Removal of dog excrement is the most serious lack of dog owners, and must be mitigated. Increased placement of trashcans and greater presence of doggie bags would help, but ultimately the dog owners must understand that increased permission of dog off leash areas is partly dependent on increased vigilance of dog owners to removing dog excrement. We propose to build a network of dog owners willing to be responsible for cleanup of city parks and trails should dog off leash areas be provided. Dogs, Nature and People Golden trails and open space are used by thousands of people each year. Each of these visitors has a special relationship with the land, and comes to find beauty, serenity and a kind of experience that is not often available in a metropolitan area.
Visitors hike, climb, run, study and photograph nature, and visit with friends and family.
An important part of many families is the dog. Just as every other user must accept responsibility for the impacts of their particular use on the natural environment and others, dog owners must ensure that the canine visitor to these parks and open spaces has minimal effect on either nature or other visitors. The keys to success are to know the characteristics of your dog, train your dog to minimize any potential conflicts, and to take responsibility for the dog s actions. Pick up your dog s excrement to minimize the spread of disease and to ensure that other visitors are not offended. Another good area would be the County owned Ramstetter East Open Space, north of Golden.