Bark Park

[Oil Capital]

I've had the exact same experience with my dog.  She can be a holy terror when walking on-leash in the neighborhood, but she has never had any problem whatsoever with other dogs at dog parks...

[ARGUS]

I must get a "hobbyest" permit as my dog has:
[8][8]'s ; but just 2 of them.
That will be fun...my lil guy running around...she will come over and see the [8][8]'s and i will whip out my hobbyest permit...she will quake with anger and be able to do nada!

[mrB]

Here's what they're saying about this issue over at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tulsabarkpark/. You have to join the group to see messages, so I went ahead and posted their thread here to get all sides!

quote:
#749
Date: Sun Sep 7, 2008 9:01 pm
Subject: joestationdogpark.com comment....  

 I received this comment on the joestationdogpark.com website.

Comment : Since the opening of the park, my family and I have been
enjoying the park along with our dog Eva Deva, never having a problem.
Today however, is different story. My five year old daughter and I
were playing frizbe off to the side, inside the park. A rough looking
lady starting yelling at me in front of my daughter telling me that
she can not be here. I told her that I knew the rules and that I am
her mother and will keep her close. She went on and on and finally
called 911. We were so mortafied that we left with my daughter crying.
Now, being a mother of three, I understand that this rule is for the
safety of the children, but as her mother, it is my reponsibility to
make sure she does not get hurt, which is what I was doing. This lady
made a point to come over and bother us. Well, she made her point. We
WILL continue to go there and I WILL continue to bring my daughter.
Please let me know how you feel in this matter. Let me also say, that
since we have been going to the park, my dog along with my daughter
have made a ton of new friends. Everytime we go there, there is at
least 4 or five kids and they are all having the time of their life.
Sincerely, Trena

I have the contact information if someone more official would like to
contact her.  Just let me know.
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#750  
Date: Sun Sep 7, 2008 9:22 pm
Subject: Re: joestationdogpark.com comment....  

 My comment would be...it is NEVER our job to make someone feel bad or humiliate anyone. I'd only personally call the cops if i felt someone's safety were in jeopardy, not because some woman said, "I know the rules and I'm keeping my daughter safe and I'm aware." At that point I'd say that I just wanted to be sure she was aware of the rules and the danger and let it go. Now if her child were hitting dogs with sticks and she refused to do anything, I'd call the police...but really...no one should be verbally roughing people up.

Jaime
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#752
Date: Mon Sep 8, 2008 12:14 am
Subject: Re: joestationdogpark.com comment....  

 I understand that you love your kid and it's my belief that this was mishandled but as an owner of a large dog who will playfully chase a child.  Everytime someone Bri be there kids my dog has to leave because it's a risk that the kid might do something to cause my dog to want to play, and we all know that even in a dog park the dogs always lose in court.  So while you were both wrong, continuing to violate the rules and ruin the dog park for Dogowners is very unfair.  I know you love your kid but my dog can't run free at your kids parks so please don't bring your kids to my dogs park.

JJ
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Reply  
#753
Date: Mon Sep 8, 2008 8:04 am
Subject: Re:joestationdogpark.com comment....

 I feel as long as a parent knows the rules and that they are responsible for any injuries to their child, that is all that should be said to them. Just letting them know that they are legally responsible if anything happens should be enough. I would also let them know that it would be safe for their small child to watch all the dogs from the bleachers. This just shows that there is a need for a seperate play surface for the children where one parent could be with the child that plays and one could be with the family dog. This would make the outing a family event.

This weekend we needed to switch the open gate to the locked gate so the mud puddle can dry up.
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#754
Date: Mon Sep 8, 2008 8:24 am
Subject: Re: Re:joestationdogpark.com comment....

 The problem is, the parent is NOT legally responsible.  You can say all you want at the park or on this forum, but when it winds up in court, the dog looses...period.  If one child is let in, then why can't all be let in?  After all, we know that every parent and every child is perfect and responsible.  

We also leave if a child shows up inside the park.  We have not stopped and gone back home because there were small children inside the park.  Try explaining that to 3 very excited dogs.

What concerns me the most is, why are you teaching your children it's OK to break the rules?  Good luck with that when they are teenagers.

Caren
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#757
Date: Mon Sep 8, 2008 11:23 am
Subject: Re: joestationdogpark.com comment....

 The under 12 rule is not just a rule, it is my understanding that it
has been adopted as part of the city ordinances for the parks. If so,
any parent found in violation of that law can be cited and fined.

Should a child be injured within the park a parent could (and in my
opinion should) be cited for willful child endangerment and/or
negligent care resulting in injury to a child.

However the final liability for a child's injury within the Dog Park
will fall to the owner of the dog and the dog. The medical care for
the child's injury could end up being the responsibility of the pet
owner. The dog could be put down. NO matter how many warnings are
posted about the danger to the child, the dog will be the one who
suffers for injuring a child.
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Reply
#760
Date: Mon Sep 8, 2008 4:33 pm
Subject: Re:joestationdogpark.com comment....

 (This is to the lady that brought her child into the park and was
treated rudely)

Dear Park Goer,
I am so sorry that you were treated unkindly at the dog park!  No one
ever deserves to be "yelled at."  Please know (from a fellow
ambassador) that during our "training" it was never suggested to be
anything but kind and considerate to all the park goers.  The true
purpose of the dog park was to build a community where dogs & humans
alike could go and enjoy safely.
However, I would like to point out that it sounds like the "rough
looking lady" was making a valid point.  You were breaking a
rule/law.  I don't feel like yelling is a correct way to handle any
situation, but I don't feel like ignoring the law is correct either.
You make a point that the child rule is for your child's protection,
which is only half true.  That rule is for our dog's protection as
well.  Both you and the other party were in the wrong in this
situation.  Please know that when you break the rules, it disrupts one
of the major purposes of the park#61664;building a wonderful community for
all dogs and owners to safely enjoy.  Even if you have seen children
in the park, they don't belong either.  Please be aware that not only
do you deserve to be treated respectfully, so do all the other people
who don't appreciate a child being in a no-child area.  People will
not give respect to those who are blatantly being disrespectful.  When
you choose to put our community at risk, when you choose to disrespect
the rules we have instilled for OUR safety, you choose the
repercussions that we have all agreed on.  That repercussion is a call
to the police.
I do hope that you understand that we all just want to have a good
time out there.  Once again, my apologies about the lady yelling at
you.  I do hope you can try and see the other side of this story.
Suzy
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Reply
#762
Date: Mon Sep 8, 2008 6:19 pm
Subject: Re:joestationdogpark.com comment....

 I'd like to add on to the whole "police call" thing & say that this
is only necessary in a volital situation.

[Andi]

okay, so I understand the lady was rude, but the rule is there because some of the dogs that come to the park are a little high strung. I'm not saying that they are bad dogs, just saying that I've had my feet taken right out from under me by a running dog. It's your own decision if you choose to bring your child, but I'm not comfortable seeing children there and I know it worries many of the other dog owners too. I don't want to see a child get hurt and I would think as her mother you would see that. As for the big pool... It broke. the bottom came right out from under it. My dog loved that thing too and he doesn't even fit in the smaller ones, but until someone brings another one out, that's all we have.

[AngieB]

Tulsa World today:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080914_11_A17_BarkPa873637

"Dogs love the city's first off-leash park, and pet owners are happy, too."