Editor, the Boundary Creek Times
Last Monday did not turn out to be the happy day I planned for myself and my 16-month-old, happy-go-lucky, four-legged and waggy-tailed dog named Yaffah.
Normally, I drive her all the way to Grand Forks to run and stretch her long legs at the dog park there because Greenwood doesn’t have one. But on Monday, I took her to Greenwood Park.
The couple lying on a blanket near the west gate said it was ok for me to close the gate to keep my big puppy in. As it turned out, it wasn’t.
Yaffah went up to their little girl to greet her, but as luck would have it, my dog was nearly as large as the little girl. The child, understandably startled, let out a shirll scream and started to cry. Her reaction startled Yaffah, who darted in another direction, only to knock the girl’s younger sibling off his feet. It was an accident.
I would never bring a vicious, aggressive dog into a park with children. Had I noticed the toddler before entering the park, I wouldn’t have taken the dog in, but I didn’t see him.
Of course, Mom was screaming, “Get that dog out of here now!” and Dad was yelling something about me not being able to control my dog. I felt terrible for the crying kids. While the angry family picked up their stuff to leave, I got my dog and, after bawling out my confused ball of fur, hooked her up and headed back to my car. No fun for anyone.
For three years now, I have been advocating for a dedicated dog park in Greenwood—long before I got my big mutt. Because I saw others with not-so-friendly dogs using the city park too, it seemed like a no-brainer that it was only a matter of time before some child got bit or a smaller dog got killed.
Yes, Greenwood has great trails to walk your dog. But if you’re 80 years old, those kinds of hikes are really not an option. Winter for senior dog owners is even worse for walking the dog. Clearly, not everyone can walk their dog all the time. Some are elderly and some dog owners are disabled, but their dogs are their best friends. For some, a dog is their only friend.
Now, all of us in Greenwood treasure every child living in our fair little city and we proudly take care to provide them with a nice park. However, we must have at least 50 dogs for every child in town. While we righly have a park for our beloved children, we thumb our noses at our dogs.
For three years I have heard, “Well, we’re talking about that.” And talk they did, they even picked out a site across the creek, but then nothing.
I suggest that instead of talking about it, we finally do something about it, before something goes terribly wrong.
Again, I humbly apologize to the annoyed family whose day my dog ruined.
From reader June Gilley