Feb 17, 2010
The Lexington
Minuteman
http://www.wickedlocal.com/lexington/news/opinions/x856605339/Letters-Proposal-to-leash-dogs-disappoints-many
To leash dogs
disappoints many
Posted Feb 17, 2010
@ 08:37 PM
Editor's note: The Lexington Minuteman has been inundated with letters the past
few weeks about the Conservation Commission’s decision to leash dogs at
Willards Woods. There were too many letters to publish, however, here is a
collection of snippets from letters the newspaper received. There is another
hearing on the matter scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23, Room
G-15/Town Office Building, 1625 Mass. Ave.
Above all, Willard's
Woods fosters a sense of community. When I moved to Lexington in 2006, the
first friends I made were from walking in the Woods. Walking in the morning, in
midday when the sun is high in the sky, or later in the afternoon — in all
seasons — I've always found other friendly people with their dogs. People ate
out walking for exercise and to relax from the stresses of life. The community
of people at Willard's Woods shares personal and work related stories and
advice — from child rearing to community information to professional referrals
such as job opportunities. — Beth Zonis, Gould Road
I think the walkers
in Willard’s Woods have been extremely responsible abiding by the recent
regulations that the Conservation Commission instituted: Leashing dogs entering
and exiting the woods, picking up dog poop, parking in proper places on the
street. If you feel that problems still persist, it seems to me that they can
be solved by continuing to focus on the specific problem: More and better and
larger and more specific signs for the rules and regulations, requiring
leashing dogs in specific areas near people's homes, asking walkers to
voluntarily supply bags for dog poop to be available at all entrances. If
parking is still a problem in our critics' eyes, then let's focus on that
issue. — Elisabeth Garland, Preston Road
It is such a
pleasure for me to be able to walk in the woods and fields with my dog off-leash.
Traversing through the open, green spaces is a healthy way to exercise for both
of us, and something that has really contributed to my personal health and
quality of life. In addition to the human health benefits, I also feel that
socializing dogs off leash is very important to happy, healthy, well-adjusted
dogs. Having these places to walk is incentive to get out and exercise, and
having a dog to walk with who appreciates the experience as much as I do is the
extra push to get moving. Without these open areas I think it would be very
difficult for many people to get the necessary physical activity into their
schedules. — Elaine Wu Grunberg, Locust Avenue
I have been walking
my dogs in these woods for about 15 years. I fully recognize what an incredible
privilege this has been. I have taught my dogs over the years to come on voice
command. I consistently pick up after my dogs, no matter the weather. The great
thing about Willard’s Woods is that my dog can socialize with other dogs. If he
were to be on a leash, he could not do this as well, and many dogs can become
uncharacteristically aggressive while leashed. I get to enjoy the company of
some wonderful people and dogs, get to watch the dogs release energy and have
so much fun. I also get to enjoy the beauty of the woods. I am grateful that I
have a place like this to enjoy nature with my dog and that my dog can roam and
sniff and play.— Nancy Lannom, School Street
What is going on at
Willard’s Woods is a scandal for democracy. How amazing to think that we live
in one of the great cities whence the American Revolution started. The British
too, thought they could rule without any consideration for the People. That the
[Conservation] Committee decides to listen to the voices of its constituents
seems reasonable. That the process by which a decision is reached does not take
into consideration the number of taxpaying residents in favor or against a
decision is scandalous. As is scandalous the so-called information brought by
very few, very angered, anti-dog militants that is being reviewed for
decision-making. — Marc Sarfati, Partridge Road
We have lived in
Lexington for 48 years. Our children have been educated here and we have been
happy living in the Lexington community. For the last 20 years we have enjoyed
walking in Willard's Woods with our dog, and watching the dog play off leash.
During this period we have made many good friends while walking. The walkers at
Willard's Woods are observant of their dogs' behavior and make it a point to
restrain their dog when people unaccompanied by dogs come near. We also make it
a point to pick up our dog's poop, and alert others to the importance of this. >—
Mickey and Max Khazam, Burlington Street
I hear the arguments
of the neighbors against the dogs, dog waste and traffic. Firstly, I have been
impressed with the owners’ of dogs walking in Willard’s, nearly everyone cleans
up after their pet and should a walker neglect to do so, then most often
someone else does for the sake of keeping Willard’s clean. It is in bad form if
you don’t pick up after your dog; as dog owners we are responsible for the
clean-up of dog waste. As for traffic, I go to Willard’s daily and have never
seen the parking lot so full that I couldn’t park. Can you say the same for the
Starbucks in the Center? With this, maybe you could explain to me how leashing
our dogs would change the issues that the few neighbors are complaining about?
