I have finally had the opportunity to use the dog park in town. It’s a great place to visit and let my dog run and play with others; however, it would be nice if the Parks Department would place a sign at the entrance to the parking lot explaining that the entrance to the dog park is there. It took me a while to figure out you had to go into the parking lot to find the sign that said Community Dog Park. I, other newbies to the park and visitors would appreciate a little more help locating the entrance.

Now, on to my next comment. I was absolutely disgusted to find that there are people who use the dog park, but refuse to clean up after their pet(s). I have found that people who use dog parks care about their dogs and take responsibility to clean up after them. When I arrive at the park, I grab a couple of bags, which are right outside the gate, to have on hand when my dog does his duty. My question is why won’t everyone do that? If you want the responsibility of owning a dog, you need to take the responsibility of cleaning up after your dog. I even found a big pile of dog poo right outside the gate to the park, and it’s not like you couldn’t find a bag anywhere to pick it up, you just had to turn around to see them. As far as I’m concerned, if you do not want to clean up after your pet or you think it’s the responsibility of everybody else to clean up after you, you don’t need or deserve a pet. It is completely unfathomable the irresponsibility some pet owners show to their animals. If you have a pet and you leave it outside all the time, you don’t need or deserve a pet. If you continuously holler at the pet and blame it for all your problems, you definitely don’t need or deserve a pet. If you want a dog because you think it’s cute, but you don’t want the responsibility of cleaning up after it, you don’t need or deserve a pet. Too many people are spending money on animals they want for a little while and then decide it’s too much trouble. If you refuse to care for your pet, love your pet or clean up after your pet, then please don’t get a pet. These inactions say more about the human than they do about the animal. What do you want people saying about you and your uncaring attitude toward the care of your pet? Our pets deserve more than an owner like that.

Kathy Diaz

Albert Lea