[BCNnet] News Flash: Dog Days at Montrose Dog Beach

[birdperson at juno.com]

Bird People:

The heat is up, way up, at Montrose Dog Beach and the other 
Dog-Friendly Areas in our fair city.  Please see the article attached below from last week's issue of INSIDE, a free weekly that serves Chicago's North Side neighborhoods. INSIDE will be covering this story closely in upcoming issues. The Publisher, Ron Roenigk, said today that the new ordinances may be enforced even sooner, by mid-August.

Aaarrff!!

This is great news for the migratory birds headed our way, as well as the several resident species nesting on Montrose Beach. 


Leslie Borns
Site Steward, Montrose Beach Dune Habitat
birdperson at juno.com
Chicago/Cook

* * * * 

HEEL! COUNTY COMING DOWN HARD ON DOG PARKS

MONTROSE BEACH MAY LOSE DOG FRIENDLY AREA

by Craig Gernhardt
Special to Inside


So, you want to take Fido to those off-leash dog parks and let Fido run about for awhile. Better be ready to show Fido's paperwork, and lots of it. Has he had his hepatitis shot? How about his distemper shot? Parainfluenza and parvovirus shots? How about his rabies vaccination shot? 

But wait, there's more. Do you have Fido's City of Chicago registration? Now where is the Cook County dog tag and permit? What...a permit and tag, too? That's right, a permit to use those dog friendly areas. Heaven forbid you have two or three dogs. That's going to cost you a fortune. 

Under a new ordinance, The Cook County Board and the Chicago Park District have agreed to comply with the State of Illinois' new rules for all 11 City of Chicago/Chicago Park Districts Dog Friendly Areas. From Wiggly Field to Montrose Beach, all dogs must comply with the above rules to use a Dog Friendly Area in the City of Chicago starting this fall. 

The penalty for not following any of the above regulations is $500, per dog, per offense. According to Nelson Brown, a lawyer for the Chicago Park District, "It's not a revenue generating fee.... we are not balancing the budget on the backs of the dog owners." A Cook County Administrator will be enforcing these new regulations, issuing citations to owners who don't comply. Currently the Chicago Police issue citations for dog owners whose pets aren't leashed in any city area except official dog friendly areas. 

To make matters worse, dog owners who like to take their dogs to the lake may not be able too under the new rules. The Susan Kimmelman Dog Friendly Beach (4600 N at the lake), formerly known as Mondog, would either have to be totally enclosed with a fence or shut down. This is the site of the old Wilson Avenue Boat Launch. 

The ordinance reads in part: "A Dog Park must be completely enclosed by a contiguous fence with each entrance designed in such a manner as to secure against accidental opening." 

This is one of the most popular of all dog friendly areas, yet it could be shut down. Hundreds of dogs and owners use this beach every day in the summer. But Dr. Dan Parmer , D.V.M., the administrator for Cook County Animal and Rabies Control, has been documenting many situations where dog owners have violated the dog beach rules at Montrose Beach. He isn't very happy. 

Mayor Richard M. Daley said, "We are happy to provide Chicago dog lovers a place to recreate with their dogs" in a press release for the Chicago Animal Care and Control's third annual Bow-wow Beach Bash held over the weekend at the dog friendly beach. According to reports there are over 80,000 dogs in Chicago. That's surely a lot of voters who own these dogs. That's a lot of generated revenue. Even if the dog owner doesn't comply, someone's going to collect the $500 fine. 

What is the timetable for pet owners who want to continue using the dog friendly areas? According to Chris Gent of the Chicago Park District, the schedule goes like this. In August there will be a public meeting on the new rules, in September the registration of pets begins, in October or November the enforcement takes effect, "hard and fast," said Gent. 

When you buy your tag and permit in September, this will be active until December 2006. Then owners must renew every year. If you buy a permit mid-year, it is only good for the rest that year. 
The new plan was announced at a small meeting at Hamlin Park last week. 

END


See three photos by Craig Gernhardt online at www.insideonline.com, June 29-July 5, 2005 issue). Captions: This helicopter hounded the dog beach Saturday; 
Buzzing at Bow-wow Beach Bash - On Saturday, June 25, the City of Chicago Commission on Animal Care and Control (ACC) and the Friends of Chicago Animal Care and Control kicked off the beginning of summer with the third annual "Bow-wow Beach Bash" at the city's only dog friendly beach, Susan Kimmelman Beach, at the north end of Montrose Beach (Wilson Ave., 4600 North and Lake Michigan) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, a helicopter buzzed dangerously low over the event, coming within 30 feet of the people and dogs; 
Born to run - The Susan Kimmelman Dog Friendly Beach (4600 N at the lake), formerly known as Mondog, will either have to be totally enclosed with a fence or shut down, when a new ordinance takes effect this fall.