Fur flies over trail ban
By Tom Finnegan
Kauai dog owners are incensed at the county's plan to ban dogs along the new $50 million, 16-mile coastal path set to link Lihue and Anahola.
When the second segment of the bike path, the 2.5-mile stretch from Lihi Park to Kealia Beach Park, opened on Feb. 15, county officials announced that they would be enforcing a county ordinance that dogs, regardless of whether they are on leashes, are not allowed in any county parks.
This week, members of the Kauai Police Department and the county parks department began enforcing the ban, first with a warning and then, starting next week, with a ticket and a trip to court.
Fines can range from $15 to $500, according to the ordinance.
Dog owners say discussion of the ban started months ago. But with the 30-plus person shortage at the Kauai Police Department and a limited number of park rangers, few thought that the county would actually enforce the ban.
In a county where one in three households owns a dog, according to Kauai Humane Society Director Dr. Becky Rhoades, dogs are daily visitors to county beaches, parks and hiking paths.
Few knew they were breaking the law.
It became real for Kathleen Gissing Tuesday morning when she was stopped by police while walking her dog, Knicki, on the new section of the bike path.
The two officers gave her a warning ticket, adding that next week she would face a fine.
"I'm so frustrated," said Gissing, a Kapaa resident. "Since when is a sidewalk a park?"
Long before the path was proposed, a cane haul road linked the majority of the stretch. For decades, dog owners, walkers and bikers have shared the road.
But when the section of the path was built and opened, it was turned over to the county parks department for management and maintenance, said county Parks Director Bernard Carvalho.
Since dogs are not allowed in county parks, "it is our duty to comply with the law as it now stands," Carvalho said in an e-mailed response to questions.
Dog owners are angry that a popular spot to exercise their pets has been taken away.
"It's amazing that the county would spend ($50) million in federal funds to take away our rights," Gissing added.
Rhoades said county rangers and police do enforce the no-dog law when they receive complaints about a certain park.
The first phase of the 16-mile bike path project, fronting Lydgate Park and completed in 2003, has banned dogs since its inception. But, Rhoades said, when a dog on a leash bit a woman, parks officials and police began rigorously enforcing the law there.
"He ruined it for all of us," Rhoades said.
Dog lovers are putting together a bill to change the ordinance in the coming months, Rhoades said.
Carvalho said dog owners could change the law in two ways: either through a voter petition signed by 20 percent of the eligible voters on Kauai, or through a councilmember's initiation.
Either process could be lengthy, Carvalho added.
Until then, many dog owners, like Gissing, will stay away from the convenient and beautiful new trail.
However, one man running with his dog Tuesday night said he was unaware of the dog ban. When told of the ordinance, the man, who would not give his name, said he would continue running with his dog "until they tackle me."
Kauai dog owners are incensed at the county's plan to ban dogs along the new $50 million, 16-mile coastal path set to link Lihue and Anahola.
When the second segment of the bike path, the 2.5-mile stretch from Lihi Park to Kealia Beach Park, opened on Feb. 15, county officials announced that they would be enforcing a county ordinance that dogs, regardless of whether they are on leashes, are not allowed in any county parks.
This week, members of the Kauai Police Department and the county parks department began enforcing the ban, first with a warning and then, starting next week, with a ticket and a trip to court.
Fines can range from $15 to $500, according to the ordinance.
Dog owners say discussion of the ban started months ago. But with the 30-plus person shortage at the Kauai Police Department and a limited number of park rangers, few thought that the county would actually enforce the ban.
In a county where one in three households owns a dog, according to Kauai Humane Society Director Dr. Becky Rhoades, dogs are daily visitors to county beaches, parks and hiking paths.
Few knew they were breaking the law.
It became real for Kathleen Gissing Tuesday morning when she was stopped by police while walking her dog, Knicki, on the new section of the bike path.
The two officers gave her a warning ticket, adding that next week she would face a fine.
"I'm so frustrated," said Gissing, a Kapaa resident. "Since when is a sidewalk a park?"
Long before the path was proposed, a cane haul road linked the majority of the stretch. For decades, dog owners, walkers and bikers have shared the road.
