Maynard's residents and town officials need to hear from us about why Maynard needs a dog park. Please take a few minutes to write a brief letter to the editor about your personal reasons for supporting the dog park proposal.

The best thing you can do is state, in your own words, why you feel a dog park would be good for Maynard. Here is some sample text you can use as inspiration or a starting point - feel free to include some or all of this language or write your own:

• Dog parks allow pet owners to give dogs the exercise and socialization they require in a safe, dedicated location. Dogs that are adequately exercised and socialized are less likely to be nuisance barkers or aggressive, and more likely to be well-behaved citizens of our community.
• A dog park is not a park for dogs -- it is a park for dog owners. Dog parks bring members of the community together, friendships are formed, and the community is strengthened.
• The dog park will be built and maintained entirely through volunteers, private funds, and grants. Other than providing the land, the town will not be asked to help build or maintain this park.
• An off-leash dog park encourages aerobic exercise for dogs (and their owners), which benefits their mental and physical health. With many families in Maynard living in apartments or homes with small yards and many existing recreation areas off-limits to dogs, a dog park is even more needed here.
• A dedicated dog park would be a benefit to our town. Many families include their pets as part of their family. There are few places families with dogs can go together and socialize. Many families in Maynard go to out-of-town dog parks and wish they could enjoy the same experience here.
• People who are disabled, ill, or elderly may not be able to walk their dogs as much as the dogs need. They would benefit from having a dog park where they could enjoy watching their dogs play.
• This park will be a voluntary effort borne from a need recognized by a constituency of citizens, created by the citizens, built and paid for by the citizens.
• A Maynard Dog Park would not only promote a sense of community and bring us closer together to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, it would be beneficial for all of our city residents. After all, a happy well-exercised dog is a better behaved, less noisy, more "neighborly" dog. Tired dogs make less mischief. It's a win-win situation for every citizen of Maynard.

Once you're ready, just add your personal statement and information on the page below and hit "send"!