A Brief History of Dog Parks in the United States

A Brief History of Dog Parks in the United States

     My girlfriend Dusty, First Deputy at www.SaintsforSinners.com and I were talking about the local dog park in City Park and we began wondering how, when, and where the first dog parks originated. So, we channeled Saint Rocco,  patron saint of dogs and dog lovers who told us to surf the Internet to get the answer. We looked up some articles and a lady named Jessica Gross had a short piece that gave us all the information we sought.

     It didn't surprise us that dog parks basically began in Northern California, near Berkeley, according to Ms. Gross. We believe it since lots of trends seem to have begun in the west, like television, and the Gold Rush, to name two. Apparently, around 40 years ago, the city of Berkely, California was building a new transit system and tearing down lots of buildings that were in the way. That left a lot of  open land which has come to be known as "green space." Two other ladies, Doris Richards and Gail Green ( Gail GREEN, things that make you go Hmmmmmm. ) got things rolling along and pretty soon the first dog park had been established.

     The first park was a bit of a lark and basically just thrown together, thanks to the initiative of these two lovely women. But once it got organized, the dog park sort of became its own town and in the mid 1980's it was officially incorporated. And like "The Field of Dreams," once the park got built the dogs and humans came. Everything was pretty hunky dory at the park and then the inevitable happened.

      Word spread about how cool the park was and pretty soon like-minded individuals ( mostly women, Dusty surmises ) were calling and writing the people running the dog park and asking how they too could create a dog park. Their model has now been copied in numerous cities throughout the world. In our home town, a great dog park called "City Bark," was created in City Park on March 27, 2010. According to its president, Mary Ann Cardinale, the 10 people who envisioned creating the park were all, you guessed it, women!

        It should be noted that one of the ladies, Doris Richards, who helped create the dog park was honored by the City Parks Department. They erected a giant functioning fire hydrant in her honor.  Before she died Ms. Richards wrote that she felt the fire hydrant honor was "funny and fitting." We do too! 

        

      

Miniature Pinscher Cherry Ann Hershberger Declared Worthy of First Class Seats on Flights

www.SaintsforSinners.com has learned that the Miniature Pinscher "Cherry Ann" Hershberger, will be approved for flying in First or Business Class when seats are available.

Cherry's image is, for security reasons, secreted in a shadow and located to the right.

Cherry's Human is known as Sally Hershberger, a famous Stylist, who travels throughout the world, working diligently to help folks look their best.

Her web site is found at http://www.sallyhershberger.com/ and it provides fascinating glimpses into the world of fashion. We will have to contact our friends, Jill Spitznass, and Miguel Sirgrado, the Style Editors for Portland Monthly and People EN ESPANOL, and the folks at OK!, three of the magazines who have placed our imported Italian hand-painted saint medallions on the Style Pages of their magazines, and let them know about Sally Hershberger's web site (and her wonderfully rascally dog, Cherry).

The Official Announcement came from Our Lady of Loreto, one of the well-known images of the Virgin Mary. Our Lady of Loreto is known as the patron saint of Aviators and is invoked for safe flights.

Our Lady said that she consulted with the patron saint of animals and "birders," Saint Francis of Assisi, (featured 3 times, far right) and the patron of dogs, Saint Rocco, (also featured) who is invoked against dog bites and rabies.

Both Francis and Rocco agreed that "having Cherry Ann sit in her own seat in Business or First Class, does not harm anyone."

Even Saint Gertrude of Nevilles, the patron of cats and cat lovers, approved of letting Cherry sit in her own seat, "it's purrfectly fine, as long as she pays for it," Gertrude hissed.

Some may think letting a dog like Cherry Ann have a Business Class seat upgrade is indulgent, but Joan Raymond, writing today in the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/ and Cherry's Human noted today that "[a]pparently Cherry wanted an upgrade.

Perhaps it is time for the airlines to follow the lead of our bank, Fidelity Homestead Savings Bank, and begin offering "Milk Bones" to its patrons like Cherry Ann, and the dogs who will undoubtedly follow along in her footsteps.

Saint Rocco, Patron of Dogs, Recommends Dog Groomer Connie Heaphy

http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ 's Saint Rocco, (also known as Saint Roch or Rock) recently visited New Orleans to assess the dog grooming facilities and had one thing to say: Mid City Pet Grooming's Connie Heaphy is an excellent dog groomer and her phone number is 504.874.0404!

Saint Rocco was born in the 13th Century. He is known as the Patron Saint of Dogs, Dog Lovers, Cattle, and Doctors (and, presumably, Veterinarians too). He is invoked against contagious diseases, cholera, plagues, and skin rashes (and, presumably, the "Swine Flu" too).

His story (which can also be found,

along with his hand-painted medal, at http://www.saintsforsinners.com/), goes like this:

Rocco lost his parents at an early age and when he was 20 he decided to go on a pilgrimage to Rome. While he was traveling, a host of contagious diseases were running rampant and Rocco took time to administer to the sick. He would often just simply pray and make the "sign of the cross" over the body of those afflicted and many were miraculously cured.

Before he reached Rome, Rocco himself became afflicted with contagious sores on his leg. He knew that his illness would soon spread to other healthy people so he went into the woods to die a quiet, noble death. A dog (pictured with Rocco, on the far left of this blog) named Dusty befriended Rocco and kept him nourished by bringing "human food" that his generous friend, Robbo of NewOrlow, would let him eat. The food was usually really nice, healthy stuff from Whole Foods Market on Veterans Boulevard, and Rocco soon had the strength to say the "sign of the cross" over his own body and become cured. He then ventured back to the town where he had been living.

Sadly, at this point, after all those months in the woods with Dusty, Rocco was bruised and battered and unrecognizable to the folks in the village. Robbo of NewOrlo saw him and did not recognize him as Rocco. He saw that Dusty was friends with the man and got extremely jealous, afraid the man was an evil Dog napper. Robbo arranged to have Rocco imprisoned. An Angel looked after Rocco but he died while in jail (but later came back to life).

While Rocco was still in his not living phase, the dog Dusty brought Robbo over to him and Robbo saw Rocco's unique birthmark on his chest. Crestfallen that he had made a mistaken assumption about Rocco's identity, (and thus an ass out out of himself) Robbo vowed not to come to any any future conclusions without getting commentary from others.

Later, in an effort to remember and revere Saint Rocco, Robbo and many others started to put the letters "VSR" above their doorways of their homes, meaning to say "Viva Saint Rocco," or "Long Live Saint Rocco." Rocco's medal features him bended at the knee, with a hat in his hand and Dusty at his side. It is one of the most popular imported Italian hand-painted saint medallions at http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ and comes with a story card and an imported Italian Prayer Card (prayer in Italian) like the one at the top of this Blog.