Ryan Robinson, a VMS student and regular contributor to The Oakland Journal, submitted the following for consideration. As the Ramapo River Reserve is now enforcing leash laws, and many studies show that dogs who mix with other dogs are less territorial and less aggressive, the Editors have included a poll below Ryan’s submission to assist readers in expressing their opinion on this subject.
It seems like dogs rule in Oakland because every time I look, even down the street, almost everyone has a dog. Even I have a dog! (That’s mine in the picture. Isn’t he cute?) Anyways, it does seem everywhere you look, there are dogs. But when they need real exercise, you just don’t walk them down the street, but you take them to a dog park or a dog run.
The closest dog parks/runs are in Hawthorne and Ridgewood which is almost a 15 minute drive from here. With gas prices reaching almost 4.00 a gallon, the drive is getting annoying and the wallet says, no more! I think Oakland, with it’s many dogs, should build a dog park. It would also be a nice fit with the Oakland development plan. It will be good exercise for our dogs and one can meet more people in the community as well.
I have written a letter to Mayor Szabo asking him to think about it and write me back, but I have gotten no reply. So, if you agree with me, vote below and/or write a letter to Mayor Szabo asking the same.
-Ryan Robinson
POLLING CLOSED
Dog Run for Oakland Follow Up
Poll Results
Yes, for a dog run – 48%, 45 Votes
I am a dog owner – 27%, 25 Votes
I do not own a dog – 12%, 11 Votes
No, for a dog run – 9%, 8 Votes
I need to know more – 5%, 5 Votes
Total voters – 94
As one can see, the poll I created, “Should Oakland Have a Dog Run?” has been very popular over the past month with over 50 people voting. I would like to say that the last day to vote is Independence Day, July 4th. Hopefully, when I e-mail the results to Mayor Szabo and give him a link to this page, he will try and do something with it. Maybe it will be an Independence Day for the dogs to run around finally in Oakland (and humans too for not having to pay 4.00 a gallon for gas to get them down there!
I will write more after I get a final vote tally and I get something from Mr. Mayor!
Thank you for Voting!