Re: “A contrast in doggy dealings,” May 20
After moving here 11 years ago reading Bob Hall’s recent column reminded me of my first trip to downtown, parked three meters down from Baker Street.
I walked up to the corner where I was approached by a policeman and although the tone was conciliatory, the words were “do you see the sign on the pavement? Dogs are not allowed in the downtown.”
My dog, a golden retriever, was sitting quietly on the back seat with the windows closed. I felt offended and angry and ever since that day have had a negative feeling whenever I need to go downtown.
Walking along Baker Street alone without my dog I nearly always think about how pleasant it is to go to Portland and walk along 23rd Avenue with all the similar boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops where bowls of water are set out for dogs and people smile when they see you approach with a well behaved canine on a leash of course.
Walking into a hardware store the clerk is standing there with an outstretched cookie and asks if he can give it to the dog. Now that’s a welcome.
Yes, I have been to Coeur d’Alene too. and there too I walked down the main street with my dog and it felt wonderful to be received that way.
I sincerely hope that Nelson council will someday find it important enough to finally review the repressive and unnecessary total ban on dogs downtown.
Of course laws are needed; no responsible dog owner would disagree, but a total ban? Where else is such a law in place? I don’t know of any.
Michael Freund, North Shore