I am the only Creekside Park volunteer since I “rehomed” my dog Abby. She and I walked the park twice a day and cleaned up everything all year long. Sadly, Abby was attacked on Sixth Avenue outside the park, across from the elementary school. She never saw the dog coming and has undergone two surgeries for her injuries. I no longer feel comfortable dealing with loose dogs in the park while I am walking my leashed dog. We have been charged several times over the years without injury.
But I can no longer walk Abby without being hyper-vigilant and carrying a large stick. I don’t want to clean the park and school grounds without her by my side.
I do hope some group commits to cleaning the park. I average three full grocery bags of trash a week and, from October to April, I pick up at least 700 piles of dog poop in the park. I ask the many teams and large gatherings to keep cleaning up after themselves. I hope that owners walk their dogs on a leash, so no one suffers the loss of a pet or injuries to themselves.
— Mary Margaret Cocklin
Anchorage
Have something on your mind? Send to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.