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Citizen Correpsondence_That's My Dog re Dogs in City ParksThat's My Dog July 27, 2012 Robin MacFarlane President That's My Dog! Inc 5110 Wolff Rd Dubuque, IA 52002 Dubuque City Council members, Mayor Buol, and Mr. Van Milligen I am writing in regard to the proposal to repeal the ban on dogs from our Dubuque City Parks. I spoke in favor of the action at a previous council meeting and also at the Park Commission meeting on July 10th First I would like to volunteer my expertise if the council has questions or wishes to discuss issues of dangerous dogs or other pertinent matters that may be of concern while reviewing this proposal. The City of Dubuque Animal Control Dept. has contacted me in the past requesting my opinion on various dogs and issues and I am happy to assist in this discussion as well, if needed. Secondly I would like to address a few key concepts that were mentioned at the parks commission meeting that are concerning to me as a Dubuque resident and as a business owner. At the July 10th parks meeting it was discussed that there should be "compromise" on this issue. That going forward Dubuque dog owners may be allowed to visit "some" of the parks with their pets but our "marquee parks" such as Eagle Point and Murphy Park should remain off limits to dog owners. It was additionally suggested that dogs now be banned from the River Walk area as well (Alliant Amphitheater to south end Pavilion) because it has become a "ritzy area and even weddings are occurring there" I would suggest that the dog owners of Dubuque have more than compromised since this ban was enacted over 50 years ago. Since that time, licensed, tax paying dog owners of this city have not been no Wolff Rd Dubuque, IA5zooz 0: 563- 588 -3039 C: 563-599-3258 W wwwThatsMyDog.com allowed to walk their dog through our city parks. Additionally, to think that some of the Dubuque parks may be more pristine and of higher value than places such as Golden Gate Park, The Grand Canyon National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Central Park (all places I have walked my personal dogs) seems a bit arrogant and makes it difficult for tourists traveling to our city who are accompanied by their dogs. Eagle Point and the River Walk in particular are destinations that should be dog friendly as it offers some of the most desirable views of the Mississippi River that our area has to offer. I am very aware that change is disconcerting and that there are those who do not like dogs at all and therefore do not wish to share public space with them. I am also aware there are irresponsible dog owners who may create some problems. However, I do not believe creating restrictions and regulations to guard against the lowest common denominator is what our city strives to do. If it is "too big of a risk" (as some mentioned at the parks meeting) to allow dogs in these areas I would certainly think going back to two way traffic on some of our city streets after 50 years of them being one way passages would be cause for enormous concern for public safety. The problems of unruly dogs and irresponsible owners who do not clean up their dogs waste can both be addressed by holding accountable the responsible parties. This will likely mean some increase in manpower, at least initially. However, it is my feeling if rules are strictly enforced early in the transition the message will be clear what will or will not be tolerated. If after an initial trial period the problems are significant then I believe there would be just cause to reverse a decision. I don't believe that will happen however. In May of this past year I volunteered with the Clean up Downtown Project and specifically requested to be assigned to the River Walk area. Myself and 3 other volunteers found 2 piles of dog waste in the entire Port of Dubuque area. This is an area that is currently heavily trafficked with visiting dogs. Conversely we retrieved numerous soda bottles, cigarette and snack packaging and literally 1000 cigarette butts, totaling 3 large bags of trash. Quite simply, the city of Dubuque is changing. No longer does everyone own their own property with plenty of back yard space to play with and exercise their dog. We continue to work toward attracting business and newcomers from other municipalities who are already accustom to taking their dogs to the park. These new area residents are dismayed to find the rules are dramatically different here. Please allow me to share a few statistics (copies of resources attached) There are approximately 