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This is such a California story. - Perdita
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In dog parks, size matters - Cecilia M. Vega, SF Chronicle, October 30, 2004
In Danville, where there are chiropractors for dogs, flyers soliciting "doggie playmates" and an advocacy group called DanDOG with its own Internet chat group, all matters related to dogs are taken very seriously. So when Spot, a 10-pound toy fox terrier, was killed this summer after colliding with a much larger border collie at Hap Magee Ranch Park, Danville's new doggie playground, small-dog owners in the wealthy East Bay suburb united to do something about it.
It was the type of tragedy they predicted would happen if small dogs mingled with large, and with the rallying cry of "I told you so," they successfully lobbied Town Hall to create a park for little dogs where their Chihuahuas and toy poodles could romp in peace. "It's the equivalent of putting a 9-year-old girl out on the field with the Oakland Raiders for a scrimmage," said Doreen Pearsall, a lawyer whose toy fox terrier, Frederika, weighs 5 pounds and her miniature pinscher, Deitrich, weighs 6 pounds.
Danville, which plans to write a $60,000 check for a small-dog park (on top of the $116,000 it already spent on the original dog park) that may open by year's end, is the latest place in the Bay Area to designate a safe haven for small dogs. In recent years, cities like San Ramon, Dublin, Foster City and Mountain View have built parks where miniature pooches have their own grass to run through and water troughs to play in. Alameda opened its small-dog park in July after a miniature pinscher was killed by a Tibetan mastiff, a breed that easily tops 130 pounds. And in the dog world, where doting owners can be as passionate -- or even more so -- about their pets as they are about their children, the efforts have been hard fought and sometimes bitter.
In San Ramon, owners of big dogs gathered hundreds of signatures from supporters who didn't want to relinquish a portion of the dog park to small dogs. In Danville, the matter grew so contentious that police were called to the park to settle a squabble between small- and big-dog owners. Small-dog owners eager for their pups to socialize with other canines of small stature and fearful their tiny friends will be trampled by larger dogs have equated the battle for small-dog parks to the struggle for civil rights. "It feels like it's the haves versus the have-nots," said Pearsall, who was among those who lobbied Danville to set aside about 16,000 square feet of the 1 1/2-acre dog park for small dogs. "It's been amazing to me that people who are essentially well off, have pets and live in a really nice community are being so selfish as to say, 'Only we get to use it. You can't.' "
But owners of dogs with bigger bites say their pets need the space for frolicking, and they shouldn't have to give up precious land where big dogs can roam leash-free to tiny dogs that can get just a much exercise in their own backyards. "It's ridiculous that in this area we would spend $60,000 for a little- dog park when we're watching our budget," said Christine Legg, whose black Newfoundland, Mr. Big, weighs 150 pounds. "People go to parks, and you don't have a little person's park and a big person's park. I'm a taxpayer. I have to pay for this."
After Spot was killed in July, Danville officials implemented a plan alternating the hours during which big and small dogs could use the park, but "that didn't work. It caused a lot of friction," said Michelle Lacy, Danville's recreation services manager. Dog owners argued over who could use the park during certain hours. One evening, as people in suits walked their dogs after work, the owner of a small dog called the police to settle the dispute. Since then, the town has paid to install a temporary fence carving out a portion of the park for small dogs, which have their own entrance. But that's not working either -- no one seems to be using it. "At this point, we have decided we're not going back until it's separate, " Michelle Cowles, owner of two dachshunds, Lucy and Molly, said of the park. "Word has gotten out that it's ugly there. You get glared at."
Cowles, who lives in San Ramon, is on a small-dog park mission. She spearheaded the efforts in San Ramon and Danville to have miniature parks built and lobbied behind the scenes in Alameda. She also plans to push elected state legislators to pass a law requiring that small-dog parks be incorporated into any new dog parks built. "I understand that it's a financial impact to the city, but it's not fair that one group of people can use the parks," she said. "Everyone pays property taxes."
Claudia Kawczynska, editor-in-chief of the Berkeley-based Bark magazine, said that, in an urban region like the Bay Area, where spacious yards are rare and small dogs are increasingly popular, it's no surprise that small-dog owners have become more vocal. But when it comes to creating parks specifically for small dogs, she said, the greater good of the entire dog-loving community must be considered. "Do you take an acre plot and carve out a quarter of an acre for small dogs," she asked. "I would vote no for that. ... Perhaps the people who own small dogs could invite all the people with small dogs to their backyards one day a week."
Danville's permanent small-dog park for canines weighing under 20 to 25 pounds -- the exact weight limit has yet to be set -- will be carved out of a corner of Hap Magee Ranch Park and could be open by the end of the year. That's none too soon for Barbara Smith and her 7 1/2-pound shih tzu, Duper, who wears a ponytail and a sparkling rhinestone clip to keep his shaggy fur from bothering his tiny eyes. "Our dog thinks he's a movie star," Smith said of the getup. Sometimes, Duper is courageous enough to venture to the other side of the fence with the big dogs, but Smith is sure to remove the rhinestone hair accessories beforehand. "I like the small-dog park because it's not muddy," Smith said. "My dog's so low to the ground that when he runs around the big-dog park, his legs and stomach get all muddy."
