Waveny.net

I guess it’s fundamental more than Murphy’s Law: If the dog park is closed, the Animal Control Officer will be patrolling the park.
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That was the case this afternoon on the Waveny playing fields. “The calls are coming in! They are calling from over there.” New Canaan’s Animal Control Officer told us as she peaceably told us to keep the leashes “in your hand at all times or I will have to issue you a $92 fine.”

Arriving at the dog park today I saw more than a dozen dogs outside the park once again. After chatting with some of the folks about the fragile grass investment, I joined a half dozen canines gathered 50 yards into the center of a playing field. All the dogs were on leashes, 6ft or less, and all of the dogs were within 20ft of their owners. One lady held her pet’s leash, fearing her dog wouldn’t return on command. The rest were just there romping and being friendly.
It’s odd how six people who are separated by career, social relations, income level, political motivation, race, gender, age, etc… sharing only pet ownership in common can all have the same perspective about the experience in Waveny Park this afternoon.
It’s silly that the powers-that-be are so protective of their little diorama, Spencer’s Run.
It’s silly for us to be stopped by the Police for behaving responsibly with respect for others.
And all of us joked about who “all the calls coming in” could have been from, “over there”. I wonder what kind of a threat we were interpreted as?
Truth be told officer Kleinschmidt should have pointed at the cell antenna on the water towers when she pointed in the direction the calls originated. She was close.

(Murphy’s Law x 2: You will only forget your camera when there is something good to take a picture of.)

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social commentary: As a generalization dog owners seem to be social, energetic, out-going folks. A further generalization might be that New Canaan residents, dog owners included, act in a responsible manner, as is the case with many educated people. I really am curious what the imposed threat is? Is there a fear that a golden retriever will come bounding across the field and attack an elderly person? What is the reality of that happening? I agree it’s not worth questioning the risk of such an event and all measures to protect the public from such a scenario should be considered. But seriously is there a golden retriever in New Canaan that looks forward to leaving his warm New Canaan home, leaving little Katie and Johnny with mom so Dad can take him to the park where he’ll run away as fast as he can, relieving himself the whole way, only to attack a human and be put to death the next day? When I lived in a 65% Asian neighborhood I experienced the same blind fear.