Editor:
I realize the loose dog issue comes to a boiling point every year and then quickly gets pushed to the back burner, but it’s time the city of South Portland tackles this issue once and for all before someone’s child really gets hurt. My young child and I were victims of a pack of dogs early this morning. Luckily serious injury was avoided. We tried to enjoy a morning walk on Willard Beach before school when out of the blue, my daughter was clobbered by a large dog running full speed in a pack mentality (meaning the dog was completely out of voice command as are all dogs in a pack mentality, a common problem the city chooses to ignore). My child had the wind knocked right out of her, and she had to sit there with her school clothes all muddy (wet dogs, of course) while she tried to catch her breath.
What is it with South Portland and dogs? Three years ago, my daughter was jumped on by a German Shepard while exploring Hinkley Park. I was bitten by the same dog trying to defend my daughter. The dog’s owner was nowhere to be seen. Like this recent experience, we never saw it coming as we were trying to enjoy the natural surroundings. My daughter has never dared to visit Hinkley Park since, and now I fear Willard Beach shares the same fate. So I ask: Why must dogs and their owners get all the prime park land in the city? I imagine there are a lot of families in South Portland who do not enjoy our parks because of all the loose dogs. We are now one of those families. The few are getting preferential treatment over the many.
I’m sure I will get a lot of negative feedback from people who believe their dog would never behave like what my daughter and I experienced. But we must remember, when salmonella is found in a few tomatoes, we remove all tomatoes. The same must apply to dogs. When you get dogs into a pack on the beach or they run wild in the woods, dogs naturally get predatory, and accidents have and will continue to happen. Whose child will be the next victim?
I know the citizens of South Portland deserve at least one park where dogs are not allowed. The obvious choice is Willard Beach as enforcement would be easiest. A visible officer is the best deterrent. To compensate, why not turn the park across from the police station into a dog run? It is huge, and gets very little use. It’s time for our elected officials to show a little backbone and settle this issue once and for all. No more vague and un-enforceable voice command laws. Get the dogs under control in this city before someone’s child gets seriously injured.
Brian Allen
South Portland