[va-richmond-general] Re: barred owls
- From: "Al Warfield" <warfield101@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004 13:12:30 -0400
Ralph,
I know some people are getting tired of these discussions, so this will be
my last on the subject.
Your email (below) had what sounded like reasonable suggestions for a course
of action for RAS members and other interested individuals to try.
(Margaret O'Bryan's email about considering this at the next Board meeting
came while I was working on this, but I decided to send it anyway because it
may be useful.)
The other emails you wrote made it sound like if everyone is just nice the
problem will go away. But that won't work. There has to be some concerted
effort to educate the violators. We have a park system that is used in
totally conflicting ways. Nature has no chance unless we at least try to do
something. Based on your email and some other considerations, here is a
starting point for an action plan.
Action #1: The sign is something the park system and RAS could work together
on. I think it should say a little more. Not just if they frighten or annoy
other park users, but if the dogs are chasing or frightening wildlife. It
should at least say something about that even if it isn't part of the spray
warning. It needs to be a short sentence or it won't have any effect. The
park is habitat for wildlife, and people should not do things to interfere
with them. Springtime is an especially critical time, and the people who use
the park should be made aware of it. And people will have to know to carry
pepper spray. That may be harder to do than to make signs. I for one
actually like dogs, and would feel really bad if I had to spray one. I would
only do that if it were about to attack me or someone with else. So we need
to finalize what the signs will say.
Action #2. Educate the nature lovers about how to respond to people
violating the law. Make sure they know all the laws. It wouldn't hurt if
they knew of other places where to tell people to take their dogs for
exercise. The only one I know of is Byrd Park, and I don't know what the
rules are there. To educate the people who want change to occur, it would
require some kind of communication, either by letters, visits to RAS and
other interested groups, TD articles, etc.
People think it's OK to let their dogs run in James R. Park. They don't read
the signs. They see everyone else doing it, and they probably got their dog
with the idea that they could do that.
In Bryan Park, dog walkers don't pay any attention to the leash law that is
plainly visible in several places. Many of those people have no idea that
their dogs might be a threat to wildlife. One of them even told me in
passing about birds she saw, while her dog was running loose the park in the
springtime. To stop and explain all this stuff I would have had to stop her
from monitoring her dog at all. How much can you tell someone while they are
passing you at 3-4 MPH? You have to yell it at them on the fly. So much for
being nice! If we want to remain civil there needs to be another way to
communicate. That brings up Action # 3.
Action #3: Actions 1 & 2 need to be further developed and publicised so that
the dog walkers will know. An article in the TD may be the best way to do
this. Maybe this can be communicated after the RAS Board meets. Also, a
handout that would state the policy and reasons for it could be developed
and distributed to the nature-lover types and other people who express
concern. It could be simple, but should have the JRP system logo on it to be
authentic.
The rest would be to put up the signs, get RAS members and others to take
the handouts with on their walks and at least hand them to people not in
compliance, but preferably talk to them as well. And having a can of pepper
spray may make people listen.
Al Warfield
----- Original Message -----
From: <JRiverPk@xxxxxxx>
To: <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 23, 2004 11:22 AM
Subject: [va-richmond-general] Re: barred owls
Al
The regulations are different in different parks. Bryan Park
requires
dogs to be on leash at all times; the James River Park System requires that
the dog owner have a leash available for each animal. Dogs may run beside
their owners, fetch sticks, go swimming, and what not, but their owners must
be
able to immediately place them under physical control if they interfere with
other visitors, dogs, or wildlife.
The reason for the difference is the "scuff-law" factor. We don't
have any way to enforce a leashes-at-all-times regulation. It is
counter-productive to put up rules that there is no intention, or no
ability, to enforce. We
do enforce the you-have-to-have-a-leash-with-you law. It is one that most
people find reasonable and sensible. I have found a few violators ... and I
have sent them back to their cars. They have always gone and I have not had
negative feedback. Sometimes I have a spare leash or length of rope that I
give
to them. This has proven most helpful since it addresses both the current
and
future use pattern ... fosters somewhat better behavior and increases
understanding. Just as bell collars ought to be distributed by Audubon
members to all
cat owners free of charge inorder to address the decimation of
ground-nesting
birds in urban areas, so concerned birders might consider leash-giving as a
way to address the dog issue ... carrying a can of pepper spray, and using
it
when a dog acting inappropriately and the owner refuses to restrain it, is
another way. Perhaps a sign stating that "loose dogs that frighten or annoy
other
park users will be sprayed with a repellant chemical" is something that
Audubon might like to underwrite.
May you dog issues be few.
Ralph
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