Editorial: Dog park not a necessity

Talk about it

Dogs are allowed on sidewalks and in public places. There are thousands of acres of public land in Stark and neighboring counties in which our canine friends can run and play.

And any good dog owner would make sure that they had adequate facilities for their pets before sharing their home with one.

So why do some feel it necessary to plop a dog park in the middle of a content neighborhood? The plan is still up in the air, but it wouldn’t make sense to tear out a basketball court to make a meeting ground for canines.

Attention dog owners: Schedule play dates among your other dog-owning neighbors.

The All-Seasons Park in Dickinson was built for children and there is enough room for the kids, families along with the occasional furry friend. Now it is being considered as a dog park. There is no need to disrupt this neighborhood by adding a gathering place for dogs. Did their human companions bring them into their Dickinson homes knowing there wasn’t a dog park here?

Those who bought homes in the All-Seasons Park neighborhood shouldn’t be subject to losing their neighborhood park or have to worry about an influx of dogs if they don’t want to, and didn’t expect to, when moving there.

In more urban cities dog parks make sense — green space is at a premium. But look around, North Dakota is among the least-populated states and in many places there is public land as far as the eye can see.

Now let’s talk cost. The park is expected to cost $50,000! That’s a lot of dough for the dogs. The Parks and Recreation Department budget would take care of about $10,000 of that and the rest would come from private and public donations. There are better ways to spend 10 grand.

Have we forgotten about the inhumane conditions at the local dog pound? It’s likely those who support a dog park haven’t thought about that. What those poor animals wouldn’t give for a $50,000 upgrade to their temporary home. They’d probably be happy if $20 was spent on them for an extra bone or a bed. The city — which has a separate budget from Parks and Rec — recently put $300,000 in the 2009 budget out of sales tax revenue toward a new animal shelter, according to the city. If people want to donate their money to something, send it the pound’s way as these animals wait for their new home.

If the powers that be decide this is something that must be done, then move it to the outskirts of the city. Maybe the shelter and a dog park could be near each other.

There are more important needs than building a city dog park.

— The Dickinson Press Editorial Board members meet weekly to discuss local issues.

Tags: dog, park, dickinson, all, seasons