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In dog parks, size matters - Cecilia M. Vega, SF Chronicle, October 30, 2004
In Danville, where there are chiropractors for dogs, flyers soliciting "doggie playmates" and an advocacy group called DanDOG with its own Internet chat group, all matters related to dogs are taken very seriously. So when Spot, a 10-pound toy fox terrier, was killed this summer after colliding with a much larger border collie at Hap Magee Ranch Park, Danville's new doggie playground, small-dog owners in the wealthy East Bay suburb united to do something about it.
It was the type of tragedy they predicted would happen if small dogs mingled with large, and with the rallying cry of "I told you so," they successfully lobbied Town Hall to create a park for little dogs where their Chihuahuas and toy poodles could romp in peace. "It's the equivalent of putting a 9-year-old girl out on the field with the Oakland Raiders for a scrimmage," said Doreen Pearsall, a lawyer whose toy fox terrier, Frederika, weighs 5 pounds and her miniature pinscher, Deitrich, weighs 6 pounds.
Danville, which plans to write a $60,000 check for a small-dog park (on top of the $116,000 it already spent on the original dog park) that may open by year's end, is the latest place in the Bay Area to designate a safe haven for small dogs. In recent years, cities like San Ramon, Dublin, Foster City and Mountain View have built parks where miniature pooches have their own grass to run through and water troughs to play in. Alameda opened its small-dog park in July after a miniature pinscher was killed by a Tibetan mastiff, a breed that easily tops 130 pounds. And in the dog world, where doting owners can be as passionate -- or even more so -- about their pets as they are about their children, the efforts have been hard fought and sometimes bitter.
In San Ramon, owners of big dogs gathered hundreds of signatures from supporters who didn't want to relinquish a portion of the dog park to small dogs. In Danville, the matter grew so contentious that police were called to the park to settle a squabble between small- and big-dog owners. Small-dog owners eager for their pups to socialize with other canines of small stature and fearful their tiny friends will be trampled by larger dogs have equated the battle for small-dog parks to the struggle for civil rights. "It feels like it's the haves versus the have-nots," said Pearsall, who was among those who lobbied Danville to set aside about 16,000 square feet of the 1 1/2-acre dog park for small dogs. "It's been amazing to me that people who are essentially well off, have pets and live in a really nice community are being so selfish as to say, 'Only we get to use it. You can't.' "
But owners of dogs with bigger bites say their pets need the space for frolicking, and they shouldn't have to give up precious land where big dogs can roam leash-free to tiny dogs that can get just a much exercise in their own backyards. "It's ridiculous that in this area we would spend $60,000 for a little- dog park when we're watching our budget," said Christine Legg, whose black Newfoundland, Mr. Big, weighs 150 pounds. "People go to parks, and you don't have a little person's park and a big person's park. I'm a taxpayer. I have to pay for this."
After Spot was killed in July, Danville officials implemented a plan alternating the hours during which big and small dogs could use the park, but "that didn't work. It caused a lot of friction," said Michelle Lacy, Danville's recreation services manager. Dog owners argued over who could use the park during certain hours. One evening, as people in suits walked their dogs after work, the owner of a small dog called the police to settle the dispute. Since then, the town has paid to install a temporary fence carving out a portion of the park for small dogs, which have their own entrance. But that's not working either -- no one seems to be using it. "At this point, we have decided we're not going back until it's separate, " Michelle Cowles, owner of two dachshunds, Lucy and Molly, said of the park. "Word has gotten out that it's ugly there. You get glared at."
Cowles, who lives in San Ramon, is on a small-dog park mission. She spearheaded the efforts in San Ramon and Danville to have miniature parks built and lobbied behind the scenes in Alameda. She also plans to push elected state legislators to pass a law requiring that small-dog parks be incorporated into any new dog parks built. "I understand that it's a financial impact to the city, but it's not fair that one group of people can use the parks," she said. "Everyone pays property taxes."
Claudia Kawczynska, editor-in-chief of the Berkeley-based Bark magazine, said that, in an urban region like the Bay Area, where spacious yards are rare and small dogs are increasingly popular, it's no surprise that small-dog owners have become more vocal. But when it comes to creating parks specifically for small dogs, she said, the greater good of the entire dog-loving community must be considered. "Do you take an acre plot and carve out a quarter of an acre for small dogs," she asked. "I would vote no for that. ... Perhaps the people who own small dogs could invite all the people with small dogs to their backyards one day a week."
Danville's permanent small-dog park for canines weighing under 20 to 25 pounds -- the exact weight limit has yet to be set -- will be carved out of a corner of Hap Magee Ranch Park and could be open by the end of the year. That's none too soon for Barbara Smith and her 7 1/2-pound shih tzu, Duper, who wears a ponytail and a sparkling rhinestone clip to keep his shaggy fur from bothering his tiny eyes. "Our dog thinks he's a movie star," Smith said of the getup. Sometimes, Duper is courageous enough to venture to the other side of the fence with the big dogs, but Smith is sure to remove the rhinestone hair accessories beforehand. "I like the small-dog park because it's not muddy," Smith said. "My dog's so low to the ground that when he runs around the big-dog park, his legs and stomach get all muddy."
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