The Steamboat Pilot & Today: Letting the dogs loose

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Frank Cefaratti plays with his black labrador retrievers, Jack and Hoover, near his office at the Mountain View Car Wash on March 1. Cefaratti is leading a drive for off-leash play times and areas for local dog owners and their pooches. Photo by Brian Ray

Steamboat Springs — Frank X. Cefaratti wants to let the dogs out, at least for a little while in certain places.

Cefaratti has developed a proposal for local dog owners to enjoy legal, off-leash recreation in different parks around the city.

“My proposal is simply to use a handful of existing parks at designated times, for people to recreate with their dogs off leash,” Cefaratti said. “In doing this, the expenditure would be minimal because all that would be needed is proper signage and doggie waste stations.”

Currently, there is no legal place where a dog can be off leash except for the dog owner’s private property, according to leash laws.

The only exceptions include police dogs, rescue dogs, working cattle dogs, sheep guard dogs or a dog that is under voice command of its owner who is hunting, said Cindy Del Valle, Routt County animal safety officer. “It is for the safety of the general public and for the animals themselves,” she said.

Cefaratti has resurrected a group that was started a couple years ago called Responsible Dog Ownership Group of Steamboat or R.D.O.G.S.

“It is a group of concerned citizens interested in designating off leash recreation places and times for pets and their owners to socialize,” he said. “People are already there with their dogs — whether it be on a leash or off a leash — this is putting in guidance to do it legally.”

Cefaratti’s proposal includes Rotary Park, Lithia Springs, Riverside Picnic Park, Fetcher Park, Blackmer Drive and Spring Creek Trail. Not including Mondays, the proposal would entail two hours at each different proposed park, Cefaratti said.

“That leaves 80 percent of the time for a dog to be there on the leash.”

Cefaratti plans to take this proposal to the Steamboat Spr-ings Parks & Recreation commission to review the pros and cons, and he hopes they will take it in front of Steamboat Springs City Council.

“The pros are that the patrol officers would not have to battle this ongoing trauma and there would be fewer infractions of the rules, and fewer incidences occurring with dogs off leash, because it would be in a controlled place and time,” he said. “The cons would be that people are concerned about dog waste, and people are concerned about dogs off leash.”

Dawn Smith, animal control officer for the city of Steam-boat Springs thinks the proposal needs some amendments.

“We need to talk about the kind of signage and parameters and hours and different types of enforcement,” she said. “Every dog needs to be licensed and have a visible license.”

The leash law has been in effect since the 1970s, but the ordinance has been in effect for a longer period of time, Smith said.

If someone is cited for having their dog off leash, the fine is generally $50 and increases with the number of instances.

Smith estimates there are up to 10,000 dogs in the city, and with the growing population come a growth in problems associated with them.

Smith hopes the community understands the importance of the current leash law.

“For somebody who’s afraid of dogs — it doesn’t matter how nice your dog is — it can be a really scary thing for them, “ she said. “We had a girl injured on the bike path this winter when a very friendly dog jumped up on her and gave her a head and knee injury.”

Other possible problems can include dogfights and waste management issues.

“We will have to work on ideas to keep it under control,” Smith said. “If done right, it’s a really good idea. Having dogs in a social situation is good for the dog.”

Det. Capt. Bob Del Valle said the Steamboat Springs Police Department issued 125 dog at large citations in 2006.

“We probably write 2.5 dog at large tickets a week,” he said. “We are not opposed to the proposal, but there will be some issues that will come up, especially at some of the parks they listed.”

The issues he anticipates involve the capacity of the designated sites and possible water quality issues at Lithia Springs.

Cefaratti eventually would like to see a “doggie park” in the city.

“This is all just a proposal that I would like to open for discussion, and would like the public to support,” he said.

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Community comments

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another_local (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 5:33 a.m.
› Suggest removal

Fetcher park is a great place for this with the combination of an area to run and the ability to “swim” your dog.

Also worth noting, unless the regulation has changed, any dog may be off the leash in National Forest as long as it is under “effective” voice control. It does not have to be hunting.

baseballforever (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 6:44 a.m.
› Suggest removal

With the amount of dogs per person in this city it is amazing that a fenced dog park has not been created or isn't in the works. The cost is minimal, it's not like putting in a playground with equipment for children. It's a shame that the city prefers to ticket rather then try to minimize the leash probelm by creating a place for dogs to play and socialize without their leashes. A large number of cities across the country, that aren't as dog friendly as Steamboat, has found this small investment beneficial to the community.

secretshopper (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 6:45 a.m.
› Suggest removal

Wow Steamboat Pilot, Top story? A teacher dies in an avalanche, and this is your top story?

mtroach
March 12, 2007 at 6:52 a.m.
› Suggest removal

I think another great place for a leash free area is Rita Valentine park. Plenty of open space, and not a lot of other users.

tropicalmonster (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 7:03 a.m.
› Suggest removal

And what about runners? i really dont want to be surprised by an unleashed dog

I agree with secretshopper… my condolences to the Maniaci family

JazzSlave (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 7:24 a.m.
› Suggest removal

The dog at large issue is a problem. Unfortunately, so is the lack of common sense exhibited by Animal Control (although, I moved out to the county a year ago, so I've had no recent dealings with them). I and other responsible dog owners had innumerable run-ins with AC while I was still living in town, and we cultivated a polite contempt for the AC officer, whom we regarded as a tin-plated buerecrat.