But when the section of the path was built and opened, it was turned over to the county parks department for management and maintenance, said county Parks Director Bernard Carvalho.
Since dogs are not allowed in county parks, "it is our duty to comply with the law as it now stands," Carvalho said in an e-mailed response to questions.
Dog owners are angry that a popular spot to exercise their pets has been taken away.
"It's amazing that the county would spend ($50) million in federal funds to take away our rights," Gissing added.
Rhoades said county rangers and police do enforce the no-dog law when they receive complaints about a certain park.
The first phase of the 16-mile bike path project, fronting Lydgate Park and completed in 2003, has banned dogs since its inception. But, Rhoades said, when a dog on a leash bit a woman, parks officials and police began rigorously enforcing the law there.
"He ruined it for all of us," Rhoades said.
Dog lovers are putting together a bill to change the ordinance in the coming months, Rhoades said.
Carvalho said dog owners could change the law in two ways: either through a voter petition signed by 20 percent of the eligible voters on Kauai, or through a councilmember's initiation.
Either process could be lengthy, Carvalho added.
Until then, many dog owners, like Gissing, will stay away from the convenient and beautiful new trail.
However, one man running with his dog Tuesday night said he was unaware of the dog ban. When told of the ordinance, the man, who would not give his name, said he would continue running with his dog "until they tackle me."
posted by ams at 4:52 PM
1 Comments:
How sad dogs and owners can't enjoy exercise in a normal way anymore. People on the beach have yelled at and cussed about my American Bulldog in front of my 5 year old. Dogs help humans emotionally and may lenghthen lives, and bans are what they get in return. Shall we ban races of theives, like we do breeds? How about punishing owners, instead of the MANY nice, innocent dogs that are currently considered for banning in HI, and not in parks and on trails alone, but entirely? I am confused and saddened by the meaness of humans. Two strange ladies actually took my picture while I was walking my dog (he looks like the "Homeward Bound" dog). They said he is a bad dog that needs banning, then they peeled out fast away from me, and SWERVED while I was alone on my neighborhood sidewalk. Since someone I deeply cared about died in a motor vehicle accident caused by another driver, for fifteen years I've paid close attention to statistical injuries/ fatalities. Shall we ban vehicles, too? Are all of you really ready to do that yet? Honestly? Because according to statistics, you people all have bigger fights to concern yourself with between vehicle accidents and health issues, than to judge all dogs and owners, and what may occur with them. The numbers of bad dog incidents sound horrible, until you compare them to good dogs and happy people with them, and compare them to other kinds of injuries. Have you nothing better than to make all these comments without analyzation? Another odd thing -the most aggressive breeds I've known have never been talked about for banning in HI - German Sheppards, Chows, Chihuhuas, Dobermans, and the MEANEST I ever came across - Weenie dogs and a GOLDEN RETRIEVER/ LAB mix physically hurt me more than any other. All dogs and mannerisms are different, just as people. I am sorry some people are ignorant about these creatures, but that doesn't make the cruelty to the dogs okay. Do your research people. Don't be ignorantly biased and fit a stereo-type of whatever is making you think so sadly, ridiculously, cruelly toward dogs. I am getting afraid of people harming myself or family over this issue. What is wrong with people, and where in HI is the aloha for animals??? Next people will threaten me if I ever own a bird, and don't keep it on a leash in my backyard. More families in HI have dogs than those who don't, if what I've read online is true. I wish some of YOU would have to tell my 5 year old why his dog is getting banned. He loves and plays with his 110 lb. dog almost every day. BTW - an American Bulldog has nothing to do with a pitbull in their breeding, unless people purposefully breed the two together. The very ignorant people who claim these dogs were bred for killing - WOW. They were bred for herding/ hunting. Please, do your research before speaking on matters, and avoid looking and feeling dumb. I empathize with people, and I agree something needs to be done about the many owners in HI raising fighting dogs (and chickens - which the police themselves were at one point A PART OF), but to ban them all is not the right answer. TRUTH is great, people - TRUTH. Thanks for reading.
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