June 2016 (New)

Page 1 IVINS CITY NEWS VOLUME 15 ISSUE 6 Ivins City News VOLUME 15 ISSUE 6 June 2016 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Meeting Schedule 5:30 PM Planning Commission June 14, 2016 City Council June 2, 2016 June 16, 2016 Post Office Main Branch/New Service Santa Clara: 628-2112 Satellite Post Office Ivins: 628-1381 Utility Payment Drop Box Ivins City Office (North side of building) Ivins Satellite Post Office PHONE NUMBERS City Hall 628-0606 Animal Services 628-1049 Building/Zoning 634-9753 Justice Court 634-5728 Parks & Rec. 634-0689 Police Dispatch 634-5730 SCI Public Safety (Ivins) 674-5503 SCI Public Safety (Santa Clara) 652-1122 Public Works 634-0689 Utilities 628-0606 Emergencies 911 Anonymous Tip Hotline 673-8488 Website: www.ivins.com DOG ON IT Chris Hart, Mayor I grew up around dogs and have loved them since I was a kid. Our family mutt roamed the neighborhood as did the rest of them and when I mowed the lawn I could tell that our yard like our neighbor's was a pooches public restroom. The only bad experiences with dogs that I can re- member was Wallace's Pomeranian trying to bite off one of my fingers and once in fourth grade while walking home from Wilson Ele- mentary past the home of the meanest sound- ing dog in the world I mockingly “barked” back and he broke his tether and took chase to kill me. I ran at hyper-speed the two miles to home without stopping or looking back once. I’m sure I was fueled by the biggest dose of adrenaline I think I ever auto-injected. After two or three hundred feet I suspect the dog chuckled under his snarls & growls, turned around and laughed his way home. As a young man German Shepherds became my breed of choice and my family had a series of them over the years with only a couple of non shepherds mixed in along the way. They were remarkable animals, smart, loving and protective. They'd ride beside me on the pas- senger seat of my truck or occasionally in the back which they much preferred. They were so gentle even with my children when they pulled their hair, ears and tails that it was touching to watch. I couldn't imagine them hurting anyone because they were so under control in our home environment. Then one day a friend of mine stopped by to drop off something and as I walked to our driveway “Tank” rushed from the back yard and ferociously lunged at his neck. I was stunned. He acted like a wolf try- ing to take down his prey. I was able to pull him off but it left a permanent impression on me and no doubt a life-long fear of big dogs in my friend. Perhaps we all tend to think a little like I did about our canine friends. We regard them as harmless and non-threatening to anyone and because we love them so much we're probably guilty of thinking everybody else feels the same way about them. We're likely to believe that because we're fine with the way they act others aren't bothered by their probing noses, slobbering jowls or persistent barking. In reali- ty however other people most likely are both- ered. As a health & safety issue most little chil- dren and more than a few adults are terrified when a strange dog on the loose approaches them. Those who keep their own dogs on a leash have no idea what to expect when a strange dog running free approaches them. Instincts often take over and scuffle ensues with the leash holder caught in the middle of the melee. Hard as it is to accept most people simply don't appreciate some of the things that unfamiliar dogs do, don't do or especially doo doo. Dog feces are unwelcome additions to any environment and down-right offensive when left in public places by thoughtless owners who fail to clean them up. Thus we’ve seen the establish- ment of leash laws and “pick up the poop” policies nearly everywhere. We have both by the way. No dog is allowed in public in Ivins without a leash. It's an ordi- nance that's been frequently and flagrantly vio- lated to the extent that a handful of dog owners have become irate and even threatening when reminded of it. Old habits die hard and when it comes to the way we treat our dogs it seems especially true. I empathize by the way. It was hard for me to restrain my dogs after they'd been allowed to run free but after the incident I mentioned earlier and my all time favorite be- ing hit and killed by a car I did it anyway. I encourage you who've resisted till now to do the same. With our new Fire Lake Park open- ing at Ivins Reservoir enforcement of the leash law will be dramatically stepped up. It will get expensive for those who fail to restrain their dogs in public places, especially in our parks. The quickest and surest way for our new swim- ming hole to be shut down by the health de- partment will be for dogs to be allowed in or near the lagoon. We've gone to great lengths to create a fun, safe, and clean family friendly place for our residents to enjoy as they swim and soak up the sun on the new sandy beaches that have been created around the lagoon and it would be unacceptable to lose the use of it due to a few unconcerned dog owners. Nearly every dog owner I know in the city is law abiding and responsible. I see so many of Dog on It Cover June Agenda Items 2 Ivins Reservoir 2 Water Conservation 3 Newsletter Changes 3 School Updates 3 Pet Corner 4-5 Parks and Recreation 5-6 Continued on next page...

June 2016 (New)

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