CHEEKTOWAGA, NY - Since 1965, walking man's best friend in a Cheektowaga Park was against the law. Monday, that law was officially removed from the books.
Dog owners will now be allowed to walk man's best friend in the majority of Cheektowaga's parks, as long as they are on a 6-foot leash. Owners must also agree to pick up after their dogs.
Half of Town Park and all of Stiglemeir Park are the only exceptions to the new law.
"We listened to some of the residents," said James Rogowski of the Cheektowaga Town Council. "They wanted to walk their dogs, so I looked at it with park directors and workers and we decided, let's change the law, and be beneficial to those that don't love dogs and those that do love dogs."
With a population of 94,000, Cheektowaga was the only major town in Western New York with that law on the books for so many years.