74.8 million family dogs in the U.S. 39% of U.S. households own at least one dog. The pet dog industry is currently a 50 Billion dollar industry with annual numbers continuing to grow despite the economic down turn. Dogs are the most common type of pet to travel with (78% - 85% according to various surveys) Of a survey of owners who do travel with their pet when possible 64% said they are likely to lengthen their stay if pets are welcome. The July 15, 2012 issue of USA today reports that 44% of dog owners will spend an additional $50.00 - $150.00 to be able to travel with their pet, 43% will spend greater than $150.00 The data suggests that this trend in pet popularity is going to continue to rise. Becoming more pet friendly is an issue the city will face sooner or later. Adopting small changes for a "wait and see" attitude only delays further discussion that will happen in the future as dog owners continue to press for their right to walk their dogs in our city parks. In regards to potential dog bite problems I would like to point out another statistic that 2/3 of bites occur on or near the victim's property, and most victims knew the dog. This bears out with my experience that dogs display the greatest likelihood for a potential bite when they are on their own property where they feel a sense of ownership (territorial) Further it should be pointed out that when one is looking at dog bite statistics, a "dog bite" has a very broad classification and includes any tear of the skin caused by tooth or nail. This means that the statistics include puppy play biting, any nail scratch the tears skin, police canine apprehension bites, bites to dog professionals dealing with fearful or aggressive animals, accidental bites etc. I am not attempting to suggest that dog bites are to be taken lightly or that our municipality should not be concerned, however I believe we have enforceable laws in place for dangerous or vicious dogs. 3 Individuals need to be held accountable rather than all dog owners being lumped into the "what could happen category" and therefore regulated against. I hope the council will take this letter into consideration and vote in favor of repealing the ban on dogs in our city parks. Respectfully, Robin MacFarlane That's My Dog! Inc 563 - 588 -3039 4 Going nude saved struggling Fla. motel from going under Fawlty Towers in Cocoa Beach is among resorts rebranded as nudist, and now business is boom- ing. But not everyone is happy. 1B. Best steakhouse in USA is ... Food writers, chefs and critics voted, and they picked a Brooklyn eatery open since 1887. 3D. See news photos of the day on your smartphone Scan with a QR reader; AT &T code scanner available at scan.mobi. Get codes foryour business at attcom /mcode. R diinkPossibTE • Home Delivery, customer service 1 -800- 872 -0001 ' www.usatodayservice.com IIIIIUUI 8 tlllll u1 Across the USA 5A Crossword, Sudoku 8C Editorial /Forum 8 -9A Market scoreboard 4B Marketplace Today 8C Weekend TV. 4 -5D ©COPYRIGHT 2012 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co., Inc. USA TODAY Snapshots ®. How much more would you spend to have your pet along on a trip? !Upto 13% S50 -$150 44% More than $150 43% Source: Perplan Pet Insurance survey or 3,328 pet owners. By Rachel Huggins and Alejandro Gonzalez, USA TODAY Waiting: States defiant, compliar — but mostly undecidet By Richard Wolf USA TODAY The Supreme Court's decision upholding Pr dent Obama's health care law but potent limiting its scope has created a stark polio divide among the nation's governors. A 50 -state survey by USA TODAY shows c Republican governors are refusing to expand I‘ dicaid and only Democrats are vowing to exp: it following the court's ruling that states can be penalized for failing to enlarge the progr< More than half the governors are undecided. The partisan gulf exposes problems for the law as it staggers from the 5-4 • St court decision, past GOP efforts to re- breal peal it in Congress and toward a No- vember election that could decide its fate. Wit out broad action by states, millions more Ame icans will remain uninsured, hospitals will fa continuing demands for uncompensated car and insurers may be forced to raise premiums. The survey found seven Republican governo refusing to expand Medicaid and 22 others doubt Together, they represent nearly 10 millic people who were projected to join the program. "While we absolutely need to address the cha' lenges of the uninsured, expanding Medicaid ma not be the way to do it," says Utah Gov. Gar Herbert, a Republican. "Let's start this conversa