LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Posted on 08 October 2015 by LeslieM

Thank you to DB’s Will Reed

Dear Editor:

Gardeners were cutting the median along Hillsboro Blvd. when a sharp object flew onto the road in front of my car. A lane change was impossible due to heavy traffic. Hence, I went over it and “POP” went my tire. My car limped into the shopping center where I called AAA.

After a whopping $232 for a new tire, my husband, who I have to give credit to, said, “Call the city and see what they can do.”

I would’ve just blown it off.

I spoke with Mr. Will Reed, who I would like to thank for expediting a check from the city. Thank you, Will.

Lorraine Barsher

Deerfield Beach

Dog enforcement on the beach

Dear Editor:

This is in regard to the Sept. 24 Talk to the Mayor article about dogs on Deerfield Beach. Some points to consider:

1. The current regulation is not enforced at all by the Deerfield Police or code [enforcement] officials. In 20 years walking the sidewalk, I have never seen a single stop by police for walking dogs on the beachside walkway. Not one. In fact, I have seen police in patrol vehicles look away seemingly on purpose. So what data-based evidence does the police chief have to know what he is saying is true? Maybe one well-publicized infraction would help violators obey. Enforcement is important because the personal injury risk to people and their dogs from larger dogs on the beachside walkway is enormous and the cost will fall to taxpayers because of lack of enforcement.

2. The old signs said “No Dogs” on the sidewalk. The new signs say “No animals” on the [sidewalk] and the wording is, at the least, confusing. The signs are not at the entrance spots or the parking pay stations, or the walkway egress to the parking lots. Maybe better more frequent better-placed signage would help with voluntary compliance.

3. Research shows that 38 percent of dog owners scoff at the dog feces pickup duty. As the EPA puts it, “If you think picking up dog poop is unpleasant, try swimming in it” – or additionally, in the case of our beach, lying and walking in it. All dogs currently walking on the Deerfield Beach beachside walkway urinate on the light standards, benches and lawn. Children who crawl will put anything in their mouths; 20 percent of kids get roundworm from dogs and cats.

4. People walk their dogs to the beach for the express purpose of defecating there versus their own residence. Fenced dog parks, a cheap solution, should be considered with collection containers to avoid the adverse conditions that allowing dogs on the beachside walkways bring.

George Cherenack

Deerfield Beach

Comments are closed.

Advertise Here
Advertise Here