Conference moira::parenting

    I think you handled the situation *very* well.  Pets do not belong in play
    areas, in my opinion.  Children will be crawling, walking rolling
    around etc and they shouldn't have to worry about pet droppings.
    A dog on the seesaw???  I can't even picture something like that.
    She was out of line.
    
    Nancy
    

   Not to mention the fact that even the smallest, gentlest dog can be
   intimidating to some kids... or what about allergies... there are too
   many possible issues that would be avoided by leaving the pets at
   home...
   
   - Tom

    I agree about dogs in general. However, do you have any idea how many
    stray cats find that playground to be one HUGE litter box : )  To me
    it's not so much the sanitary issue as it is one of comfort to the
    children. Most kids, even if they have a pet dog, are leary of strange
    dogs and probably wouldn't enjoy themselves if they had to keep a close
    eye on a one while they played.  Not a fun time.
    I have 3 dogs myself, and I wouldn't trust them around a busy
    playground.  They might get agitated with all the fast movement and
    loud noise coming from strange children.  Perfect timing for a
    fear-bite!
    Sarah

    Just a quick aside...Are rules/ownership posted anywhere near the 
    playground? Might fend off future problems....(I remember similar signs
    on high school tennis courts which were usable by public under certain
    guidelines/constraints)....Might help.

    I am on the playground committee in Littleton, and we are working on
    putting up a sign with rules stated in a positive manner.  One of them
    will be "Please leave your pets at home."  I don't think it's been a
    problem to date, but this also helps with liability issues if there were
    ever an accident where a dog bit a child.
    
    Julie

    Some clarifications:
    
    The only children on the playground at the time of this incident were
    my two and the woman's child, as the extended day children whose
    parents hadn't arrived yet were taken to the late room (they are always
    in the late room between 5:30 and 6 P.M. so the last wave of parents
    don't have to search for their kids). I was never concerned about the
    dog being dangerous to the kids (it was a golden retriever, which I've
    always thought was a gentle dog)--it was it's "droppings" that worried
    me!
    
    This playground does have the typical playground sign that reads
    something like "Playground is not monitored after hours--play at your
    own risk" because it is located on school-owned property, even though
    the playground is funded and maintained by the private extended day
    program. My husband, who is a board member for the program, is going to
    be calling the director for specifics on the program's
    responsibilities (this is clearly an unusual situation, since it's a
    privately funded playground on publically owned land). I've also suggested
    to him and another board member that the board consider fencing in and
    locking the playground after 6 P.M. weekdays and all weekend (based on
    clarification on the program's position, of course). It won't keep out
    stray cats but it would go a long way to barring dogs and limiting the
    program's liability.
    
    I'm sure this isn't the first time a dog has been brought onto the
    playground, as it abuts one of the two main waterlines that serve the
    Boston metropolitan area (so does my house and I've seen *many* people
    using the waterline as a pet walk and a garbage dump-GRRR!). I'm just
    glad I could keep one dog out one time and hope that any other parents
    will do the same in the future.
    
    Thanks.
    
    Nancy-
    
    

This issue hits home for me.  In Colorado Springs we have a leash law that
extends to the city parks.  So, dogs are allowed in the parks if they
are on a leash.  I apologize to those few folks who do clean up after
their dogs, but the majority of people use our city parks to "walk"
their dogs.  The parks are littered with dog poop.  I have to restrict
my son from playing on the grass when we go to the park, for this reason.

I have called the Parks Maintanance office, and they say that owners
are supposed to pick up droppings from their pets, but in my local
park they have yet to post this on the sign.  

Recently I suggested to a man whose dog was in the porcess of pooping
right next to the swing area, that he might want to clean up the
dog poop.  He became very defensive and denied that his dog and done it.
Only after I said that I saw the 'poop coming out', and he checked
the poop for 'freshness', did he take some newspaper and clean it up.

Needless to say, this ruined my entire day at the park.  Somewhere
priorites have gotten mixed up.  I find it very sad that I cannot
allow my son to run on the grass at the neighborhood park.  The dogs
have priority there.  

(fyi, I'm referring to Pinion Valley Park)

    On the other side of this issue...I bring my dog to the park maybe
    twice a year when I go with my girlfriend who has kids...I never let my
    dog on the sand and keep to the grass and he is always leashed. 
    (I walk him into the woods for awhile first.)  The problem I have is that
    people will let there childern walk up to my dog and try to play with
    him...This gets me going...I don't want people's childern coming up to
    my dog tugging on him, expecting him to play etc....I keep him on a
    leash for a reason...this always ruins it and we have to go home..So
    try to remember that park in some city's are the only place to get
    alittle freash air and relaxe...people with dogs have rights too....