Megan Stielstra's Blog

I've just returned from the dog park. Chicago has many public dog parks, which are wonderful because dogs get to run and play and burn energy, and learn to socialize with other dogs and other people and, in general, be better animals for us all, and on top of that I always meet very nice people who teach me new things about my dog and life and other very Zen things. I LIKE hanging out in parks. I've happily paid my ever-increasing taxes to the city of Chicago (though I don't think enough of that money goes to the public school system, which is where I'd like to see my money go, although I don't really have a say in where my tax dollars go, now do I? so I donate money to CPS, which is fine, so maybe give me back some of my ever-increasing tax dollars to do so, like maybe the ones that are currently funding a war) because, among other things, I see it is paying for the creation and upkeep of public space, including parks (especially Humbolt Park, on which I live) and dog parks (especially the Wicker Park dog Park and Montrose Beach, both of which I frequent). However, I've just learned that, as of the beginning of September, everyone will have to pay to use the (public) dog parks. You'll have to purchase an annual pass to use the (public) dog parks. If you don't have one of these passes and are caught in a (public) dog park, you will have to pay a fine of up to $500.

So: city taxes, city sticker, plate sticker, zone sticker, dog registration, dog park permit.

I read that these permits are being implemented so that they ("they") can be sure that all animals in the dog parks have the proper shots. This makes sense to me. But I thought I filled out all those forms and paid to register my dog with the city to prove he had all his shots. I thought that's why all dogs were registered with the city: so we could be sure that the dogs walking our streets had been vaccinated. So, if that's why I'm doing THAT, then why am I also proving this to the park disctrict?

When we visit Christopher's family in Evanston, we can't use the dog parks because we don't have a dog park permit. There is a person who sits at the door to every dog park and checks your permit. So is that what I'm paying for? To pay the person checking my permits? Because the city already knows my dog has his shots 'cause I already paid to tell them so.

If someone can explain to me the logic of this, I'd be very happy. Perhaps I'm missing something.

(there are many political decisions being made that I'd also pose the above question to. But today is my day off, and I had a great lunch with good friends, and a lovely afternoon at the (public) dog park, and I feel far too light and joyful to be arguing politics right now)