From: shazam@drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Anti-Dog Trend and Opening City Parks to our friend the Dog
Date: 5 Jan 93 16:01:54 -0500
Organization: Carnegie Mellon Computer Club

A few months ago, I posted to the group telling y'all how proud I 
was in that I made a couple of calls to the mayor's office to 
get ALL of the "No Dogs Please" signs removed from ALL of the 
city parks here in Jackson, MS.  The signs were put up insinuating
that there was a city ordinance prohibiting dogs in the park, when
in fact that was far from the real truth.  Nuiences were not allowed
in the park and that was defined as a dog who was not on a leash and
who was without his/her owner.

When I requested that they remove the signs since this was not a law,
I also suggested that they put up a couple of new signs.  One asking
for all dog owners to have their dogs on leash, since there is a leash 
law in Jacksin, and two, for the owners to please bring something to 
clean up after their dogs with if they were going ot use the park.
I was told that they WOULD take the signs down (and they did, two days
after he told me that, they were indeed gone from the park we go to),
but that due to budget contraints they would not be able to get news signs 
up right away.  I wanted to tell him had they not put signs up that 
misrepresnted the law, that they would ahv ehad planty of money to put
up signs that MIGHT would encourage peole to be responsible pet owners.
But I was nice...and thanked him.  *smile*

I am volunteering with the Mississippi Animal Rescue League here in
Jackson, and am hoping to come up with some way of educating the
public here and possibly in other cities.....at least reaching a
FEW pet owners in teaching them to clean up after their pets and to 
be responsible.  One of the things we can do is to set a good example.
And one thing I doi...if I see someoen not cleaning up, or not handling
their dog bvery well, I usually will go up in a kind way and say siomething.
Because to me, they are the ones who are keeping me and Min from 
going so many places I feel she will enjoy.  I LOVE taking her places
and setting a good example, showing people what taking time ot train
your dog will do to make your dog more enjoyable to have around.
Min goes almost everywhere with me....and even though she is very active
and a bit hyper (Terrier *smile*), she is very well behaved and minds
me.  I even have her trianed to knwo waht the word ENOUGH means....it 
REALLY comes in hand when she is barking *smile*

Anyway.....if you have a park, call Animal Control and ask them waht
the ordinance says.....if you do not trust them to be honest, go to 
your library and look it up.....talk to someone at City Hall...it
REALLY helps when it is an election year....and do NOT talk to someoen on
the action line...go to the top, ask to speak to the Mayor or one of
his assistants.  Make them know you are a concerned TAX PAYING citizen
and in a nice way let them knwo you are serious and will be persistant.
You may want to talk wiht your local Rescue Legue, depending on how
helpful they are, to see if they have any ideas.  Just don;t give up,
and keep settting those good examplkes and take the opportunity to let
oithers see how easy it is to have a fun and enjoyable pet.

Thanks for listening if you got this far.  *laugh*  Have a wonderful
day/evening!

Suzanne and Min