tion over ... with the states at the table." By contrast, 13 Democratic governors and in- dependent Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island etpuC 4 4G cities and tow AT&T. The nation's n s lar 1.e66.MOs ;LETY I ATT.COM:NETWORK I VEST A 'STORE 4GSpeddsndaro emyelmaCamparism,taseAgiBSos ImranlAdGraraageleammareataRrmi /ralwe.T;All7A8dTNlEI�- IPropert}Srniceppvided4A HotdiTj ,AIIigMsesrmedATATaMNenTivoe o.321(11N3AGV AVCA213A3 1103 DNINIVWL aid • Media Contacts: Baltz & Company for Kimpton Chloe Mata Crane / 212 - 982 -8300 x104 / cmcrane(aiDaltzco.com Marliese Engel Traver / 212 - 982 -8300 x112 / mtraver(a�baltzco.com Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Stacey Ellis / 415- 955 -5492 / stacey.ellis(a kimptongroup.com Jamie Law / 415 - 955 -5495 / jamie.Iaw ankimptongroup.com PET TRAVEL TRENDS AND STATISTICS The Humane Society of the United States (March 2008) • Approximately 74.8 million dogs and 88.3 cats live with families in the U.S. • 39 percent of U.S. households own at least one dog and 34 percent own at least one cat Travel industry Association of America (January 2009) • 14 percent of all U.S. adults (29.1 million) say they have traveled with a pet on a trip of 50 miles or more in the past three years • The percentage of households traveling with pets increases during summer months when more families travel • When traveling with pets, cars are the primary mode of transportation (76 %), followed by RVs (10 %), and airlines (6 %) • 29 percent of people traveling with pets stay at a hotel • Dogs are the most common type of pet to travel with (78 %) • Other traveling animals include cats (15 %), birds (2 %) and either a ferret, rabbit, or fish (3 %) Survey of 400 Families With Pets Conducted by Lieberman Research Worldwide (August 2003) • 78 percent of human companions consider their dog an equal member of the family • 43 percent of travelers feel guilty about leaving their dog behind • 37 percent of travelers would take dogs on more trips if more hotels were pet - friendly • 75 percent said they would be more loyal to a hotel chain that accepted dogs, even when they weren't traveling with a pet • 49 percent think about their dog 'very often' when they are away • 94 percent of people with dogs said they ask how their dog is doing when they phone home • 65 percent have brought a gift home for their dog following a trip # ## Pet Travel Statistics Reported for Second Quarter of 2006 / Sep... http: / /www. hotel - online.com/ News /PR2006_3rd/Sep06_PetStats... Hotel Online Special Report Pet Travel Statistics Reported for Second Quarter of 2006 Knoxville, TN — September 12, 2006 - BringYourPet.com ( www.bringyourpet.com), a leading pet friendly hotel and lodging directory continuously polls thousands of its Web site visitors, newsletter subscribers, and random households regarding their travel and purchase habits. All who participate in the surveys own at least one pet. A portion of the 2006 second quarter results are as follows: • 82% stay at designated pet - friendly hotels or lodging each year. • 75% take their pets with them when leaving town. • 64% would be more likely to lengthen their stay if given the opportunity to travel with their pets. • 85% travel with dogs. • 6% travel with cats. • 34% travel with dogs 50 pounds or more. • 39% say it is 'difficult to find pet - friendly lodging'. • 40% say their biggest grievance with.pet- friendly lodging is it is difficult to find. b !Boin,gYour,P•et .co•.m About BringYourPet.com BringYourPet.com brings.pet friendly travel options to traveling pet owners from the USA and abroad. The company Web site located at www.bringyourpet.com is a valuable tool in planning a successful pet - inclusive travel experience. The site lists high 1 of 3 7/18/12 9:59 PM American Pet Ownership Statistics and Spending Abut com American Pet Ownership Statistics From Lianne McLeod, DVM, former About.com Guide Numbers and statistics have always fascinated me. I found the following numbers particularly interesting, especially how many exotic pets are kept in the US and how much money is being spent on pets. Of course, the benefits of pet ownership make pets well worth the cost, and I think the numbers show that people increasingly treat their pets as a valued member of their families. American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA)tracks consumer trends when it comes to pets. The 2007/2007 National Pet Owners Survey done by the APPMA found that pet ownership remains on the rise in the US. While dogs, cats, and fish remain the most