It was a beautiful day today, with clear blue skies, warm sunshine, and a fair cool breeze.  It should have been a perfect day at the park.

The city of Brookfield recently put a snowfence like barrier up between the parking area and the grass, in what I must think was either an effort to grow grass or prevent dogs from running out into the parking lot.  The Mitchell dog park is not enclosed, which has always bothered me.  There is no gate that separates the front area from the parking lot.  People that visit the park regularly know this and are very cautious in the parking lot.

We arrived at the park around 10:00 to find the parking lot very full.  A city maintenance crew was cleaning and mowing the nearby hill, using some sort of truck with an attachment that I think picked up litter.  They were driving trucks with little visibility to small objects, including animals, and towing behind a mechanical contraption that was designed to pick up small objects in a combine like manner.I also noticed a police cruiser, an odd sight for a normally peaceful area.  I got Gus out of the truck and was carrying him to the area where he could start running into the park, when I saw what the commotion was about.

A poor little black pug was laying dead on his side about 10 feet from the parking lot in the grass.  The owner was distraught and talking with the police, and from what I overheard seemed to indicate that a truck had driven into the grassy area (which was blocked by the snow fence) and killed the dog.  From what I could gather, he seemed to indicate it was the city crew truck that had killed his dog.

This is inexcusable and completely preventable by the crew.

Why did the crew choose 10 AM on a Saturday to perform maintenance with trucks and equipment?  The weekend, and this weekend, are clearly the busiest times for the parks.

Why did they choose to enter from this entrance?  This is the only entrance for dog owners, and is heavily trafficked by people with pets.  There were many other methods of entrance to the area they were cleaning.

The only excuses for this can be complete ignorance, laziness, malicious intent, or a combination of the above.  I realize dogs are considered property, but I hope the owner sues the city of Brookfield for damages.  I would hope that as a recourse they are forced to install sufficient safety devices to protect these pets at the park.  I would also hope that the people responsible are fired.

This could have easily been Gus.  He’s a house dog, and doesn’t know but to trust people.  He will run out past the barrier into the area where the dog was hit if i don’t watch him.  My lesson learned is that I will use a leash with him from now on whenever we’re near a parking lot.