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FORDOG is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
In March of 2009, the Fair Oaks Responsible Dog Owners Group filed Articles of Incorporation with the California Secretary of State. By-laws were completed in April.
HISTORY:
Previously, FORDOG was essentially an informal group of volunteers banded together as a Community Partner with the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District. Our purpose was to serve as liaison between the users of the off-leash facility at Phoenix Park and District staff, to provide and coordinate volunteers for special maintenance or renovation projects at the dog park, and to recommend rules and management policies to the District in regard to the dog park.
Along the way, since our beginning in 2001, we evolved into a fundraising group – funds to build amenities like shade structures, or undertake special improvements such as better drainage around water areas – and a “community education” group, to help keep the dog park safe and clean.
As a Community Partner with the District, we were also under the “umbrella” of the tax-exempt Fair Oaks Recreation Foundation. However, a legal review of the Foundation in early 2009 found that the details of the way funds were held by the Foundation for partner groups could be construed as inappropriate to the purpose of the Foundation, and FORDOG, along with several other groups, was advised that we would need to move our funds into our own checking account.
In order to keep your donations tax-exempt, that meant formal incorporation as a 501(c)(3) organization.
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION:
Our purposes have changed only a little. As stated in our By-Laws and the Articles of Incorporation, those purposes are to:
1. Work with the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District as a Community Partner to ensure that public dog parks in Fair Oaks provide clean, safe and well-maintained facilities for off-leash recreation for dogs and dog owners in the community;
2. Raise funds and coordinate volunteers to provide amenities for public dog parks in Fair Oaks, such as shade structures, bag dispensers, wading pools, safety signs, and other facility improvements not provided by the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District;
3. Educate users of Fair Oaks dog parks about appropriate dog and owner behavior to ensure the highest possible degree of safety for all park visitors, and educate dog park visitors about canine behavior in general;
4. Make reports and recommendations to the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District for dog park rules and policies.
IMPACT TO THE PUBLIC:
This change is likely to have no real impact on the users of our dog park! There’s been no change in the membership of what we used to call the Steering Committee and now designate as the Board of Directors. Your donations to the dog park will still be tax-deductible. The only change you will see in the foreseeable future is the address to which donations should be sent:
FORDOG
c/o Fair
1952 Discovery Village Way
Gold River, CA 95670
A copy of the Articles of Incorporation may be found on this web site under the link: Rules and Guidelines.
MISSION STATEMENT
FORDOG believes responsible dog ownership involves keeping our companion dogs happy and healthy. We believe that in order for dogs to be healthy and well-socialized, they need off-leash time to exercise and play with other dogs. Dogs which are socialized and get plenty of regular exercise are more adjusted to people and other dogs, are unlikely to be aggressive and dangerous, and are healthier than pent-up or unsocialized dogs.
FODOG is committed to working with the public and elected and appointed officials to ensure that parks are a benefit to everyone and to educate them about dog-related issues and the value of off-leash recreation. We seek respectful, enlightened coexistence with other park users through properly supervising and maintaining appropriate conduct of dogs off-leash. |
WHO WE ARE
FORDOG ( Fair Oaks Responsible Dog Owners Group) is a volunteer organization of dog owners who support the off-leash facility at Phoenix Park in Fair Oaks, California . Our primary purpose is to work with the Fair Oaks Recreation and Parks District to ensure the success of this dog park. We also support activities and organizations that promote the health, welfare and sociability of dogs in our community. To achieve these goals, we:
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Provide input and support for the Fair Oaks Dog Park.
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Provide volunteers to help maintain and keep up the dog park.
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Engage in fundraising activities to enhance dog park utility.
"It takes a village to raise a dog." |
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