Carmel on the Case: Dog Park

Like so many other agencies, the Miami-Dade Animal Services Department is looking at big budget cuts. Yet the county spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to build a dog park for pets that already have happy homes. Investigative reporter Carmel Cafiero is on the case.

WSVN -- Dahalia Canes knows her calling in life is rescuing dogs. As a volunteer at Miami-Dade's Animal Shelter, she sees first hand how many pets desperately need homes, and how the agency desperately needs more money.

Dahalia Canes, Dog Rescuer: "They are in need of funding."

She says that lack of funding leaves the shelter lacking lots of things.

Dahalia Canes: "X-ray machines, diagnostic machines, better equipment, more proper medication, surgical tools, they need it. They need better kennels, more accommodations for dogs."

That's why Dahalia was shocked to learn the county spent $430,000 on a new state of the art dog park at Tropical Park. There's new landscaping and comfort stations with everything from doggy drinking fountains to water sprays. Not to mention play areas with ramps and hoops to jump through.

Dahalia Canes: "I love dog parks, we need more of them, by all means, but not in today's economy and not when you have Miami-Dade County Animal Shelter falling apart."

Other dog rescuers agree the timing of the new park is just plain bad.

Odalys Hayes, Dog Rescuer: "It's a wonderful idea and I love it, but we need to spend a little more money on animal services."

Animal services is facing a 1.5 million dollar budget cut. Despite the cuts, the county defends building the dog park, saying the money came from a bond program approved by voters in 2004.

Robin Reiter, Citizens' Advisory Committee: "The money can only be used for capital projects, whether its a new building or renovations of an existing facility or service like sidewalks. It can not be used for general operating support."

Robin Reiter chairs the citizen's advisory committee, which helps to make sure money for the bond program is spent correctly. Reiter admits the timing may seem questionable, but she says the order in which bond money is spent had already been decided.

Animal control is supposed to get a new seven million dollars building, but that's two years away.

Robin Reiter: "I think it's probably a tough thing for an animal lover to go out on one hand and see a beautiful new park, and then come on the other hand and see an aging facility like animal services, but they should take heart in knowing there is a new building right around the corner."

But, dog lovers say the county has been making that promise for a very long time.

Odalys Hayes: "The promise of this building has been there for years. For years before this park and still we haven't seen it."

Carmel Cafiero: "Animal Services says despite all, it's goal remains to be to save as many animals as possible, but with tens of thousands of pets put down every year because no one wants them, that goal is easier said then done."

IF YOU HAVE A STORY FOR CARMEL TO INVESTIGATE:

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