Backers of Park for Dogs Have Plenty of Proposals: Pet Owners Make Pitch for Off-Leash Area
By Katherine Tam, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.
Mar. 24–OLYMPIA — The perfect off-leash park for dogs would feature a big, open field where dogs can chase balls and Frisbees. There would be a wading pool for splashing around. Trees would offer relief from the sun in the summer. A hose would provide a much-needed shower in the winter, when the fields might get muddy.
An agility course would test the dogs’ physical abilities, said Adam Laneer, who owns two dogs.
“I lived in Novato, Calif., where they had a football field-size area, and around it was a track. And all the way around that were tunnels and ramps to run through,” he said.
On Thursday night, Laneer and more than 80 other dog lovers unleashed their ideas of what a dog park would feature. The public workshop was part of a feasibility study the city is conducting with the help of The Rover Group, which hopes to prod the city into creating a dog park, said Jonathon Turlove, parks planner.
No promises
City officials have agreed to study the idea, but they’ve made no promises on when or where a dog park might be built.
Several options will be weighed in the study: Officials could buy a site specifically for a dog park, but revenue for the next decade from the parks and sidewalks measure already is earmarked to buy land for neighborhood and community parks.
Or the city could make room in a future community park, which would be 30 to 40 acres. They also could set off-leash hours at existing parks.
Pet owners Thursday were divided on whether Olympia should have one off-leash dog park or multiple neighborhood sites. Some said it makes sense for Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater each to have a dog park so one city doesn’t get inundated with the community’s canines.
Some also had different opinions on whether dogs should be neutered or required to have some kind of obedience training. A few people were adamant that dogs in heat should not be allowed.
An off-leash dog park should be fenced with a double-gated entrance, they said. Rules should be clearly posted. There could be separate areas for active dogs and more timid ones, or for big dogs and small ones.
Leah Bentley, who works with animals for a living, said the park should not exclude certain breeds, but rather focus on dog behaviors. Dogs defy stereotypes, she said. Pit bulls and Rottweilers have a reputation for aggression, but it’s the Chihuahuas and other small dogs that are responsible for scars on her body, she said.
Plastic bags would be available so owners can dispose of pet feces, participants added. There also would be benches, a bulletin board for notices and bathrooms for humans.
Volunteer groups can help maintain the park, Avi Roig said. He and his wife, Willow Stockwell, used to live in Berkeley, Calif., where there are five off-leash parks. They joined one of the volunteer dog park associations that helped with upkeep.
“People are generally self-policing, but we organized cleanup days,” Roig said. “They would truck in new bark chips and we helped lay them out.”
Thursday’s attendees did not include anyone opposed to a dog park, but Turlove said he received comments from two opponents before the meeting. One said taxpayers should not subsidize a venue for residents who choose to own a dog.
At least some dog owners have heard the argument before. Residents pay taxes to maintain baseball fields in parks even though they might not have children who use them, they said.
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.
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