Academy Installs Dog Exercise Area

Dogs and those who walk them will soon be subject to a string of new measures, including leashing all dogs walked on campus property and the creation of new designated “Dog Exercise Areas.”“This has been an issue that has been developing over time, concerning the dog policy and its impact on people and on our athletic fields, and we have reached a tipping point of incidents and complaints,” Facilities Manager Roger Wakeman said. “People have been bitten. They have been chased. They have been threatened. We decided that we can’t ignore this any longer.”The new measures come in the wake of issues of dog waste left on the sports fields, as well as dog attacks on staff and faculty. A review of the faculty pet policy and, for the first time, a system of enforcement for visitors, is also in the works.As an alternative for dog owners within the Phillips Exeter community, Facilities Management has installed temporary fencing in two locations on the fields north of Phelps Stadium to create leash-free “Dog Exercise Areas.” This change comes along with the announcement that plans for the proposed artificial turf field will be relocated from the “day school fields” to a new site behind the stadium.After incidents in the past six months revealed the threat to the safety and health of the Exeter community posed by the current, relaxed enforcement of the “canine land use” policy, the Academy will attempt to increase the use of dog leashes through several programs over the next school year.After conducting an informational campaign to renew awareness of current policies that govern both the internal and external dog owners, the Academy will begin an active enforcement of the current policy for visitors in mid-October, which will include providing written citations with which grounds-workers and Campus Security can rein in violators.Facilities Management is also forming a working group of staff and faculty volunteers to consider revising the vague policy governing faculty, staff and student use. They will work through the fall and winter to develop a list of recommendations, which could be implemented as early as this spring.Along with new signage and dog waste disposal stations, the new dog exercise areas were installed last weekend, to mixed reactions among dog owners.The two areas are each roughly the size of a soccer field, surrounded by fencing and clearly marked signs, and are intended to avoid impacting the athletics program on campus. According to Facilities, these are not permanent installations, and are capable of being moved, and may or may not remain in place over the winter.“We recognize that dogs are a very important part of community life and we really want to find a balance to make sure that we are not only maintaining a positive and safe environment but also that we are supporting the people who have dogs as part of their life,” Wakeman said.Athletic Director Rob Morris said these measures were taken partly because of its impact on the Academy’s athletic facilities and athletes. “We went with this approach because some people do not respect the athletic fields and there is wear and tear as well as waste upon the fields and players have had to deal with stepping in waste on their athletics field,” Morris said.The Dog Exercise Areas are specifically for campus-affiliated dog owners only. “The intent is to have it for the internal community, the signs that are out there state that they are for academy use. We are not trying to be a bad neighbor, but to look first of all at the needs of our internal academy community,” Wakeman said.The review of the policy, and the new dog exercise areas, have received a broad spectrum of responses, from those believing this will provide safety and new opportunities, to others who view these as restrictive measures.“I am very grateful that the school allows its resident employees to own dogs and that thought and care have been invested into providing designated facilities. The majority of people I have spoken to about the new policy view it as a favorable development,” faculty spouse Sue Bielski said.“I think that they are a great idea,” Mei-An Nolan, upper and co-head of the ESSO dog walking club, said. I have walked dogs who love to run, but don’t have any place to. I feel like an area specifically made for dogs is the perfect solution for this. We will definitely be using this in our club in the future!”The fenced-in areas also eliminate the problem of owners who do not pick up after their dogs on and off the fields, according to Morris.Dog waste can be a health hazard, spreading disease via bacteria, according to the academy, one of the motivations for the increased policies.“Although the primary driver for the creation of the dog exercise areas is the safety of the Academy community, the protection of natural resources is also an important factor.  According to the EPA, dog waste that is not picked up and is carried by stormwater runoff or is deposited in the river can carry bacteria,” Jill Robinson, Senior Manager for Sustainability and Natural Resources, said.Yet some do not agree that the new dog exercise areas are the best solution to the problem. “Dogs that bite and dog owners who don’t control their dogs or pick after them have created real problems for PEA staff and students who work and play sports on our fields. I’m not a big fan of the restricted areas for well-behaved, well-supervised dogs, but I understand the impetus behind them,” science instructor Townley Chisholm said.“I don’t like the idea but I think something had to be done. We have a conflict because campus has become like a park for not only faculty dogs, but also from people walking their dogs from off campus,” English instructor Lundy Smith said. “I hope that we will eventually let people outside the school use this facility as well.”“I think anyone who uses the fields should clean up after their dog and I just wish that they had done that so that they did not ruin it for everyone,” senior and day student Sarah Chisholm said.Along with a new fenced in dog area, Facilities has agreed to fence off areas near the bridge that have potential for erosion. “We are also addressing the environmental impacts of dogs on areas of erosion on the banks of the Exeter River.  The practice of letting dogs climb down the riverbank to swim in the river and then climb back out is a factor that is contributing to erosion,” Robinson said.The sign near this area clearly states “Do Not Enter. Erosion Control Area. Access to this area is restricted. Please do not disturb vegetation or allow dogs to enter the river. Phillips Exeter Academy.”The hope is that these new areas will eliminate problems as well as provide a specified area for dog owner’s on campus to take their dogs. “Our goal is not to become the dog police—what we are trying to do is change the culture for visitors from off campus,” Wakeman said.Robinson concluded, “I am hopeful that our community will model responsible dog ownership behavior out of mutual respect for each other and for the safety and well-being of our campus.”