APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – A proposal to allow dogs in Appleton’s parks took a step back Monday night.
The city’s park committee voted against the proposal and recommended the city council do the same.
There are nearly 700 signatures on the petition to allow dogs on leashes in Appleton City Parks.
Ali Koestner started the petition in February.
“As a pet owner myself I wanna be able to enjoy Appleton’s parks with all the members of my family”
However, at Monday’s parks committee meeting, the three committee members present voted to keep the city’s ban on dogs in parks.
Committee members said they received numerous calls from constituents asking to keep the ban in place.
About a dozen people spoke on the issue at the meeting.
Jim Dean is one of them.
“Our police department has enough work to do. The simplest solution is to keep things as they are”
Dean also had concerns about people’s safety.
“A child reaches out to pet the dog, maybe pulls its tail, ears, how will that dog react?”
But Koestner pointed out that irresponsible dog owners already break rules and bring their dogs to parks.
She said responsible dog owners will control their dogs and pick up after them.
The police department has come out against lifting the ban on dogs in parks.
The city council is expected to make its decision next week.
