dogboston

Question: I know of a place that I go to that is not really an off leash park, but a few of us know about it, and well I figure I don’t want to ruin a good thing by making a big deal about it. However, if I want to get involved with my city (Watertown in this case) and make the park a legal offleash park, what are the steps involved?? (submitted by Melissa from Watertown)

Answer 1 from Michele (SomDog.com):

Congratulations on your efforts to turn a space in your community where people with dogs get together into an official off-leash recreational area!

Many dog owners are content to “fly below the radar.” As long as we do not have legal spaces for off-leash recreation in our communities, we are scofflaws for socializing and exercising our dogs off-leash in our parks.

For the safety and enjoyment of all park users, we must plan and administer public open space with adequate options for off leash recreation, appropriate signage about applicable leash laws and pooper-scooper laws, and, where ever possible, facilities for pet-waste management.

Different municipalities have different laws about dogs off-leash in public open space. In Somerville, we had to get the municipal ordinances amended to provide for designated off-leash recreational areas. Until spring 2005, the local ordinances required that dogs be on leash in public open space.

Also the process will depend on the authority that is responsible for the oversight of a particular park. For example, in Somerville, 60% of our public open space (five parks) is under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

How do you begin the process of working within your community and with your elected officials for legal options for off-leash recreation?

1) Get the support of as many members of the community as possible, not just dog owners (though certainly you need the buy-in of dog owners in your community).

2) Get your elected representatives to commit their support for open spaces that serve the many and diverse recreational needs of all park users. Off-leash recreational areas are not for dogs; they are for people!

3) Find out who has jurisdiction over prospective sites for off-leash recreation.

4) Get your constituents to get your elected representatives to get the authority/-ies with jurisdiction to take appropriate action so that your open spaces serve everyone in your community!

The off-leash recreation bibliography on the Somerville Dog Owners Group’s website has recently been updated.

Answer 2 from Helen (CambridgeDog.com):

Great idea! Michele’s comments are quite thorough, but I can add some more suggestions for getting this off the ground.

1. In looking at the Watertown website, I found this pamphlet from the Health Department stating local policies regarding dogs. http://www.ci.watertown.ma.us/DocumentView.asp?DID=319
This is quite restrictive and does not allow for off-leash dogs anywhere other than on (your own) private property. I’d think that an emailed letter to the Health Department with copies to the town Councillors and the town Manager requesting that they re-examine this policy would be key. Without an opening in the regulations for the possibility of off-leash spaces, you’re in trouble. I’d also encourage other dog owners and dog-friendly people in town to write as well. Once there are several emails, you’ll find that town government starts to take notice.

2. There’s a meeting this Saturday to discuss parkland in Watertown. I’d attend so that you can speak on behalf of dog owners and/or meet the Watertown employees and elected officials there. Any group meeting to discuss park spaces would be a good starting place for you to get “the lay of the land”. Here’s a link to the meeting: http://www.ci.watertown.ma.us/index.asp?NID=540

3. Do some sleuthing on the town website- there’s an Open Space and Recreation Plan, which isn’t on the site in full but will be worth looking up (presumably at City Hall). The planning committee is listed at http://www.ci.watertown.ma.us/index.asp?nid=282 and their stated goal is:

“…to identify Watertown’s open space and recreational resources and to produce a consistent policy directive for town agencies, in order to ensure that these resources are not lost due to the pressures of development or uncoordinated individual actions that affect the town’s open space and recreational system…”

4. Consider talking with Watertown Animal Control. Our AC officers in Cambridge are very supportive of the idea of creating more dog parks and have been very helpful. Most AC officers have chosen that career because they love animals. Note: make sure your dog is properly licensed before you start the conversation! Part of their job is to enforce licensing regulations.

5. When you’re at the local de-facto park with your dog, speak with the other dog owners and try to get them to work with you to legalize the space. The battle is much easier when you’re not alone. Get them to email the Town Councillors, City Manager, etc.

I’d also recommend starting a petition to prove how much support the idea has. Make sure that only Watertown residents sign it (as nice as it is to have support from non-residents, it doesn’t mean anything to town government). Also ask them to check a box saying whether they’re willing to be kept up to date about your progress- that way you can start a mailing list or email distribution list.

6. If you want to get a Watertown Dog Owners’ Group started, talk with representatives from other local DOGs, such as Cambridge (my group) and Somerville (Michele’s). We’ve been able to get dedicated fenced dog parks in our cities and continue to work for more, as well as shared use options.

What you’re asking for is not only totally reasonable, but your taxes pay to maintain those green spaces all over your town and your desire to use them for a form of recreation that is legal in towns all over the U.S. is completely legitimate. Dogs who are sufficiently exercised and well socialized to other dogs and people are less likely to bite and better behaved. So hang in there and stay strong- you’re poised to do something really important!

Best of luck!

Read more Feature Stories Here.