Ok, it's January, when's the next Findlay meeting?

[Cincy'sMom]

Originally posted by Cinder & Smoke
[i]Swimmin Hole

Uhhhh,
They dint *drain* yur end of LAKE Erie, did they??

No, but it is often closed this way becuase of bacteria. I'm not sure I would ever trust taking the dogs there (yuck!) They swim either at my friend's pond, or in Ralph's parents's pool

[anna_66]

Originally posted by Cinder & Smoke
Dad sez ~

SQUEEK SQUEEK!

30's!!??

THIRTY's??

You sure OUR Dad wuz there?

Pretty sure

[4 Dog Mother]

I will probaby be there if I am home from Texas by then. I guess. I don't think Christy will let me move in here and I don't think Amy, the neighbors and my sister are going to keep watching my dogs for that long. Oh, yeah, and I miss my pupsters too. Although it is nice spending time with my 3 other granddogs for a change. Yes, I remember some of those cold meetings - not my most favorites but they are still fun.

[Cincy'sMom]

I just wanted to let everyone know that I got a call fromthe director of the Park's District last night. He wanted to thank our group for the donations we have made to the park and encourage us to continue using their facilities. They thik it is great that we use the park and seem to do so responsibly. He also said if we have any suggestions for improvement they would like to hear them.

The other thing he mentioned is that there have been some complaints about the park in general, the biggest ones being people not cleaning up after their dogs and he said there are some people who seem to bring a couple big, aggressive dogs and pay no attention to them. He asked that since our group is so organized and knows dogs so well (Boy do we have them fooled ), that if we see anything, we report it. He said the "locals" see to think some of this is coming from out of towners (but was also quick to mention a few other groups from out of town that he knows use the park).
Finally, he mentioned that they know some people use the park without registering first, and asked thatif we see this happeneing we report it.

[4 Dog Mother]

Wow, that was great that the director (that was Tim, wasn't it?) called you personally. But then how many "out-of-towners donate to the park - in fact, I wonder how many people in general donate extra money to the park. When I registered the dogs this year, the lady there mentioned that several out of town groups were using the park and how great they thought that was. I mentioned that I was part of one of those groups. She said that people from other communities have come to check it out after hearing from different people how great it was from those using it from these out of town groups.

So I guess it is up to us to keep working hard at being an exemplary group by making sure we keep our dogs messes picked up, making sure our dogs are always being well-behaved (sorry, Dazzi, that means you stay home).

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by Cincy'sMom
... I got a call from the Director of the Hancock (Findlay) Park District last night.
He wanted to thank our group for the donations
we have made to the park and
encourage us to continue using their facilities.
They thik it is great that we use the park and
seem to do so responsibly.

...he mentioned is that there have been some
complaints about the park in general...

He asked that since our group is so organized and
knows dogs so well
(Boy do we have them fooled )...

...they know some people use the park without registering first...

ww!
I guess it pays to be Responsible Dog Owners!

And to amplify what Amy said -
We're pretty sure our Pet Talk Gang is *NOT* the
"out of towners" that have generated the "complaints"!
I talked to The Director several times last year to "explain" WHO we were and that we did bend over backwards to follow most of the Park Rules...

I have a many times revised E-mail letter I need to "finish" and
send off to him... With the suggestions a few of us have brain-stormed over the last year.
Most of those "suggestions" deal with the need to develop (and have the Park District approve) of a way to Properly "Register" the Out of Town Dogs and accept a token payment for a Daily Use type of permit.
Sounds simple - but it's a little more complicated than it seems...

A few years ago, the Parks District teamed up with a group of Local Dog Owners to develop the Bark Park. There was "some" opposition from Hancock County residents; but that was overcome through public meetings. The greatest "opposition" was from the Hanckock County HEALTH Department - who feared 1) the spread of K9 diseases, and 2) the potential problem of Dog BITES (and not having Owner Information for a biting dog).

Parks and HEALTH agreed to the current plan - ALL dogs using the Bark Park are to be PRE-Registered and have Shot Records, Rabies Vacc Records, and Owner Info ON FILE in the Parks Office.

Therein lies "our" problem - WE allow - heck - we encourage - Out of Town / Visiting dogs to attend our Gathurinz...

And that's why we asked all the "Visiting Dawgs" to bring their Shot Records WITH Them when they attended the last two or three PT Gatherings.

MONEY is NOT the issue!
Hancock Parks is fearful that a "bite" will happen with an UN-registered dog...
and the HEALTH Department will become upset and possibly order the Bark Park be closed - which NOBODY wants to see happen.

Soooo...
I am going to ask The Manager to once again try to come up with a "Plan for Visiting Dogs" that the Park District, and the Health Department, can live with...

Since developing a Plan (and having it "approved" by everyone) could take a while -
we'll continue to "ASK" all the "Visiting Dogs" to make copies of their Vet Records and Bring Them Along when they Visit with us.

I said before that Money is not an issue...
Let me explain:

Last year the Pet Talk Gang reserved and RENTED Pavilion #7 (the Shelter outside the Bark Park) at a Cost of $30 per Sunday. And we did it 4 or 5 times during the Summer of 2003.
That brought in somewhere between $100 to $150 that the Parks District probably would NOT have received - since we don't think ANY OTHER Dog Groups actually RENT the Pavilion.

AND - we collected over $100 of "Donations" over and above the first $30 per Sunday.

So we Pet Talkers DO "pay our way" when we use the Bark Park - and
the Parks District KNOWS about and APPRECIATES
our financial contributions!

