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Alternative
Spring Break: Caring for Animals in the “City that Care Forgot”
by Jarrod
Szydlowski
 There is
no one word to describe the sound that sixty dogs make when they know
that breakfast is on the way. All the barking, baying, and yapping
forms a kind of canine symphony, an orchestration that is, to the human
ear, more cacophonic than melodic. This dogged din almost knocked us to
the ground as we entered the “Breezeway ” of Animal Rescue New Orleans
(ARNO) on a cool March morning. Tim, a local volunteer, casually opened
one of the cages and, in one deft move, caught a lunging pit-bull by
the collar, slipped a choke-chain over his wrinkled neck and affixed
two leashes. “Who wants to walk him?” he asked us—a group of wide-eyed
UVM students. As I reluctantly grabbed hold, the pit-bull hurdled down
the street like a powerboat tugging a first-time water skier. It was in
this spirit of apprehension and, yes, maybe even a little fear, that I
knew it was going to be a long week.
I was wrong.
Click
here to see the full story...
Photo: UVM Junior Katy Thomas walks one of
ARNO's abandoned dogs (photo by Brett Robinson, UVM Senior)
Did
You Know?
Burlington
Code Refresher
STUFFED FURNITURE
Furniture not constructed for outdoor use
(stuffed coaches,
chairs, etc) may not be stored or kept on porches or in the front yard
of any property. It is a huge fire hazard and
you can
receive up to
$500
fine!
GRILLS & HIBACHIS
Grills and hibachis should not be used or stored
on porches. If your lease allows you to have a grill make sure it
is kept at least 15 ft away from any residence or structure to avoid
creating a fire hazard.
TRASH, RECYCLING &
UNWANTED FURNITURE
You may not leave trash,
recycling or unwanted furniture on the greenbelt*, in the street, in a
yard, or on a porch. Only neatly contained recycling and covered
trash containers may
remain outdoors for the day of pickup. Items for pickup left for more
than 24 hours must be stored out of sight at the rear or exterior, and
may not be stored indefinitely.
*Greenbelts are the grassy area located between
the sidewalk and road.
CARS
Parking on a lawns, yards, walkways, greenbelts,
right-of-ways, or other grassy areas is not allowed. Preservation
of green areas like lawns and
greenbelts helps to beautify our neighborhoods, muffle noise, clean the
air, slow down storm water, provide a healthy environment and keep Lake
Champlain clean.
Burlington's Enforcement Office conducts regular
neighborhood patrols and violations are subject to pricey tickets,
fines, and towing. Call 863-0442 or visit the Burlington
Code
Enforcement website if you have questions or need assistance.
Ever wonder what the deal is with bikes and stop signs? What
about crosswalks – who gets to go and when? And what’s the best
thing you can do to not get hit by a car at night?
Get answers to these questions and many more
online at www.safestreetsVT.org,
a project of Local Motion, UVM, and other partners. You’ll find
the rules of the road in plain English, along with some resources for
staying safe as you walk, bike, or drive between home and campus.
If you need a new bike helmet, a reflective vest, some bike lights, or
any other safety gear, Local Motion can help! Click here
to download a $6 coupon that is good at any of the outdoor shops in
town. Being visible is one of the most important things you can
do to make sure you don’t become a statistic.
The bottom line is, safety is a two-way street. If you’re on foot
and want cars to let you cross, do your part and make sure you’re
visible. If you’re on a bike and want cars to give you space, try
following the same rules as cars. And if you’re driving and want
pedestrians to wait for the signal, play nice and don’t run the red
light. Give respect to get respect:
www.safestreetsVT.org.
 FREE STUFF!!!!
Spring is the best time to score free bikes,
laptops, iPods and cameras. . .
if you’re a thief.
Protect yourself with common sense. Don’t
leave anything valuable in your car, even if locked, even if
it’s out of sight. Cars with chargers but no phone in view, or
those with a jacket draped over a pile in the back seat is a temptation
thieves won’t resist. Ditto the cupholder with change or backpack.
Biking makes it easy to get around. We’re
not the only ones who think so. Bikes locked to porch railings
get stolen. So do bikes left in sheds or garages. If you
want your bike to be there when you go back, get a quality U-lock and
attach to something burly or metal. It’s not as easy to carry
around as a cable lock, but it’s not nearly as easy to cut through,
either.
Lastly, we know it can be a drag to make sure your
roommates have keys, lock the door and close and lock windows every
time they leave the house, but we at Parallel Justice know it’s much
less stressful than rewriting final papers because someone stole your
laptop. Keep your wallet and purse out of sight –
especially if people are coming over who you don’t know well. It
sucks – but it happens. And hopefully you never need it, but if
you do, renter’s insurance will be the best $150 you’ve ever spent.
We’re lucky that Burlington is a very safe city
for its size. While common sense is a great deterrent, it can’t
guarantee that you’ll never be a victim of a crime. If you
are, Parallel Justice is here to help. You can find us on
facebook or call 540-2394. In the meantime, remember: Theft
happens. Lock it or lose it.
A few more tips from the
Burlington Police Department:
-
Nearly all burglaries in Burlington involve
the burglar entering a residence through an unlocked door or window.
-
Make sure your windows and screens are secure.
-
Close your curtains so your possessions won’t
be easily visible.
-
Use lighting inside and out so your house or
apartment appears occupied.
-
Get to know your neighbors so you are familiar
with who is supposed to be in the area. Let a trusted person know when
you will be away so unusual activity is noticed.
-
Report suspicious persons immediately – the
Burlington Police direct line is 658-2700.
-
Call the police if something does happen at
your residence. You may not always get your property back but your
information may help the police track patterns and help determine who
is responsible.
More safety information is available online at www.bpdvt.org
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