For months, I’ve been volunteering for you to help put together your weekly newsletter. I was exceptionally disappointed to read in yesterday’s Tribune that your Administration is abandoning plans for a safe, legal place in our parks to go with your dog near Lake Merritt. I can no longer, in good conscience continue to volunteer for you, and I’ve decided to spend my volunteer hours working for Oakland politicians that serve my best interests as an Oakland citizen, dog guardian, and taxpayer.

I’m also a volunteer for ODOG. A year ago when you refused to break the City Council tie, you promised quick leadership to end this fiasco and find an alternate site. In that year, you’ve accomplished exactly nothing except waste the time of ODOG volunteers and city staff, and who knows how much money. The city has certainly depleted ODOG’s donations by forcing us to chase one pointless rabbit hole after another. You’ve let us down at Lakeview Park, and now you’re letting us down at Snow, and this is just not acceptable.

ODOG has supported you for years. I’ve supported you for years. But, now I have to tell ODOG members that you’re once again collectively letting down the thousands of Oakland dog owners, and telling us that we do not matter. To put this in some perspective, ODOG has well over 5,000 people on our mailing list, with exceptionally high open and click through rates (which I would be happy to share with you). We can also reach upwards of 10,000 people on Facebook and Twitter, and via our websites and blogs. Additionally, we are affiliated with local political action groups SF DOGPAC, and Save Off-Leash Bay Area, which combined also have thousands of members. Mayor Quan, we’re not going away, nor are we going to give up quietly.