Wants to collar dog park backers

Supporters of the dog park had their say in last week's newspaper. Some of their claims need to be challenged by facts.

"Dogs can carry at least 30 infectious diseases that may be transferred to humans." That statement comes from the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Rootstown, Ohio, published in The Washington Post Sept. 22, 1997.

"As much as pet owners hate to admit it, domestic animals can cause diseases." (Dr. Peter Gott, nationally syndicated newspaper columnist, June 2002.)

"Hookworm and roundworm are parasites that flourish in dog poop, and some can live in the soil for years. Children who contact these parasites while playing on contaminated ground are at risk for rashes, organ damage and even blindness." (www. stopworms.com.)

"Pet waste contains bacteria that can cause illness and is more than a neighborhood nuisance. Rain and sprinkler runoff can carry the bacteria across lawns into streets, down storm drains and into our local creeks and ocean." (Arne Anselm, environmental programs assistant for the city of Thousand Oaks, February 2002.)

"Dogs can carry a variety of germs that can make people sick. Puppies and some adult dogs often carry a variety of parasites that can cause rashes or illness in people. People who are more likely to get diseases from dogs include infants, children younger than 5 years old, organ transplant patients and people being treated for cancer." (U.S. Government Center for Disease Control.)

People who have a dog in their backyard naturally have a backyard loaded with dog poop- not a good idea to also have children running, walking and playing in it. Flies love it, however. Next time you're dining on your patio and a fly lands on your food, think about where that fly has just been.

Camarillo is a friendly place for dogs. People on a 60footwide lot can have four dogs, and dog license fees are ridiculously cheap. Next, we are going to have city parks dedicated to dogs. John K. Carter Camarillo