Streetalk: If dogs aren’t allowed at festivals, should strollers be?
May 31, 2009 at 8:48 am by Jeff Slate in Streetalk
Jennifer (with Ava & Ellie): You should allow the strollers, because for people with small kids, it’s just not practical to go to a street festival without a stroller. With a small child, you can lose track of them. Even though we love our dog, it’s better not to have them at the festival, because they are unpredictable and they can poo on your foot. Even though my dog is very well-behaved, she does get skittish in the crowds — and if somebody came up behind her and started petting her, who knows.
Daron (with Parker & Buffy): If we can’t bring our babies, they can’t bring theirs. No strollers, no dogs. Dogs are our babies, and for those of us without children, it’s kind of unfair that we can’t bring ours to the festival to enjoy it as well. My dogs are under control all the time. They’re 4 pounds apiece. They’re not going to hurt anyone. There are more dogs vaccinated than kids. Baby strollers are cumbersome, they get in the way, you have to step over them, they park right in front. It’s a mess. It is sort of discrimination.
Barbara (with Scooter & Baby Girl): Dogs should be allowed as long as you control your dog. If you don’t control them or if you don’t clean up their poo, you don’t need to have your dog there. But my dogs are part of my family and they’re in a stroller, so why not? I resent it. They should be allowed to go. There’s nothing wrong with your dog being at these festivals. They’re family and really well-behaved. If you love your dog you take care of it like a baby, probably even more so.
May 31st, 2009 at 11:11 am
Dogs should be allowed. The majority of dog owners are responsible with their pets at parks, gatherings, etc.
May 31st, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Maybe I’m just crazy, but when did dogs become the equivalents of human children?
May 31st, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I know what you mean, atlpaddy. Other people’s dogs always catch my attention. They add positively to the festival atmosphere. Other people’s kids tucked away inside a bulky stroller cocoon? Not so much.
May 31st, 2009 at 9:15 pm
What…REALLY??? Is this really an issue? Yes…babies and children in strollers IS NOT the same as dogs on/off leashes.
I know you dog lovers think of your pet animal as part of the family etc…but to compare it to a child is ridiculous. I could rattle off the reasons why, but it would be arguing a moot point. Leave your dogs @ home with water and food or go to another dog friendly festival. . .if your dog bits me, im going to have it put down…the child…not so much.
Simple right ;)
May 31st, 2009 at 10:25 pm
“if your dog bits me, im going to have it put down…the child…not so much.
Simple right ;)”
Then again, if festivals had a literacy requirement, my dog would have a leg up on you.
May 31st, 2009 at 11:57 pm
Dogs and small children are not equivalent.
I say that because I have never had a meal ruined by a dog howling at the top of his lungs or running around the restaurant while Mommy and Daddy ignored the little terror.
If you tell a person that there dog is bothering you, they will almost always apologize. Say the same thing to a parent and get ready to be told what a bastard you are or, at least, get the stinkeye.
My experience tells me that most dogs are better behaved than almost every child I have ever seen under the age of five.
I guess a better questions is, would you prefer the festival allow dogs or small children?
June 1st, 2009 at 10:24 am
attn. world: no one else enjoys your DOG or your CHILD!
leave them both at home.
June 1st, 2009 at 10:43 am
Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays.
Kids and dogs on foot are fine. It’s a festival, not a restaurant. But taking babies or dogs in strollers makes about as much sense as wheeling Terri Schiavo to the festival.
June 1st, 2009 at 10:48 am
Peter: “When you come in on Monday and you’re not feeling real well, does anyone say to you, “Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays?”
Lawrence: “Shit, no man. I believe you’d get your ass kicked saying something like that, man.”
you. yes you. you in particular should leave your dog/children at home.
and please stop strying to quote from movies unless u remember the line that follows it and makes the first line seem extra douchey.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:13 am
Best. Comic Book Guy impression. Ever.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:25 am
People with dogs at festivals are far more considerate than people with strollers. Especially the all-terrain strollers with the luggage rack and extra seating. Especially when two women walk side by side with all terrain strollers and drive everyone else off the walkway or completely block the entranceway to a tent so their four-month-olds can get a “cultural experience”…I’m talking to you, Decatur Arts Fest attendees with strollers! Get a baby backpack! And make a beeping noise when you back up…you made me spill my zinfandel!
June 1st, 2009 at 12:05 pm
lol @dash.
touche.
or is that douche?
either way, carry on.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:07 pm
If “no one else” enjoys my dog, who are all the people making unsolicited comments about her and wanting to pet her? It happens every time I take her to the park or the off-leash area.
Careful with those absolute qualifiers my friend. :-)
September 6th, 2009 at 10:34 am
I know this is an old article, but I came upon this when googling whether I can take a stroller up Stone Mountain.
Did you guys ever consider that a child has constitutional rights just the same as any American? Why don’t we exclude handicapped and elderly people as well then. I’m a happy dog owner and a proud father, and I’ve never had trouble discerning the difference between the two.
September 6th, 2009 at 11:33 am
They sure do! They can vote, join the military, run for office and lots of other things. Right?
I probably agree with you, but Constitutional rights is a goofy argument.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Ok DaleC, you got me there. “Human Rights” is probably where I was going with that (pre coffee).
I’d like to know if those opponents of bringing children to festivals ever went to festivals as children themselves. I did, and I sure do appreciate being allowed.
I’m over it already, it’s just that this put a little bit of a sour taste in my mouth this morning.