Ok so I guess our children will need to be punished for their own safety, right? There are more darn dog parks then there are playgrounds and more children then dogs. If you want this ban then fix and create more playgrounds for the children and all dogs should be banned from the playgrounds that are made for children.

I wouldn't actually dream of taking my dog into a child's playground for sanitary reasons. The dog parks are for DOGS and when there are small children present I have to keep such a close watch on my dog in order to ensure that the children don't get knocked over, licked or bumped that I might as well put the leash back on and not bother with the park at all. It is simply not safe to bring a very small child into a dog park. A parent can claim that they're taking responsibility for their baby, toddler but I suspect that if my dog somehow injures that child that I will soon be hearing from an attorney.

There are nicer children's parks near every dog park, and lots of children's parks in addition. Dogs are banned at all of them. Plus, there are thousands of other venues where children can go and dogs cannot. Children do not belong in dog parks. They get in the way. They distract the adults. They behave in ways that interfere with dogs' play with each other. There are so few places--3? 4? in all of this city where dogs are allowed off leash. With small children on the loose, even these spots are taken away from the dogs. Let the dogs keep their pittance.

I actually just moved here from Texas and there are absolutly no children under the age of 7 allowed in dog parks so when I first went to Shirlington and saw all of the children I was in shock. I don't have children but have a small dog who is not particularly found of smaller kids that come up behind her and try to pet or pick her up without any regard for the temperment of the dog. While all children are certainly not as casual around dogs, if she was to turn around and nip at the child who so carelessly grabbed at her, I'm the one in trouble and I'm the one who might end up pleading her case. People complaining about the RIGHT of their children to go in to dog parks should really consider their safety along with other peoples' dogs. There has also been more than one occasion where a toddler is walking around and two dogs running and playing with eachother have come inches from running over the child.

At first I'm inclined to think that parents can make this distinction on their own. But as an owner of a kid-phobic Chihua, it's probably better for all involved if small children are not in dog parks.

I frequent the Shirlington dog park and am often made very nervous when I see little kids running around. I am often shocked that any parent would allow their toddler to be exposed to that obvious danger. However, I abhor overly protective rules and regulations. I think a highly-visible sign that reminds parents of the danger has to be enough. Our society is far too quick to embrace these sorts of overly-protective measures. People must be trusted to use a bit of common sense. Besides, I can't see how a rule banning children would actually work. Who will enforce such a rule? A "watchdog" officer? I personally want our officers to spend their time doing more valuable things. It is most often the case that the parents I see with children have brought their kids AND dog(s) to the park. I do not want to limit those families ability to enjoy the facility to the fullest extent they can. I think the law should not be changed, things are fine as they are. Let the decision be made by the fully informed parent.

PETA also got wind of this story (maybe because they are headquartered just a few hours south in Norfolk) and they had an interesting response.

Rather than banning any humans from dog parks, they felt dogs that are not spayed or neutered should be barred. From a letter written to Arlington County: (http://vpri.me/mSbpwd)
"From aggressive outbursts to litters of puppies, unsterilized animals can cause all kinds of problems," says PETA Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. "By allowing only 'fixed' dogs into Arlington's CCAs, the county would make parks safer and send a strong message to dog guardians that spaying or neutering their animal companions is a necessary, responsible thing to do."

Currently, in both Arlington and Alexandria, only dogs that are in heat are specifically banned from dog parks. Though Alexandria does promote spaying/neutering your dog and offers an assistance program for reduced-cost surgery for those that cannot afford it: http://vpri.me/lb5bRN

Amen. Responsible dog day care places like Your Dog's Best Friends already requiring neutering bye 7 months. It's a good policy.

I vote for Nathan as the voice of reason here.

Call me crazy, but do we really need another law or regulation telling us what we can or can’t do in a public park. The answer is not for Arlington to become a “nanny state”, but rather for people to grow up and be responsible for their own pet. If you’re animal is not fit to be around kids or adults it should not be allowed in any public park.