[skyking]

Well I hope they settle this issue calmly and soon. There is no law against walking a dog so I suppose they only way they could enforce this "no dog" policy is to file a trespassing complaint. Can you picture it? A senior citizen and their dog staging a "sit in" on the grass behind the mailboxes and The Villages of Lake Sumter Landing, Inc. calls the sheriff to remove and charge the trespasser? I suspect there are a number of litigators in Florida who would love to take that case and if they are of another political persuasion make H. Gary look like an ogre. There goes the "Friendliest Hometown" image. Probably would be the lead story on MSNBC.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by skyking

I truly feel sorry for these guys. They signed on to help villagers and are now being asked to harass dog walkers. They have no authority, take abuse for passing on a message from an unknown authority (in hiding) and many, I am sure, have dogs themselves and don't personally want to get involved in this issue.

I agree with you on this, skyking. If this is coming from JT, she needs to announce it herself first before sending a posse of CW around to do a sweep. The first day was not just informing people. They were in kicking-them-out mode.

What's wrong with JT announcing, In one week (month, whatever) there will no longer be dogs allowed in the park.

This is unfair to CW. It does seem like the powers that be prefer to kick the can and then hide when these unpopular decisions are made.

[zonerboy]

In my experience, once the genie is out of the bottle, it is very difficult to get it back inside.
Guess we'll just have to wait and see how this plays out.

[skyking]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I agree with you on this, skyking. If this is coming from JT, she needs to announce it herself first before sending a posse of CW around to do a sweep. The first day was not just informing people. They were in kicking-them-out mode.

What's wrong with JT announcing, In one week (month, whatever) there will no longer be dogs allowed in the park.

This is unfair to CW. It does seem like the powers that be prefer to kick the can and then hide when these unpopular decisions are made.

Well if this is Janet she needs to understand that you cannot make laws by "executive order".

[zonerboy]

It was not my intention when I started this thread to stir up a whole bunch of hostility. So let me say this:
Do dog owners in The Villages have rights? Yes, and those rights are the same as for any other Villager. Do we have a right to take our dogs with us wherever we choose to go? Certainly not. Do we're have a right to a new dog park south of 466A. Definitely not, but it sure would be nice and might help solve some problems in addition.
Do dog owners have responsibilities? Again yes, and special additional responsibilities in regard to their dogs, including: to pick up after them at ALL times, and to make every reasonable effort to ensure that our dogs are not a bother to others thru excessive barking, aggressive behavior, or simply by being too close to those who are allergic to, afraid of, or unfriendly towards dogs.
I believe the great majority of dog owners act responsibly, but there are always some who do not, or will not.
I also understand that my concept of "reasonable effort" May not be exactly the same as yours. In that case we may have to do something that seems to be rare these days. It's called Compromise.
So I'm signing off on this topic. Peace be with you, everyone.

[gomoho]

Originally Posted by skyking

Well if this is Janet she needs to understand that you cannot make laws by "executive order".

Perhaps she too has a pen and a phone

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by gomoho

Perhaps she too has a pen and a phone

And direct orders from the dictator-in-chief. Does anybody on this forum think that Janet Tutt woke up one morning and said to herself 'I think I will p--- off all the dog owners today', and 'I will order community watch to do the dirty work' all the while claiming total ignorance.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by janmcn

And direct orders from the dictator-in-chief. Does anybody on this forum think that Janet Tutt woke up one morning and said to herself 'I think I will p--- off all the dog owners today', and 'I will order community watch to do the dirty work' all the while claiming total ignorance.

I find it hard to believe that Janet Tutt issued an "order" to Community Watch to evict dog walkers from mail stations. It just doesn't sound like Janet Tutt's style. And if dogs are no longer allowed on private property, doesn't that include multi-modal paths and the Springdale Walking Trail?

[gomoho]

So dog walkers at Tamarind Grove mail station - everything ok today???

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by gomoho

So dog walkers at Tamarind Grove mail station - everything ok today???

Our morning walk takes us up Tamarind Grove Run, through the mail parking to the other side, down that street and around, etc., etc.

At around 10:00 a.m. there was a CW truck parked in the mail parking lot, backed in across from the park where he could see anyone who might be entering the grass area with a dog. He gave us the once over. I said, "Sic 'em, Crosby," but he just continued drooling & dragging. He's not overly fond of forced marches.

One good outcome is I've never seen CW's presence in our neighborhood so much as we have in the past week! If we see them twice a month in our neck of the woods, it's rare.

[mrsanborn]

Originally Posted by CFrance

...
At around 10:00 a.m. there was a CW truck parked in the mail parking lot, backed in across from the park where he could see anyone who might be entering the grass area with a dog. He gave us the once over. I said, "Sic 'em, Crosby," but he just continued drooling & dragging. He's not overly fond of forced marches. ...

.

The last time I heard "Sic 'em" used, I saw a dog's head explode and if it weren't for the police coming down the street as this happened, I believe the owner's head may have exploded also. So, "Sic 'em", in jest or otherwise is not a good phrase to use especially in a stand your ground state. I was only a witness, not the trigger man.

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by CFrance

Our morning walk takes us up Tamarind Grove Run, through the mail parking to the other side, down that street and around, etc., etc.

At around 10:00 a.m. there was a CW truck parked in the mail parking lot, backed in across from the park where he could see anyone who might be entering the grass area with a dog. He gave us the once over. I said, "Sic 'em, Crosby," but he just continued drooling & dragging. He's not overly fond of forced marches.

One good outcome is I've never seen CW's presence in our neighborhood so much as we have in the past week! If we see them twice a month in our neck of the woods, it's rare.

Is the grassey area posted 'no trespassing' or 'no dogs allowed'?