We eventually solved the problem by taking matters in to our own hands. We detained mutts on the loose for retrevial by AC, and insisted that the owner be fined (we learned that 1st-time offenders were frequently not being penalized). We were pretty militant about it, and the dog at large problem in our neighborhood evaporated.

kneedropper (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 8:07 a.m.
› Suggest removal

What do you need an off leash dog park for? Every park in town is already an off leash park….How about giving people a fine if they don't posess some way of picking up their dog poo.

JazzSlave (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 8:10 a.m.
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kneedropper:

Seconded!

bcpow (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 9:14 a.m.
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Secret shopper is right. A dog story is the lead? A 25 year old man who was great with at risk kids was killed and we get to read about unleashed dog parks? Please get your priorities straight.

thecondoguy1 (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 9:42 a.m.
› Suggest removal

kneedropper:
thirded!

smokhaus (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 10:54 a.m.
› Suggest removal

A story on page 3 in no way diminishes the tragedy of the teacher's death, nor is it an affront to his family. Those who commented on story selection obviously found and read the story, so what's the problem?

agentofchange (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 12:53 p.m.
› Suggest removal

Pilot, once again, by putting this story as the “Top-Story”, you have shown that we have just crossed over into
the “Mayberry Zone” Get real !
As to this off-leash idea… NO WAY!
Put your critter in your car and drive out to the country. 10,000 dogs?!
Now that's alot of methane produced for all you global warming types.

localreader (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 4:20 p.m.
› Suggest removal

Play with your dogs on your property!

JQPUBLIC (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 5:43 p.m.
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localreader…. what a concept!!

kneedropper….all those in favor….aye

sickofitall (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 6:12 p.m.
› Suggest removal

In letting dogs run loose, per the city, I would think there would need to be some discussion about liability issues.
Also, how would we screen out the dogs who simply do not listen? National Forest requires dogs to be under voice comand at all times.
I like the way things are now. Dog owners should be nervous about letting thier dogs off a leash (as most already do unless in “heavy” traffic areas), one NEVER knows what will happen.

localreader (anonymous)
March 12, 2007 at 7:26 p.m.
› Suggest removal

jq, deal with it! Got dog, love having dog, handle dog- ownership responsibly. It's like living in a community with others, responsibly. It's like sking our mountain responsibly. Why is every behavior so suddenly a “right”? Don't get it!

JQPUBLIC (anonymous)
March 13, 2007 at 7:37 a.m.
› Suggest removal

localreader… I think you misunderstood… what a concept, to actually have them play in their own yards. I believe that's the way it should be and then I don't have to clean up the crap from my yard. The big problem is that for every “responsible” dog owner there are two that aren't. And wow, after they get done yelling at their dog to stop, get down, heel, or whatever, they nicely explain “he's never done that before, he's usually a well behaved dog”, by then it's a little late! It only takes one time, look at these pit bull attacks (and other breeds), and the owners that claim the dogs have never shown signs of aggression. I like dogs but I don't own a dog and I don't believe anyone has a “right” to impose their animal on me. I shouldn't have to check the clock to see if it's my turn or the dog's turn to use a park.

JazzSlave (anonymous)
March 13, 2007 at 8:12 a.m.
› Suggest removal

jqpublic:

I think you're wrong - for every responsible dog owner (like me) there are probably 4 or 5 who aren't.

The city isn't equipped to deal with it. For all my caterwauling about Animal Control, the fact is that they're undermanned and underfunded.

Residents need to take the initiative to do some enforcement of their own. It worked in my neighborhood last year (see my post above).

fish (anonymous)
March 13, 2007 at 8:14 a.m.
› Suggest removal

Frank is just another one of those lazy dog owners who would rather stand or sit on his butt instead of exercising his dogs.

katrinkakelly (anonymous)
March 13, 2007 at 11:53 a.m.
› Suggest removal

I rarely see a leash on a dog when I am on the River Trail.

If your “LOOSE”dog runs up into the face of my leashed dog it will get bitten! I am sure my dog does not understand why most other dogs are running loose with or without their masters while I abide by the law.