More Dogs Everywhere

Riverdale is only one of thousands of communities in North-America that are trying to come up with ways to accommodate growing dog populations. Do an Internet search and you will see that our problems are not unique. As a reference, we have added links (under "Related Links") to dog parks in Vancouver, Denver, and Bloomington as well as to a dogcentric site called "thebark.com." Take a look at them. The Australian study is a comprehensive analysis of this massive societal change. Domestic dogs are now a billion dollar industryÛand growing year by year. Our urban parks were never designed to handle this exploding dog population. Yet, as many of the residents who have contributed to this site note, dog owners represent a significant portion of the tax base in our neighbourhood. Are their needs being responded to or are the concerns of non dog owners? Paula Fletcher's call for participation and suggestions for a functional review of Withrow Park is an important first step. Don't assume though that your needs and the needs of your neighbours will automatically be addressed. Let the City know your ideas on how the park can be improved. Make the fencing of Withrow Park a catalyst for positive change.