Dear Editor:

Toledo Heights Park has many recreational activities to offer the community, such as baseball fields, soccer fields, Frisbee golf, playground, walking trail, riding bicycles, etc. It is difficult to enjoy these activities when dog feces is littering the entire park. The snow has melted and months’ worth of dog feces is now left exposed for everyone to dodge during their springtime activities at the park. It is unsanitary and disgusting. Our children shouldn’t need to look for dog feces before walking/running or setting down his/her baseball bag or football gear. This is unacceptable!

According to the EPA, pet waste is 57% more toxic than human waste. Dog feces can take up to a year to break down in the environment. Some fecal bacteria can even become airborne. Dog feces contain high concentrations of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) , and pathogens (bacteria, viruses, worms and parasites) that can cause serious illness in humans and pets.

Every day, like clockwork, the same Tama and Toledo residents bring his/her dog(s) to the public park, let them loose to do their business then the load them up and take them home WITHOUT cleaning up the feces.

How long is this going to continue before the following Toledo ordinances are enforced?

Toledo Ordinances : Code 55.09 Animal Feces. It is the duty of every person owning or having custody or control of an animal to clean up, remove and dispose of the feces deposited by such animal upon public property, park property, public right-of-way or the property of another person. Such animal feces shall be disposed of in a sanitary matter.

Code 55.06 At Large Prohibited. It is unlawful for any owner to allow an animal to run at large within the corporate limits of the City.

Signs should be posted throughout the park stating the owner must pick up after his/her dog and the consequences.

Summer is around the comer and the park will be full of activity. One solution is creating a designated area for the dog(s), but in the meantime, Toledo Heights is NOT A DOG PARK and this activity needs to be monitored and prohibited immediately.

Tanya Arp

Toledo