pet connection

MayDOG (Maynard Dog Owner’s Group) was founded in 2008 as a local non-profit by Lisa Lines to promote the creation of a town dog park, as well as responsible dog ownership in the town of Maynard, MA.

A site for a dog park was identified — a parcel that sits over a former landfill. Still, local officials have been reluctant to approve the idea.

I recently spoke with Lisa and MayDOG’s current president, Rob Wezwick, about the hurdles they face, and why a dog park even matters at all.

Pet Connection: Why is a dog park necessary in Maynard? Why can’t people simply leash-walk their dogs, or drive to other towns to let their dogs run off leash?
Lisa:

Maynard is a “microurban” community with a leash law and not much in the way of parks or recreation land open to dogs. We have about 11,000 people squeezed into about 3 square miles of habitable space. A lot of homes here have small yards, and we have a lot of apartment- and condo-dwellers without yards. In terms of leash-walking, for a lot of dogs, that’s just not enough exercise. They also don’t get social time with other dogs if all they do is walk around the block on a leash. Undersocialized, underexercised dogs can tend to be less well-behaved — barking, exhibiting neurotic behaviors, etc. — and be worse neighbors. And in a densely populated town like Maynard, it just makes for a bad situation.

Some of our neighboring towns have more rational “voice control” laws and some very nice conservation land, which is great. However, there are two issues with everyone from Maynard going elsewhere. First, none of the nearby areas are fenced. Sure, plenty of dogs are fine off-leash and will stay close by, but for newly rescued dogs, certain hunting breeds, puppies, etc., it’s safer if there’s a fence.

Second, part of the idea of an off-recreation area is to build community. Dog parks are amazing social hubs for both people and dogs. Dog owners frequently visit every day or every week, and get to know their neighbors, trading training tips, recommending plumbers, whatever.

Also, dog parks are wonderful for older or disabled dog owners who can’t necessarily walk their dog as long or as often as they would like. The closest fenced dog park to Maynard is over 40 minutes away, so we just miss out on all those possible benefits. Moreover, a dog park raises property values for the area it’s in, brings visitors to town (who spend money at local businesses), and provides a place for educational events for the dog owner community.

Pet Connection: How has MayDOG been received by the town’s community at large?
Lisa:

I think it can be hard to compete for people’s attention and time, but there seems to be a lot of goodwill. A few people react negatively, but most are very enthusiastic. Even non-dog owners respond very favorably to the idea, because we have proposed using a piece of town property that’s been neglected (a former landfill) and that has limited other potential uses. For example, it can’t be built on or be used for a ballfield.

Pet Connection:What are the arguments against the proposal?
Lisa:

The most immediate issue is that the town wants to use the landfill for another purpose. They are currently paying a consultant to study the feasibility of installing a solar panel array there. I love that idea, and I hope it happens. My problem is that the area in question is 13 acres. There’s definitely room for what we’re proposing (a 1-acre park plus a multi-use cross-country perimeter trail).

I would like to see the town working with the community to develop a master plan for the space, rather than taking things piecemeal and stalling our proposal while they look at other possibilities.

The town government thinks that creating a new recreation area in town would be too much effort. They feel they are stretched too thin as it is, that they don’t have any spare resources to devote to something they don’t see as necessary. In our original proposal, we suggested that we would raise all the money, but asked the town to consider plowing the parking area and emptying the trash barrels. Well, that would be too much, apparently!

So now we’re saying that we would take care of everything. We’d have to charge people an annual fee, and that would go toward insurance, trash removal, plowing, and mowing. Even with that offer, the town thinks that they would end up having to expend resources that they don’t have. For example, if there were a problem at the park, the dog officer might have to write a report or something.

Pet Connection: Where do you see MayDOG’s mission changing in the future?
Rob:

While I do not envision our mission drastically changing in the near future, I do see us trying to focus on some of the ancillary aspects of dog ownership. We will continue to work with the community to find an Off Leash Recreation Area but we will also focus on responsible dog ownership.

This may include educational classes on dog safety for children in conjunction with local elementary schools. Too often a child is not aware of the proper ways to approach a dog and this sometimes results in a dog bite that may have been avoided.

I also see us educating owners on Maynard dog laws and licensing rules. For instance as a dog owner it is our responsibility to obtain a license from the town every year. The town does not send out notices and you may be fined for a non licensed dog. We also want to educate owners on cleaning up after their dogs. Perhaps we can install some “poop” bags in town or along known streets where residents have complained about the “poop” problem. Hopefully they can be donated by local merchants who will receive recognition as sponsors.

If we are known as advocates of both dog owners and non owners, both groups win. Finally, I think we will also promote more social events like group walks and continued participation in community events such as Maynard Fest (held in October) and the annual Holiday Parade.

Pet Connection: Would would you suggest for people who want to do something in their own towns to raise visibility for the issue of dog parks?
Lisa:

In Massachusetts, I’d recommend getting in touch with MassDOG. It’s a coalition group for DOGs and park groups in the state. Community leaders can join our discussion list, ask questions, and get support from experienced organizers in other communities. MassDOG is also working with officials at the state level to try to make our state recreation areas more dog friendly.

Another resource is the Yahoo discussion group devoted to dog parks. Also, just Googling your state name plus dog park can yield good information. A lot has been written by people trying to get these parks in their areas, so there’s a lot to draw from – people don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

I would say that the main principle is that you need both a lot of people and the right people to get things done in your community. You need a good group of volunteers and supporters, and then you need to get key decision-makers and influential people on your side. MayDOG is working on both halves of that equation. I think we have to keep asking and keep advocating for what we need. In the meantime, I think MayDOG can do a lot of good in our community by teaching people about what it means to be responsible dog owners – spaying/neutering, vaccinating, always picking up, training, and providing our furry friends with safe and legal opportunities for exercise and socialization whenever possible.

If and when (and I think it’s when) we get an enclosed, off leash play area, Cami and Harry will be regulars. In the meantime, they’ll continue to patrol the neighborhood on leash, and we’ll keep driving 10-20 minutes to neighboring towns.

Photo credits: Top picture from Flickr Creative Commons:  Maynard Clock Tower, awrose. Bottom: MayDOG logo, maydog.org.

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