Why are dogs on a leash not allowed in most Sarasota County parks? (tax, beach)

[Sabal77]

Anyone know why most parks run by Sarasota County do not allow leashed dogs? I can't really understand the reason for it, especially when Pinellas County and the City of Sarasota allow leashed dogs in just about every park.

I'm sure there was some type of logic behind banning leashed dogs for the county run parks - can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Joe

[d4g4m]

Millions of dollars of non dog owning peoples money was spent for 'dog parks'. That's where dog owners bring their dog.
Leashed/unleased dogs are not allowed in all othe parks so adults/kids don't have to listen to barking dogs or need to wear clothes pins on our nose or wear rubber boots while using park facilities.

[Sabal77]

Originally Posted by d4g4m

Millions of dollars of non dog owning peoples money was spent for 'dog parks'. That's where dog owners bring their dog.
Leashed/unleased dogs are not allowed in all othe parks so adults/kids don't have to listen to barking dogs or need to wear clothes pins on our nose or wear rubber boots while using park facilities.

Then why do the City of Sarasota and Pinellas County (which have dog parks) allow dogs in non-dog park areas and the County of Sarasota does not (expect in dog parks).

I'm not trying to be rude, but why the difference in policy when the conditions are the same? Does the Sarasota County government know something that the governments of the city of Sarasota or Pinellas County aren't aware of?

Joe

[Dabass]

Originally Posted by d4g4m

Millions of dollars of non dog owning peoples money was spent for 'dog parks'. That's where dog owners bring their dog.
Leashed/unleased dogs are not allowed in all othe parks so adults/kids don't have to listen to barking dogs or need to wear clothes pins on our nose or wear rubber boots while using park facilities.

millions of dollars are also spent on kids activities by those that don't have kids, and on golf courses by those that don't play golf. Those that have dogs should be able to have the dogs in certain parks (celery fields) without being hassled by non-dog lovers. If they are not responsible then they should be fined - I am fine with that. By the way, some of us don't like to listen to kids screaming either.

[dntw8up]

"Those that have dogs should be able to have the dogs in certain parks (celery fields) without being hassled by non-dog lovers."

Such parks exist; they're called dog parks.

[Rich2010]

What are the Sarasota dog parks like? Are they little dinky things where the dog owners vegetate on benches while the dogs sniff each others' butts, cover each others' pee, and otherwise sink into boredom and muscular atrophy?

One of the great pleasures in life for a dog and its owner is a vigorous off-leash two-mile trail walk. We and our ten-year-old Portuguese Water Dog enjoy that pleasure in Long Island, NY, at least when not contemplating our tax bill. Are such American outdoor pleasures verboten in Sarasota?

If so, wouldn't the city fathers do well to take the next logical step and, in the manner of Maoist China, mandate the serving up of roast canine ("hot dogs") in the town's eateries?

[AnotherDayInParadise]

I am a dog owner and do not like dog parks because I think dogs off leash in public places are a bad idea. I'd much rather be allowed to take my dog, on lead, to a regular park for a nice long walk. I agree with th op completely.

I also agree with Dabass... I don't appreciate screaming kids. Should we kick them out of public parks, too?

[beachbum wannabe]

Are there any beaches in Sarasota or Charlotte counties that allow leashed dogs?

[Sunshine9]

Here's are a couple of websites that I found that address this issue. I believe you can have unleashed dogs in the Paw Parks only. Good luck!

www.welcometosarasota.com/dogs (broken link)
Page Not Found - Official source of Sarasota travel information – Sarasota and Her Islands (http://www.sarasotafl.org/cms/d/hound_heaven - broken link)

[JennySquirrel]

Joe,

As a dog owner who hunts for dogs beaches, I can put in my 2 cents.

I think many people who do not have dogs dont' want to deal with dog poop and many owners are not responsible. I hate going to a beach and seeing poop that some lazy person didn't bother picking up.

Plus many owners also ignore the "leash" rule. It doesn't pertain to them. I have had to leave parks because of loose dogs running around. The owners are chatting and ignoring them while they run from family to family scaring kids,etc.

I keep my dog leashed and I pick up her poop, but I do understand why many people don't like it. There are just too many irresponsible owners

But with that said, I also think many parents are irresponsible and will come to a beach, see adults reading and the kids will screech at the top of their lungs, run around throwing sand at birds,etc. I have left beaches several times do to these exact reasons.

It would ne nice if all of us would just be more respectful of each other