"children build up immunity to disease when allowed to play around animals & in natural conditions"

[The Straight Story]

Del Mar changes teen curfew, bans pets from tot lot

Pets will be banned from the tot lot and south lawn at Powerhouse Park, the city’s teen curfew will be moved up an hour to 10 p.m. and beach and park visitors will no longer be allowed to use charcoal grills under three ordinances approved by the Del Mar City Council on Monday, May 20.

The council approved all three ordinances on its first reading. The new laws will come back for final adoption June 3, and they will take effect 30 days later if approved.

The council directed staff to draft the Powerhouse Park ordinance last month, after resident Rich Ehrenfeld brought the suggestion to the city’s Parks and Recreation Committee. Ehrenfeld said the tot lot and nearby lawn should be made “barefoot friendly” by restricting dogs from those areas.

Council members agreed that allowing small children to play in areas where dogs have relieved themselves poses a potential health hazard.

....

Lynn Gaylord presented council members with an article published in the New York Times Magazine, which argues that children build up immunity to disease when they are allowed to play around animals and in natural conditions.

http://www.delmartimes.net/2013/05/22/del-mar-changes-teen-curfew-bans-pets-from-tot-lot/

[badtoworse]

1. Sounds to me like this is really about washing dogshit off your kids' feet

Having stepped in it enough times growing up, I can understand the need for dog-free zones.

[Ilsa]

2. "play around animals" is not the same as

"play in animal shit." Not only can kids get sick from animal feces, but if they bring it back to the car or house, their pregnant mommy can end up with a miscarriage or infected with a teratogenic microbiological.

[MattBaggins]

3. The charcoal grill ban may also be a good choice

Parks with heavy traffic and no established grills end up fouled with ash and half burnt coals littering the place.

I can also see why they would want to have a few feces free places for the kids to play given all the self important dog owners who feel it is belittling to pick up their dog's shit.

[kestrel91316]

4. Bacteria are our friends. But that's no reason to

expose children to the very real danger of visceral larva migrans from roundworms in dog poop.

This is a bit like closing the barn door after the horses have all gotten out, though. The dogs previously allowed in the "tot lot" have contaminated it thoroughly with roundworm eggs, which will stay alive in the soil for many years, posing an ongoing risk.