Laney & Lady's Doggy Park Petition

Alayna Jeanne Ertl of Watkins, MN, was tragically taken from her family & friends much too soon in August of 2016. Little Alayna's heart always had a giant soft spot for animals - dogs in particular. As a tribute to Alayna's memory, we are asking for your signature in support of the creation of a dog park to be named "Angel Alayna's Doggy Park" in the City of Watkins where we'll create a safe, fun space for the dogs of our community to run and play.

This petition, supported by the undersigned, is directed to the City Council and Park Officials of Watkins, Minnesota. Its goal is to support the construction of an enclosed, off-leash dog park in a centralized, convenient location within the city of Watkins. A full proposal is currently being developed that will be presented to the Watkins City Council along with this petition and signatures in April.

The park would be a designated area where residents and their well-behaved canine citizens can exercise and have fun in a clean, safe environment. We want to create a beautiful, well-maintained space open to all dog lovers and friends who will be willing to uphold the park’s rules and restrictions. This park will be designed to satisfy the needs of dog-owners and non-dog owners alike. We aim for this park to be a community project, supported in large part by volunteer dog advocates and maintained in partnership with the City of Watkins.

In many cities, dog parks are very common. You can view the list of dog parks in each city and state by visiting this website: www.doggoes.com . However, there are no public dog parks anywhere within a 30 minute drive of Watkins! The large number and success of dog parks all over the country demonstrates that when a group of concerned and responsible dog owners work together for a leash-free dog park, not only can this concept work but it can thrive and enrich the community.

Therefore, we are asking the City of Watkins to allow the construction of a dog park for the following reasons:

- To honor, celebrate and always remember Alanya and her love for dogs.

- There is not a current public dog park in our area to accommodate safe, off-leash dog activities.

- Such a park would allow families with dogs to spend more quality time with their pets.

- This park would increase opportunities for residents to interact with their neighbors and help create a sense of community.

- Many dogs need exercise above and beyond human limitations; furthermore, many dog owners do not have a yard where their dogs can spend time outside, and leashes greatly limit the dog’s space and pace.

- Socializing dogs is very beneficial to the community, since it makes them less skittish and can mitigate aggressive behavior when meeting other dogs and people.

- Regular exercise is great for any dog's longevity and weight control, and the overall effect of regular exercise makes most dogs calmer and better behaved.

Please help us create a dedicated space that allows our residents to exercise their canine family members and themselves as well as benefit the community as a whole!