My colleague David Whiting dips into the furry subject of dog parks and their cost to residents.
Mission Viejo has been weighing the option of a fenced-in area for dogs for several years. The City Council on Jan. 3 voted 3-2 in favor of setting aside $79,000 for a final design and cost estimate for the dog park – the next step in a nearly five-year process. It would be the city’s first dog park.
Not all the councilors thought it was the best time to be spending on a park for dogs:
Councilmembers Cathy Schlicht and Rhonda Reardon – the two opposing votes – said the cost of completing the dog park may reach $1 million and would be an irresponsible expense in the current economic climate. Reardon said the city needed to reduce its expenses, and the cost of keeping up the park each year would be roughly $30,000 to $40,000 per year.
| Find a dog park |
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| Pet Tales has created a map to help residents locate an Orange County dog park in their city.
Learn more about park hours, rules and the nonprofits that support each park at our Dog Park wiki page. |
David took his new dog, Buddy, a rescue from Orange County Animal Care’s shelter, to Canada Vista Park in Rancho Santa Margarita. The park offers parks for both dogs and skateboarders. He writes:
Buddy was the new kid on the block. A pack of about a half-dozen dogs of all sizes chased him. Like a small wide receiver, he zipped across the park, cut hard right under the picnic tables, sliced left through a bush and was tackled. The action was like watching football bloopers.
It often takes experience firsthand to realize the value of a public service paid for by citizens. It’s also wise to note that many of Orange County dog parks are supported by nonprofits that pay for upkeep costs on city land.
David and Buddy’s visit to the dog park proved a point:
It was then that I realized dog parks aren’t for dogs any more than skate parks are for skateboards or baseball parks are for baseballs. Dog parks are for people.
Read David’s entire column: Are dog parks worth the cost?
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….WOOF!
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….MEOW!
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Are dog parks worth the cost? is a post from: Pet Tales
