Evanston: A dog friendly community? That was one of The Daily’s lead stories this past week (“Furry Friends’ Company Teaches Responsibility,” Feb. 5). I am relatively new to living in Evanston and have done extensive searches and found very few places that allow dogs. It seems almost every building will allow a cat, which makes little sense to me. Many people suffer cat allergies, and it’s always instantly obvious to me when I enter a person’s home that there is a cat present from the scent of the litter box. And I really don’t like any animal on my kitchen counters. So call me dog-friendly, cat-unfriendly.

At any rate, where are these apartments that these women are living in that allow dogs? I have looked into buying various condos, and even most of those don’t allow dogs, even when the condo is privately owned and not rented.

Evanston has a private dog beach, and I see people out on the street walking their dogs and being responsible about cleaning up. So why are apartment owners so adamantly unwilling to work with responsible tenants? About the only problem I see is the noise from barking. How about issuing fines to irresponsible owners, increasing cost with each fine, to be followed by possible eviction? That should just about take care of that problem.

It seems there are daily news items on the multiple benefits of owning a dog that include positive emotional health benefits, assistance with prison reform, and ability to sniff out cancers. Dogs can be trained to be agreeable “tenants!”

I have always been a responsible dog owner, but I have yet to find a decent apartment in Evanston that will allow me to have even a small dog. Dog friendly Evanston? Make that “Paws-off Evanston.”

– Dr. Libby Gilmore

SESP Staff