POLL: Are Off-Leash Dog Parks Working?

It has been roughly a year since off-leash dog hours at Arlington parks have gone into effect. 

Since then, Director Joe Connelly has received more than 36 complaints from the public regarding the program, according to data obtained by Arlington Patch. 

"In October, when it first started, we had 20 to 30 comments or concerns," Connelly said at a recent bylaw review meeting. "That really trickled down to maybe a handful of them a month over the last few months. But we said, really from the start, that we weren't going to make any changes until one year."

Recreation officials are now reviewing the bylaw and its regulations, trying to figure out what has worked and what hasn't.

Between Feb. 16, 2010 and Oct. 18, 2011, 46 dog owners have been ticketed or warned for failure to restrain pets at Arlington parks. The park with the highest number of offenses is , where 10 people were ticketed or warned in 2010 and six in 2011.

In October, nearly 20 residents called or wrote Connelly with support for the program. Some even suggested adding extending off-leash dog park hours.

According to Connelly, adding afternoon hours has suggested by residents numerous times, though that would require a bylaw change that would need to be approved by town meeting.

Connelly has estimated fix top issues have come up from residents:

1. Menotomy Rocks Park: Off-leash dogs in woods and at non off-leash hours.
2. : Limiting the number of dogs and identifying different locations for the program.
3. : Use of baseball field by off-leash dogs.
4. Review of hours limited at Robbins Farm in the morning (7:30-8:30 a.m.)
5. Increased signage at parks.

As officials review the town's off-leash dog park hours, we ask you: How is the town's one-year-old bylaw working? Should there be more flexible hours? Should there be more enforcement? 

Please answer our poll. And if you have more comments, please feel free to leave them in the box below.