I made a difference in America’s sixth or seventh largest city, I haven’t checked the numbers of late.
Six years into the leash-free debate for dog owners who pay taxes to access local parks my dog died and I regretted every hour away from her that I spent arguing for her to be able to chase a ball in her local park.
I had to tell the kids, toddlers’ moms and fellow dog owners of my loss. It was terrifying but I had to do it.
The “enemy” was really two people, who had another two friends chip in to a debate in front of the City. My dog Chani died. They went against a memorial tree that had been donated to the City’s Foundation with all details as to type, size and location that were all determined by the City. We have our tree and watered it. Since then they’ve planted many more so I can barely find Chani’s on Google Earth.
Now the government is touting leash-free areas and while I didn’t make a difference in the early years, nineties, I did in the long term. I’ve a wonderful dog for 12 years, no legal leash-free areas in town. The circle of friends around a picnic table at four in the afternoon with all the widows and their precious dogs made for incredible friendships and some are still in touch years later.
Our volunteer work changed governments. Our team did it.
That’s the way it is, Dee
Cooking with Dee 
I am my team these days and am still a dog lady. Everyone knows us. We raised a good shelter pup that turned into a great old dog. She no longer eats dead toads off the pavement and gets rid of them on our bed, yes, a safe place that gives me seven loads of laundry…… Dee
We met a dog walker today who was waving me away from placing the back of my hand near the dog’s nose to sniff and calling out “hello miss L.” The walker kept waving me away without touching me, Zoe wasn’t with me but I was talking to the dog, who lives with us when L’s owner is out of town. I tried to tell this to the walker and I don’t think she got it. I told her Zoe missed her, we hadn’t seen her in a while and were concerned. That kind of thing and she did nuzzle me. L, not the sitter. I think the sitter remained confused. Ah, if she complains about me her mom/doc/owner will ask me to help straighten it out. Another interesting day in Dee-Ville.