of the appropriate dog care and constraint would also be much appreciated from us, the shoe-free grass-walkers of the world.