popular, reptiles and other small pets are becoming more popular too. Here is the breakdown of the US pet population and a comparison to a couple of years ago: http: / /exoti cpets. about. com/ cs /resourcesgeneral /a/petstates. htm ?p =1 Boa Constrictor Lianne McLeod • Reptiles - 13.4 million (11.0 million in 2006/2006 and 9 million in 2003/2004) • Small animals - 24.3 million (18.2 million in 2006/2006 and 16.8 million in 2003/2004) • Birds - 16 million (16.6 million in 2006/2006 and 17.3 million in 2003/2004) • Cats - 88.3 million (90.5 million In 2006/2006 and 77.7 million in 2003/2004) • Dogs - 74.8 million (73.9 million in 2006/2006 and 65 million in 2003/2004) • Saltwater Fish - 9.6 million (9.6 million in 2006/2006 and 7 million in 2003/2004) • Freshwater Fish - 142 million (139.0 million In 2006/2006 and 185 million In 2003/2004) Source: AAPMA Spending According to the APPMA statistics on spending, Americans spend more on their pets year after year. Total pet industry expenditures In the US over the last few years are as follows: • 2007: $41.2 billion • 2006: $38.5 billion • 2005: $36.3 billion • 2004: $34.4 billion • 2003: $32.4 billion • 2002: $29.5 billion • And for comparison, 1998: $17 billion The APPMA reported the following breakdown for the areas in which money is spent on pets (2007 figures for the US): • $16.2 billion for food • $9.8 billion for supplies and OTC medications • $10.1 billion for veterinarian care • $2.1 billion for live animal purchases • $3.0 billion for other services such as grooming and boarding More About Exotic Pets • Choosina an Exotic Pet1 • Exotic Pets A to Z2 This About.com page has been optimized for print To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://exoticoets.aboutscomicsiresourcesgeneral/a/petstat.htm (1012 About.com, Inc., a part of T hr 'emcr;•s. All rights reserved. Links in this article: 1. http: / /exoticpets.about. tom/ cs/ resoureesgeneral /a /choosingpet.htm 2. http: / /exoticpets. about. com/ cs/ resourcesgeneraUa /exoticpetsatoz.htm 1 of 1 7/18/12 9:52 PM U.S. Pet Ownership Statistics : The Humane Society of the Unit... http: / /www.humanesociety.org/ issues /pet_overpopulation/facts /... II;Pfmr7tarrjfw.›, ‘kiititInpi:okko THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES We're the nation's faro t and most effective animal protection c(ganizatfo?. AUGUST 12, 2011 Mare U.S. Pet Ownership Statistics The Humane Society of the United States The following statistics were compiled from the American Pet Products Association 2011 -2012 National Pet Owners Survey. Dogs • There are approximately 78.2 million owned dogs in the United States Thirty-nine percent of U.S. households own at least one dog Most owners (60 percent) own one dog 1 of 3 7/18/12 9 :49 PM Dog Bites http : / /www.americanhumane.org/animals /stop - animal- 4buse /fac... American Humane Association The nation's voice for the protection of children S animals Dog Bites Dog bite statistics • An estimated 4.7 million dog bites occur in the U.S. each year2,3 • Nearly 800,000 dog bites require medical caret • Approximately 92% of fatal dog attacks involved male dogs, 94% of which were not neuteredl • Approximately 25% of fatal dog attacks involved chained dogsl • Approximately 71% of bites occur to the extremities (arms, legs, hands, feet)2 • Approximately two-thirds of bites occurred on or near the victim's property, and most victims knew the dog • The insurance industry pays more than $1 billion in dog -bite claims each year3 • At least 25 different breeds of dogs have been involved in the 238 dog - bite - related fatalities in the U.S.4 • Approximately 24% of human deaths involved unrestrained dogs off of their owners' property4 • Approximately 58% of human deaths involved unrestrained dogs on their owners' property4 Breed- specific legislation (BSL) • In response to these statistics, many communities have enacted breed - specific legislation (BSL) that prohibits ownership of certain breeds, such as pit bulls, Rottweilers and others. • Any breed of dog can bite, and research suggests BSL does little to protect the community from dog -bite incidents. • In fact, BSL can often have unintended consequences — such as black- market interest and indiscriminant breeding practices — resulting in subsequent breed overpopulation that leads to increases in the number of homeless, stray and euthanized dogs. • Enforcement of BSL has been shown to be very costly and extremely difficult to enforce. One county in Maryland spent more than $560,000 maintaining pit bulls (not including payroll, cross - agency costs and utilities), while fees generated only $35,000.5 • Responsible breeding and ownership, public education and enforcement of existing laws are the most effective ways of reducing dog bites. • American Humane supports local legislation to protect communities from dangerous animals, but does not advocate laws that target specific breeds of dogs. Dog bites and children • 50% of dog attacks involved children under 12 years old • 82% of dog bites treated in the emergency room involved children under 15 years old2 • 70% of dog -bite fatalities occurred among children under 10 years olds • Bite rates are dramatically higher among children who are 5 to 9 years old2 • Unsupervised newborns were 370 times more likely than an adult to be killed by a dogs • 65% of bites among children occur to the head and neck2 • Boys under the age of 15 years old are bitten more often than girls of the same age2 What can parents do? • Educate your children. Studies have found that the number -one dog -bite prevention measure is education. Children who understand how to act around dogs, how to play with dogs, when to leave dogs alone and how to properly meet a dog are much less likely to be bitten. To address this need, American Humane has created American Humane KIDS: Kids Interacting with Dogs Safely TM a dog -bite prevention program specifically for children ages 4 to 7. • Supervise your children. Unsupervised children may innocently wander too close to a dangerous situation. Eighty-eight percent of fatal dog attacks among 2- year -olds occurred when the child was left unsupervised.1 Supervision of children, especially around dogs, is one way to help ensure they are safe. Safe rules of behavior for kids Don't treat a dog unkindly. • Never hit, kick, slap or bite a dog or pull on his ears, tail or paws. Don't bother a dog when she is busy. • Never bother dogs with puppies or dogs that are playing with or guarding toys, eating or sleeping. Always leave service dogs alone while they are working. 1 of 3 7/18/12 9:36 PM Dog Bites 1 National Canine Research Council http: // nationalcanineresearchcouncil .com /dogbites /whatisadogbite/ • About Us. Responsible Pet Ownerships Dog Legislation • Resources• Dog Bites Publications• Media Center Preserving the Human- Canine Bond • Home • Dog Bites • What is a dog bite? What is a dog bite? • What is a dog bite? • Types of dog bites • The problems with dog bite studies • Dog bite - related fatalities • State -by -state information • Dog Bites in Canada To leam more about the topic of dog bites, click here to read Cloy Bites: Problems and Solutions, Janis Bradley, an Animals & Society Institute Policy Paper. Search • Contact Us* Blog What is a dog bite? "What is a dog bite ? ": the question seems simple enough. Most of us would describe a dog bite as an incident where a dog deliberately inflicts an injury to a person. However, animal control and public health departments consider any incident in which a dog's tooth or nail breaks a person's skin - regardless of the circumstances or any characterization of the dog's intention - to be an animal exposure that merits their notice. Based on this definition, animal control and public health departments classify all of the following types of animal exposures as dog bites: • Nips from playful puppies. • Scratches from a clog's nail. • Scrapes from a dog's tooth. • Accidental bites by dogs. • Bites from injured or ill dogs receiving assistance or comfort from Good Samaritans (e.g. dogs hit by cars). • Bites by working K -9 dogs delivered in the performance of police duties. • Bites delivered to canine professionals such as veterinarians. These may have occurred under extreme duress, such as if the dog was in pain or otherwise unable to control its behavior. (e.g. a vet tech bitten while removing intubation tube from a dog's throat) Dog Bites and "Statistics" Dog bite statistics include a range of types of dog bites. The vast majority are not severe enough to warrant a trip to the emergency 1 of4 Video of the Week A Video Interview with Victoria Voith, Ph.D., DVM, DACVB READ MORE Send to Friends Publications • Visual Breed ID Poster: Labrador retriever Mixes • Visual Breed ID Poster: "Pit Bull" Mixes • Dog Bites: Problems & Solutions • The Problem of Dog - Related Incidents and Encounters • The Relevance of Breed in Selecting a Companion Dog • The Pit Bull Placebo READ ALL PUBLICATIONS » View Points Breeds and Behavior by Janis Bradley reprinted from The Bark (April /May 2011) Click here 10 read full article. Reading Suggestions 7/19/12 12:54 PM