Re: “Why dogs should be banned from public events,” June 29 letters to the editor.
I have a 12 ½-year-old dog and I agree with two recent opinions about dog owners being blind to the effects of taking their dogs to public events.
People get dogs and don’t understand the realities of life in the metro area’s apartment- and condo-dominated housing market. These people have to work a lot to afford the high rental rates and lifestyles of their own choosing. After long hours at work, not enough time is dedicated towards releasing the energy that is built up in those furry creatures. And owners are all too eager to drag their pets to social events because they feel guilty about having their animals locked indoors or caged during long workdays.
Outdoor events and public gatherings are strenuous enough for humans, and dogs just can’t communicate any better than we do. They suffer. We suffer. Responsible pet ownership involves forgoing these events in order to dedicate time solely for exercise, not crowded, hot parking lots with food vendors and loud music.
Daniel Ward, Boulder
To the letter-writers saying dogs should be banned from public events: Responsible pet owners shouldn’t be punished for irresponsible pet owners. My dogs are my children; would you leave your children at home when you go do something? I clean up after my dog immediately and always carry water with me. If I sense my dogs are stressed, we leave, as you would do with your children. Just because there are bad parents in the world doesn’t make you a bad parent.
Mikael Myers, Lakewood
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