The law enforcement officer who patrols the Lake Ida Dog Park on December 19th, 2007 banned our family for 30 days from the park after going there for over six years, Monday thru Friday for aprroximately 45 minutes per day. We were fortunate according to the officer that he did not issue us a ticket for $500.00 dollars as there is a two dog limit at the park. The officer was made well aware that the reason we now have five minature schnauzers (all fixed, up to date shots, well behaved, well loved at the park by regulars....etc) is we were approached after the numerous hurricanes that hit South Florida and New Orleans to please first foster and then adopt these homeless, defenseless victims. We owned two mini's before the adoptions and after going there well over 1 1/2 years with the new crew our ability to open our hearts, homes and wallets have gotton us all banned from the park. My true saddness comes not only for the abondonment our dogs are feeling as to why the visit to the park is no longer (fellow dog parkers - you know what I mean----they watch for that certain pair of shoes or the car keys to picked up at that special time and the dogs could probally drive to the park themselves !!!!)it is the look I see on my 70 year old husbands face because he feels somehow he has let them down. I know rules are made for good reasons.....we have witnessed puppy mill people trying to sell dogs during the holidays.....dog walkers using the park as their babysitting area to give themselves a break......I contacted the Palm Beach Parks Dept and have yet to have a response that we would be willing to pay for a tag or whatever they would deem fair for the three additional dogs to be allowed to enter the park for those precious 45 minutes of freedom and fun five days a week. We rescued the three because they were abandoned and alone......what that officer just did was abandon them again.....Instead of being praised for our efforts we are being punished for opening our home. Clearly not breeders, not operating a business, all our dogs are fixed and well verused on proper dog park ettiqute we have in a sense abandoned them again. In a world where there are so many criminal acts going on I certainly now feel safer 5 less minature schnauzers will be at the park!!!!!!! Our family wishes all pet owners a happy and healthy New Year as we currently search for a new park or home with acreage to let our crew run free...Nancy

Email