Last Thursday, a public meeting was held with Logan City Mayor Holly Daines to discuss possible amendments to the city's current policy restricting dogs in public parks.
A statewide survey conducted by the Logan city parks department determined the city in the bottom 13 percent of Utah cities with restrictive dog laws. Violations of the law in Logan can result in a Class C misdemeanors and potential fines up to $1,000.
“I’m just a local dude that loves his dog and has noticed that Logan’s not very dog-friendly,” said David James, local dog enthusiast.
James organized the meeting so the public can develop solutions that could potentially encourage Logan city council members to amend the current laws.
“That’s what this meeting was about," he said. "It was to talk with people, find out what the pros and cons are. What are going to be the issues?”
They propose increasing the number of dog waste drop-off sites and establishing local groups to do regular waste cleanups in the parks. They hope the city can involve local clinics and adoption centers in training dogs and educating dog owners on Logan city laws.
“We’re trying to work together as a team to educate folks on how to be a responsible dog owner in the city so that people start to respect our parks,” James said.
“I love dogs, but I also think people need to be responsible," said Logan Mayor Holly Daines. "If we can just increase the number of people that choose to be responsible, it’ll be great. Because again, right now you’re only penalizing the people who are obeying the law.”
Restrictive laws impact Logan citizens on a personal level.
“I don’t have a family," James said. "I don’t have children. My dog is my life. I want to be able to go to the park with my family. There’s good dog owners out there and we really want the best for this town.”
Logan city council will vote on the issue later this summer.