8/6/05: Small dog injured in small dog area.
     On Saturday, August 6, 2005, a 12-year old daschund was attacked, shaken and seriously
     injured by a female yellow lab that was in the small dog area with its owner and another small
     dog (the lab's housemate). At the time the yellow lab owner and dogs were in the small dog
     area, there were no other dogs in the small dog area. The daschund owner had two daschunds
     with her (a 9-year old blind daschund and the 12-year old daschund) and entered the small dog
     area thinking it was ok to go in with the large dog inside. The small dog that was with the lab
     raced to the gate as soon as the daschunds entered.

     The daschund owner was focused on the small dog that approached her dogs and did not
     see the lab run over to her 12-year old daschund, grab it and begin to shake it. A gentleman
     that was leaving the large dog area rushed to the small dog area to help pull the lab off the
     daschund. The daschund owner took the injured daschund to the ER where she had surgery
     to repair the large wound down her side and across her back. The daschund also has broken
     blood vessels in her eye due to the shaking. There appears to be no internal injuries, but it
     will take quite some time for the wounds to heal (not to mention, get over the trauma of being
     attacked). The lab owner has taken full responsibility for the injuries to the daschund and
     will be paying all vet bills. As of this email, the ER bill is about $800 and more charges are
     anticipated from additional care required from the family vet.

     This injury should have never happened and we have rules to help prevent this. Everyone
     needs to be aware of the rules and abide by them to make sure the park is safe and enjoyed
     by everyone. PAWS PARK RULES

     Please share this news with your friends who use the dog park and help us let people know
     these important things to keep the park safe for everyone: PAWS PARK TIPS

     If you have any questions about any of this information, please let me know. We hope we
     can educate as many park users as possible so that future injuries are prevented. Remember,
     if you see a rule violation or something happening that could escalate to a conflict, please
     SPEAK to the owner to address the situation. We all must do everything we can to keep
     the park safe!!!

     Thank you!
     Sandy
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     NEWS

     CHOKE, PRONG & TRAINING COLLAR WARNING!
     Please read this story about a terrible incident that happened at Sanford Paw Park.      Please keep your dog from possible harm by removing choke or prong collars before
     entering Paws Park.

     Tuesday, March 9, 2004 11:39 PM
     Subject : Tragedy at Paw Park of Sanford

     I am absolutely numb as I write this letter, as witnessing the senseless death of a gentleman's
     "best friend" this afternoon at Paw Park in Sanford. The culprit was not a dog fight, as may be
     ones first thought, but a dog being choked to death by a choke collar.

     Minutes before, this playful dog was having a wonderful time with another canine companion
     when the other dog's lower jaw became entangled in the choke collar. The more they tried to
     separate, the more entangled they became. By the time their human counterparts discovered
     the problem, the choker was so tight there was little anyone could do to separate them but
     frantically search for a bolt cutters. And we did, but to no avail. I even tried calling 911 for help,
     but they would not assist because humans were not in danger. We were finally able to locate
     a pair of cutters across the street at the automotive shop, but we were too late, as the dog
     had already suffocated.

     I am repeating this story so those of you that bring dogs into the dog park, will realize the
     dangers of choke collars (or pinch collars), when dogs are playing. PLEASE!!!! learn a
     lesson from this preventable tragedy and leave your choke or pinch collars at home! They
      are dangerous and outlawed in a dog park setting.

     The owner was absolutely devastated, as were the witnesses to this tragedy.

     Thanks for listening,

     Mike Knipfer
     Friends of our Paw Park
     www.pawparksanford.org
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ALL ABOUT CHOKE, CHAIN PRONGS AND TRAINING COLLARS By Susyn Stecchi

A choke or chain-type collar (with or without prongs)can be an invaluable training aid for you and your dog. Used properly, a choke chain is both humane and effective. Used improperly, choke collars are both ineffective and dangerous.I'm not going to teach you how to put these collars on your dog or how to train your dog with it. What I am going to talk to you about is that these collars are not permitted in dog parks, and I want you to understand why this rule is in place. A choke collar means no nonsense. Your dog should only wear the collar when it is training time. No matter how dashing, it is not apparel for everyday wear. You use the collar when you are actively training your dog (the dog park is not a training ground for your dog, despite what some might think). Putting the collar on your dog should tell your dog, "You need to pay extra attention to me for what we are about to do next." Do not use the collar on every day, meandering walks, when the dog is unsupervised or without a leash attached. A choke collar CHOKES. An unattended, unsupervised or playing dog could get caught on something and then choke him or herself. Please let the tragic death at Sanford Paw Park drive this point home. Choke collars should only be worn during an active training session; at all other times, put a regular, non-slip collar on your dog -- PLEASE! And do not bring your dog into the dog park with a choke collar on; dogs are required to wear regular collars (non-slip or non-choke) with their dog tags on them in the dog park at all times. Now you understand why this rule was in place. Don't let this dog's death be a wasted one -- learn something from it for the sake of your own dog. Your dog will thank you for it.

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