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Pets/Equestrian

Pets

Where does Susan stand on pet ownership issues?
Susan is a founding member of CAWL, which was started by her neighbor and friend, Nancy Kneessi. She has adopted pets from the Tri-County Animal Shelter in the past. The Shaws are Golden Retriever owners and lovers and Susan has been a member of the rescue organization for Goldens in the past. Susan believes in responsible pet ownership. While initially skeptical of the work of Friends of Felines, once Susan learned more, she has become a strong supporter of their excellent work. Susan also supports SPOT thrift shop with her donations. Susan co-led the effort to finish the renovation of the horse ring at Kings Landing Park. This effort was a natural outgrowth of her over 25 interest in Kings Landing Park and her essential role in writing the original Master Plan for Kings Landing Park with the help of DNR staff. As President of the Huntingtown Citizens Association, she successfully fought with other members of the organization to continue the work begun by her predecessor to keep Kings Landing Park from being developed as a retreat for state employees closed to the public, but rather turned into the multi-use facility that it has become today. Susan developed a love for Kings Landing Park while camping there with the Cub Scouts, leading orienteering courses for the Scouts and for Hospice’s Camp Phoenix, and developing the Kings Landing Park Master Plan. She has also canoed and kayaked at the Park. Susan’s daughter, Linzi, is an equestrian student at New Era Farm. Susan supports the Equine industry in Calvert County, and is moving forward on horseback riding trails at the Biscoe Gray Property as well as at Kings Landing Park and the adjoining Cammack Property, which will require an environmentally acceptable crossing of Cocktown Creek, which has steep slopes and highly erodable soils.

Susan has supported legislative action to prevent giving away animals as prizes at Fairs and Carnivals. She has protested the practice of giving live fish as Fair prizes.

Susan is also supportive of having pet shelters in the event of disasters to prevent the heart-rending separation of pets and pet owners that occurred in Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina.

In addition to having many different types of pets in the past, including a beloved cat (Zachary Calvert Cat who lived to the ripe old age of 18), a rabbit (Dutchey Dear Rabbit), reptiles, and hamsters, the Shaw family currently shares the house with Roscoe, a green-cheeked conyer parrot.

Equestrian

The equine industry is a $16 million industry in Calvert County.  The data below is a quality of life issue for horse owners, trail riders, competitive riders, etc.  Additionally, some of the trails will be at the Biscoe Gray property on Gray’s Road south of Prince Frederick and I hope that some will be in the Kings Landing area including the adjacent Cammack property.  The challenge with the latter is crossing Cocktown Creek, which has steep, erodable slopes on its banks, on horseback in an acceptable manner from an environmental perspective.

Horse Trails: In our current adopted budget we have $400,000 budgeted for the design and construction of horse trails. Of that $400,000 we propose spending $60,000 in FY 08 for the Design and $340,000 in FY 09 for construction of which $200,000 is anticipated to be State funding.

Equestrian Area/Kings Landing: Upon completion this month the Equestrian area at Kings Landing will cost approximately $75,000, of which $37,500 was State Open Space funding and the balance local funds.

The Equestrian area will be dedicated at 2:00 PM on October 24th after which it will be available for public use.