Tails in the News
By Sarah Dahnke
New ban on dogs in Grant Park met with opposition
The South Loop Dog Park Action Co-op has expressed opposition to the recent ban on dogs in and around the “Agora” installation, created by artist Magdalena Abakanowicz, in Grant Park. The Chicago Park District aims to prevent dogs from urinating on the statues, which could potentially ruin the $3 million artwork. However, the ban means that a significant portion of Grant Park will now be closed to dogs.
“Why a ban and not a simple request, perhaps coupled with education?” says Gail Merritt, president of the South Loop Dog PAC. “Why not appeal to peoples’ sense of civic responsibility by building their awareness of the situation and asking for their help in preserving the integrity of a public asset? I think most folks would respect the request.”
Merritt says her organization fully understands that dogs should not be urinating on the artwork, but they would like to see the entire south end of Grant Park become “dog-friendly.” Furthermore, she says these types of bans (typically involving a few signs) are usually ignored by those who let their dogs run off-leash.
Persons in violation of the ban could potentially be fined $500, a measure that the South Loop PAC thinks should be modified.
“We hope that the Park District will reconsider the ban and [instead] post signs near the installation that request dog guardians restrain their dogs from urinating on the sculptures, perhaps with a simple graphic with the international “no” sign over a dog peeing and [also] work with the city to enforce off-leash laws in the park,” Merrit says.
Compensation granted for emotional suffering after death of dog
In a first-of-its-kind settlement, a Riverwoods, Illinois woman has received $9,500 in compensation for the death of her dog. On Feb. 24, 2003, Ethel Untermeyer was walking her dog on a leash when a Waste Management truck struck and killed the pet. She alleged that she was emotionally harmed by the incident and the loss of her companion, and the court agreed, saying that emotional distress could arise from the loss of a beloved pet if the guardian was in the zone of danger of the accident.
“This case is significant in the sense that historically, the law has viewed pets as personal property,” says Tom Gardiner, Untermeyer’s attorney. “Any case that involves an amount of money as a settlement is consistent with what is a trend in the law to give pets some additional consideration.”
The Untermeyer case is the only settlement on record for a claim for Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress and Negligent Damage of Property with respect to a pet being killed.
Tree House Animal Foundation accepts designation as lead agency for Maddie’s Fund
One of Chicago’s largest shelters has been named a lead agency for Maddie’s Fund, an organization that invests in community collaborations between animal groups to help promote its “no-kill nation” mission. Tree House Animal Foundation will now be able to administer grants and assist with Community Collaborative Projects, which entail adoption efforts and spay/neuter efforts. “This is a step toward being a leader in the animal welfare arena in Chicago,” says Dave de Funiak, executive director of Tree House Foundation. “This will help get the population under control and contribute to animal welfare in Chicago.” Tree House originally started speaking with other local animal welfare groups about applying for lead agency in 2001, but at the time, the necessary players were not in place. Since then, CASA (The Chicago Animal Shelter Alliance) has formed and has helped initiate collaborations within the animal community. “We’re at a point where everyone is communicating enough where we can accomplish our goals,” de Funiak says. “We’re grateful that we’ve emerged in a leadership capacity, but we’d like to direct the focus to all of Chicago’s shelters. Coming together is the greatest accomplishment.”
Tree House also recently acquired the former Furry Friends Foundation facility in Bucktown. FFF closed its doors in late 2006 due to financial difficulties. Tree House will assume care of the approximately 50 cats that currently reside at the shelter.
ReptileFest 2007 slithers into Chicago
The nation’s largest educational reptile and amphibian show will take place April 14-15 at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The Chicago Herpetological Society’s ReptileFest 2007 will have hundreds of reptiles and amphibians from around the world on display, so visitors can learn more about keeping these types of animals in captivity. No animals are sold at the event, as the primary goal of the festival is to educate the public. In addition to the exhibitors, vendors will be on site selling reptile and amphibian supplies, herp-related art, books, T-shirts, and more. The CHS’s Iguana Squad will also be teaching the public about how to properly care for Green Iguanas and about conservation of wild iguanas.
Spotlight On: Lindsay Hocker, winner of Annual Dog Writers Association of America Junior Education Award
Lindsay Hocker, a sophomore at the University of Iowa who is from Milan, Illinois, is the newest recipient of the Dog Writers Association of America’s Junior Education Award. The award is for those aged 18 to 22 who have experience with dogs and have published dog-related writing. Hocker, a journalism and religion double major at the University of Iowa, is the director of community education at SPEAK of Iowa City, where she oversees education related to responsible pet guardianship.
How long have you been writing about dogs?
When I would write stories in elementary school, they would always be about my pets or other animals, so I’ve been writing about dogs ever since I could write. I also have [written] for Celebrating Greyhounds, a magazine dedicated to Greyhounds as pets, and am currently working on another article for them. I still write as a correspondent for my local papers.
What inspired you to begin working at animal shelters?
I began volunteering at my first shelter, the Quad City Animal Welfare Center, in January of 2003, when I was 15. I began volunteering because I have always loved animals and I wanted to help homeless animals. I started volunteering at Quad Cities Greyhound Adoption in September of 2003. I started volunteering at two Iowa City area shelters last fall, Witty Kitties and the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center.
What are your goals for the future after you graduate?
I want to ideally start a career that will combine my love for animals and writing. I would love to work as a humane educator and volunteer coordinator for an animal shelter, write for an animal-related magazine, or work at an animal welfare organization. No matter what I do for a living, however, I want to have a home with plenty of pets. I plan on adopting retired racing Greyhounds, cats, and mixed breed dogs, like my wonderful family dog, Duke, who is a Collie, Husky, Shepherd, and Chow mix that my dad found as a puppy nine years ago.