Did they not know that Willard’s is a piece of conservation land that welcomes
dogs leash-free before buying their property?— Tia Gierkink, Percy Road
I regret that some
homeowners have to deal with unwanted visitors. I do not live next to Willard’s
Woods, yet I have had some break-away neighborhood dogs visit occasionally. I
usually worry about the dog and the owner that must be looking for them. I
imagine it could get tiresome if this became a habit. Has anyone tried to
figure out where the "strays" come from? I wonder if it is not a
combination of "walkers" and neighborhood dogs... In any event, I
have only seen dogs with owners walking in WW. — Tina Jaillet, Diana Lane
It seems to us that
policing this small number of law-breakers would be much less costly than
enforcing a leash policy. Furthermore, most law-abiding users of the woods
would be happy to pay for policing of the law-breakers through some sort of fee
or tag system (such as the town pool fee). If a fee-based system is not
possible, how about some sort of volunteer enforcement group among dog-walkers?
We urge you to reconsider your decision to require that all dogs on
conservation land be leashed. — Judy and Steve Boxer, Kendall Road
We have been walking
our dog, responsibly, at Willard’s Woods for five years now, and are saddened
that the desire of a handful of neighbors are jeopardizing the recreation and
rights of dog owners for this town. We have always viewed Willard’s Woods as a
privilege, and as such are diligent about cleaning up after our dog and
ensuring that he is with us and under our control at all times. Our experiences
with other dog owners at WW has been the same. — Karen Dixon, Bloomfield
Street
Going to Willard’s
and knowing that I will see people there during the daylight hours promotes a
strong sense of community and safety. I tend to be up early in the morning and,
were it not for other people walking through Willard’s, would not consider
walking alone through conservation land. I agree that dogs and their owners
should never impinge on the rights of others to enjoy the woods. But I would
respond by saying that it is because the woods are used and cherished by dog
walkers, that we have good reason and the opportunity to always clean up after
our dogs. — Lisa Frusztajer, Grant Street
I am disheartened to
hear about the impending change in regulations regarding dogs at Willard’s Woods.
I have owned a dog for about half of the 24 years that I’ve lived in Lexington.
I have often enjoyed walking at Willard’s and at other conservation areas in
town. I believe that a concerted effort to enforce the existing regulations
will rectify the complaints presented by the park abutters. — Peter Levy,
Grassland Street
I am disturbed to
hear of the complaints against dog walkers at Willard’s Woods. When choosing to
move to Lexington just three years ago, being a pet-friendly town was one of my
considerations. It sounds as if the complaints might really be against car
traffic on Brent Road (a public street), not the use of the Woods. (Perhaps the
many construction trucks on Brent Road for the better part of this last year
have added to the problem for these residents?) Within the Woods, the problem
appears to be the case of a few bad apples. The vast majority of WW dog walkers
are considerate, non-littering people who have their dogs under control. —
Becky Barrentine, Bedford Street
The Conservation
Commission’s proposal to require that dogs be leashed on conservation land is
inconsistent with town law, which states that dogs be under “immediate
restraint and control” at all times, “by leash or effective command.”
Conservation land, as other town resources, is intended to be accessible to all
residents. However, the Commission’s proposal also will effectively end my (and
I suspect most dog owners’) enjoyment of the Woods, as I won’t be able to let
my dog play off leash during our walks and will probably be forced to walk him
in the streets. — Ellen Foxman, Third Street
I adopted our family
dog, Blackie, about 12 years ago. My family calls Willard’s Woods “dog heaven”
because she is so happy to go there, it is her most favorite place to visit.
When we drive down Adam's Street, I can tell that she knows where we are: She
starts whimpering in anticipation. We have a special tradition on Christmas Day
that involves decking Blackie with a red bow and jingle bells, and taking a
walk there. I am very sorry to hear that some the neighbors in the Brent Road
neighborhood have had bad experiences with the dogs that visit Willard's. —
Melanie Blower, Grapevine Avenue
But
some say it is a good idea …
Many letters over the
last few weeks have asked to “keep Willards Woods as an off-leash dog park,” as
though it has always been a place for lots of dogs to be together off-leash. It
is not. Willard’s Woods is Conservation land. Taking a dog there is taking a
dog out in public. The people advocating for “continuation of off-leash dogs”
at Willard’s Woods are demanding the “right” to continue illegal behavior. They
seem to want the town to give them 100 acres of Conservation Land to do it on.
They seem surprised that other people who want to use the woods feel the laws
should be enforced. They appear oblivious to the fact that too many off-leash
dogs are spoiling the property for everyone. — Bernard Gunther, Brent Road
It has come to my
attention that the present rules governing the freedom given dog owners and the
way their pets are allowed to roam freely in Willard’s Woods is creating an
unhealthy and dirty park for every one who uses the park for recreation in the
woods. As a Lexington resident, I am asking that dog owners should leash and
curb their dogs so the park can be used for all who wish to visit the outdoors.
— Clayton Swanson, Lexington