Saturday, March 26, 2011

Bouie, the Outcast

Today's Times-Picayune carried Shelia Stroup's column about local goings-on.  Ordinarily, I like her columns; I even sent her a "fan email" shortly after moving to New Orleans, telling her that after reading her column devoutly, I counted her among my first "friends" in the area.

But, today's column was about the first anniversary of the wonderful dog park ("City Bark") that was opened in City Park last year and sounds like something that Bouie would envision as Doggie Heaven. 

Why, you might wonder, doesn't Moogie know first-hand how wonderful the City Bark is?  Well, just let me fill you in.

The City Bark "board members" feel they should "support" the City in its "efforts" to reduce the number of "vicious" dogs maurading around town, slashing children and propagating their own breed as they maraud.  The Board's solution?  Ban all dogs who have not been spayed or neutered.  Without appeal.  Without Due Process.

Although we haven't yet been successful in arranging a "date" for Bouie, we're still trying.  He has a bloodline, good nature, and hunting instincts that should be preserved and passed along to future generations.  We never dreamed that packaging up an arranged marriage would be so hard.

So, he remains a dateless outcast.  Doomed never to romp in the ponds and sand pits of City Bark; doomed never to enjoy a cool, cleansing shower after playtime is past or slurp a drink from the fire-hydrant-shaped drinking fountain. 

I think it's just shameful and mean not to have a procedure for intact animals to pay their money and revel in the pleasures of City Bark.  If every domesticated animal were spayed or neutered, there'd be no more domesticated animals!

So, I posted this comment on Ms. Stroup's column at nola.com.  It won't amount to a hill of beans, but it made me feel better.

And I hope it will make some of those know-it-all do-gooders feel bad and mean, like the mean-spirited baddies they are.

I cannot express the pain I feel that our adorable, non-agressive, playful, INTACT 4-year-old black lab will never get to enjoy the City Bark playground and make new friends. It sounds like the park was designed with him in mind; furthermore it sounds like something our family would delight in supporting, both financially and as volunteers. Sadly for all, that's not in the cards.


Shame on you, board members, for assuming the role of omniscient judge and jury. Shame on the City for assuming that all intact dogs will become rogue puppy mills. Not all owners of intact pets are irresponsible, but it appears that we must assume the penalty along with those who are irresponsible.

Shame on you all. Shame, shame, shame.


7 comments:

  1. Two comments:

    1. I doubt that there will be anyone there looking under each dog.

    2. There is a nice little dog park in the French Quarter at Dauphine and Barracks and ALL dogs are welcome. Oliver used to love that park.

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  2. Yeah, but then you have to find a place to park. And, I'll guaran-damn-tee you that there will be hall monitors checking whether the dogs have receipts for their annual fees -- or balls.

    We take him to the levee an Bayou St. John, buy it's just not the same.

    I've passed the pissed factor.

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  3. A dog park? Whoever came up with that idea?

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  4. Poor Bouie!!!! I pray that he will find a mate soon... so he can play there!

    Mean people.

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  5. Dog parks are actually a lot of fun. The one by the river in Little Rock is kinda characterless, but fun nonetheless. I used to take the beagle and the shih tzu there to play while we were evacuated after Katrina.

    They are mean, Cuz! And bossy! Mean, meanie Bob Barker wannabes.

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  6. Making the responsible pay for irresponsible seems to be The New American Way. And it grates, severely.

    Your letter/comment MAY do some good, Moogie. Ya never know unless ya try.

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  7. I tried, Buck. But I'm getting tired of having to try so very often.

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