To the editor:

We join J. Todd Larson in objecting to the arbitrary and unreasonable requirements that the Bainbridge Post Office has made regarding dogs at Island Fitness.

We too bring our dogs to the gym for a run several times per week. Before and after our run the dogs are securely leashed in a dedicated area removed from the walkway used by the mail carrier.

The owners of Island Fitness offered many solutions in an effort to accommodate the fears of this mail carrier but the post office would accept no less than a total ban on dogs between the hours of noon and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Several members have tried to reason with the post office but we were told that they don’t want to hear our suggestions since this is a matter “solely” between the Postal Service and Island Fitness.

We are effectively prevented from using the gym for most of the day, six days per week, all because one carrier is concerned that a dog will break its leash and attack her during the few minutes per week that she is walking to and from the gym entrance. This is a solution totally disproportionate to any perceived risk.

If the carrier truly wishes to reduce her exposure to dogs even further, she could use the side entrance to the gym and not even see dogs. She rejected that obvious solution out of hand as too burdensome.

We call on the post office to have a constructive and civil dialog with both the owners and the members of Island Fitness in order to come to a rational solution that we can all live with.

JULIE AND MICHAEL SMITH

Bainbridge Island