Dear Frankie,
Rolling Rovers is a new doggie daycare in our town. It’s for dogs who can’t walk on their back legs. The Rolling Rovers get around in carts outfitted with a harness that holds up their back legs. They use their front legs (which are fine) to pull the cart. It’s incredible how fast they can go in those carts. Recently, the town dog park was closed. This was a real bummer for those of us who go to agility class and use the park on off days to exercise and practice. When the park reopened, the area where we practiced our moves had been made into a track for dog carts. I understand the Rolling Rovers need a place to run and exercise in their carts. It just seems there were a lot of other sites the town could have built a track than in our park. Don’t you agree?
Sincerely,
Figaro
Dear Figaro,
No one likes to have something they value taken away from them. A town dog park, however, is a public facility. It was built for all the dogs in your town, whether old, young, blind, sighted, agile, or physically disabled. In sum, disabled dogs have as much right to go to a town dog park as nondisabled dogs. Likewise, nondisabled dogs have as much right to use a track built to accommodate dog carts for disabled dogs. Have you thought about setting up a schedule for specific times the track could be used for agility practice and cart runs? It seems that a smooth and paved track might be a terrific place for you and your pals to set up an agility course. You mentioned the Rolling Rovers have no trouble burning a little rubber when they need to get where they are going. How about challenging them to a race, provided they are given a fair handicap? They might surprise you and give you a run for your money.
Best,
Frankie
Frankie is a rescue and a service dog for Geneva Woodruff. Together, they have traveled far and wide. Along the way, Frankie befriended dogs from all walks of life. She thought it would be remiss not to share the many lessons of life she learned from them.