Not to mention -
MANY of us out of towners are also Registered, Card-Carrying, Bark Park Members!

Since the Park Rangers are forbidden to accept ANY money...
WE will continue to collect "Donations" and forward them to the Parks District Foundation for use AT the Bark Park.
We've been a bit remiss in not "explaining" the Donation Coffee Cans...
(Nobody likes to beg for money!)

Here's da Skoop:
We ask each Dog Family (both Bark Park Members AND Visitors) to make a contribution of a few bucks towards the Pavilion Rental cost ($30 per Sunday). That $30 goes to the Parks District General Operations Fund. Everything you contribute OVER the first $30 goes to the Parks FOUNDATION and is earmarked for use ONLY for the Bark Park.

In summary (Finally, he quits *yappin*)...
Come One - Come ALL!!
JOIN the Bark Park as a Member ($10 for THREE Dogs for the whole Year)
IF you think you may attend several Pet Talk Gathurinz this
year at Findlay.
If you only plan to attend one or two of the PT Gatherings,
Don't Sweat the Membership for now...
We'll work something out with the Parks District.

Originally posted by 4/5 Dog Mother

So I guess it is up to us
to keep working hard at being an exemplary group
by making sure we keep our dogs messes picked up,
and making sure our dogs are always being well-behaved ...

If you have any *Ideas* or *Suggestions* ~
Please Post them here or PM "Cinder & Smoke" or "Cincy'Mom".

See Ya at the Bark Park!!

/s/ Phred

[Cincy'sMom]

Yes, mom , it was Tim who called. After we talked a bit he asked if I had a Findlay connections, so sorry...he now knows I'm your daughter

Second, I also received a Thank you note from the Park District today. They enclosed a copy of the memo that went out to all Park Rangers and also a Press Rease that was published inthe Findlay paper.

The most noteworthy parts:

Rangers are to walk over into the park when people are there to talk with them and do the following:
1. Check for permits; get their names if they have no permits to check at the office.
2. Thank them for using the park and gettinga permit
3. Remind them to pick-up and dispose of wste, watch aggressive behavior of dogs
4. Ask them to report problems, but we need a description of dog and owner, license plate of vechile, time/date, so we can follow up
5.Mention problems and concerns, we need their help to look after the area.

And
Violaters of dog park rules face fines upto $100 for a first offense

So...we may need to get anyone who comes to a meeting with a dog to register. LIke Phred said it is only $10, and if someone really wants to come, but can't afford that $10, I'm sure as a group we can work something out.

[Cinder & Smoke]

OMG!

"And...
Violaters of dog park rules face fines up to $100 for a first offense!"

Make that a DOUBLE !!

Maybe I otta hurry up with my note to Management
asking for that Visiting Dawgs Policy!!

But Don't *Panic*!

Remember - they have said They *LIKE* Our Pet Talk Gang!

[clara4457]

Soooo - has anyone decided on a date?

[shais_mom]

Originally posted by Cinder & Smoke
PS: Hey STACI ~
Has Zippy-Kat given any hints as to *when*
she plans to come up North this summer???
We should "adjust" the schedule to have a Gathurin
when SHE can make it!!

Sorry Phred, Amy gave me this link the other day. I forget this is here and forget to check it.
Zippy said that depending on when we have it is when she would think about coming.!!!

[shais_mom]

Just keep in mind that 4-4-04 is Palm Sunday and 4-11-04 is Easter Sunday (which I have to work anyway) And some people might have family obligations.
I think thus far that March 28 or April 18th would work best for me.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by shais_mom
Zippy said that depending on when we have it
is when she would think about coming.!!!

Oh GOODIE GumDropz!! ~ ~ Zipp's Commin!!

But the operative phrase isn't ...when we have *IT*...

but rather

...when we have *THEM*!

She'd better *avoid* the first one or two...
Wouldn't *do* to have her suffer FrostByte on her
first trip to Findlay!

June, July, or August would be more "seasonally appropriate" for her!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Here's a Saturday & Sunday Calendar
with Holidays noted:

SAT & SUN

MARCH 2004
.6 & .7
13 & 14
20 & 21
27 & 28

APRIL 2004
.3 & .4 - Palm Sunday is 4th
10 & 11 - Good Friday is 9th; EASTER SUNDAY is 11th
17 & 18
24 & 25

MAY 2004
.1 & .2
.8 & .9 - MOTHERS DAY on the 9th
15 & 16
22 & 23
29 & 30 + 31 is MEMORIAL DAY Monday (Holiday)

JUNE 2004
.5 & .6
12 & 13
19 & 20 - FATHERS DAY is on the 20th
26 & 27

JULY 2004
.3 & .4 ?? Friday the 2nd or Monday the 5th = Holiday ???
10 & 11
17 & 18
24 & 25
31 & .1

** The THREE Day Holidays of Memorial Day and 4th of July
would be Good Weekends to have a Gathurin -
give the more "Distant" Pet Talkers an extra day to drive!

[lovemyshiba]

I am seriously considering making a trip out this summer, probably only with one or 2 of the dogs. It's almost cruelty to put Abbey and Riley in the car, they are so miserable, and they both get so carsick

I would love to make it in the warmer months, and with this much advance notice, I should be able to do it--no one I know is getting married until August, so I should be clear for June and July, or even May!!

I don't think my husband would be too keen on coming, however, so I'll have to find a friend to bring with me

[anna_66]

That would be great if you could make it out!