Let's Get This Party Started!

I confess I have not always been a friend of our furry friends. I banished all dogs from my house and grounds for many years. I blamed the dogs, of course.

Truth is, most people let their dogs be idiots who run the asylum. Don't get in a huff! It's soooo true.

But now I have a dog. A really nice, well-mannered, unstinky, unslobbery standard poodle named Omar. Sigh. I am reformed.

I would like to say that everyone says the same about their pooch--nice, well-mannered, etc. I've found that's not always the case. People have dogs they can't--mostly won't--manage. People have dogs they call stupid. People have dogs that run amok, attack other dogs and people, dogs that have to be tricked into coming when called.

I'm not as kind as Cesar. I also don't have a show I'm trying to keep on the air. So I can say I'm fed up to HERE with people who think their humping, growling, aggressive, uncontrollable dogs are cute or beyond help. FED UP TO HERE, I AM!!

People are the main reason why I've been reluctant to begin a crusade to make more public places accessible to dogs. In Ashland, dogs are forbidden in ALL public parks (except for the dog park), ALL schoolyards (including practice fields at Southern Oregon University . . . basically everywhere except the dog park.

This means that ALL of our tax money that goes to maintaining these places is pretty much wasted. ALL that water to keep ALL that grass green and ALL those groundskeepers employed while ALL we can do is stand outside the fence and look at it.

Pretty soon there will be an explosion of rhododendron flowers in Lithia Park. I will not see it again this year because I won't walk through there without Omar.

Once the kids are out of school, either for the day or FOR THE ENTIRE SUMMER, hundreds of acres sit empty while the kids sit on their expansive bottoms playing video games. In the time I used to play with my dog at Bellview Elementary, I never ONCE saw a kid playing on the field inside the running track. (By the by, I have never ONCE seen a kid running on the track!)

Why are dogs banned from these luxurious places? Because PEOPLE don't pick up poop! Because PEOPLE bring obnoxious and dangerous animals to these places! Because PEOPLE bring dogs to these places and then ignore them. Because PEOPLE refuse to treat their dogs like dogs!

I'm sorry I have to start this ball rolling with a rant about human irresponsibility, but if we want to make changes--and I'm hoping I'm not the only one!--we are going to have to accept RESPONSIBILITY.  We're going to have to PROVE that we mean it. We're going to have to be twice as good to get maybe half the access.

So: are you with me? It's gonna take a village. I gave up being the little red hen long ago, but I am willing to get this party started.

So: are you with me?

I invite guest bloggers to express their views. I really do want to know if we can start a movement!