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To the Editor:
The article about the dog situation in our parks in Yorktown did not get across the point of the dangers of dog feces and urine to our children and which also is a major pollutant and contaminant to our water supply.
A letter presented to the Town Board in June came with pictures of what our families are exposed to while using the Jack DeVito Park, signatures of parents, research on dog waste, New York state and Yorktown dog control laws.
A dog park was provided for all the residents of Yorktown who own dogs. We would not take our children to the dog park and let them play in that area among the feces and urine. Why would we want to play at a public park under the same conditions with all the feces and urine deposited by dog owners?
The EPA deemed dog waste in the same category as oil and toxic chemicals. A single gram of dog waste can contain 23 million fecal coli bacteria. The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention gave a large list of harmful bacteria that could cause serious illness to children when in contact with dog waste.
State and local laws say no dog is allowed to defecate or urinate in public parks. I assume there is a reason for these laws, and they should be enforced for the safety of our children that play in these parks.
The Town Board was presented with this information along with the reports of dogs going after children. The Town Board is considering banning the dogs from the middle of the field, but they can defecate and urinate anywhere else that we walk or play. The Town Board should make the correct decision.
Our town supervisor said he if he banned dogs he would get tarred and feathered. But, by whom, the very people that are creating this hazard in our parks where our children play and not obeying the town laws?
We are asking for signs prohibiting dogs in our parks with summons issued to those who do not abide by the rules.
Pat McKechnie
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