By Staff
a great idea
Take a trip to Greenville’s off-leash dog park sometime, and you’ll probably come away smiling.
On weekends, especially, dogs of all types frolic in the two enclosed areas that separately accommodate large and small breeds. The open area allows dogs to exercise without restraint, socialize with their buddies (canine and human) and return home exhausted and happy.
And the dog owners seem to have as much fun as their pets. For people who love that sort of thing, there’s nothing quite like being surrounded by groups of tail-wagging, ball-chasing dogs, who incidentally, show exemplary socialization skills.
The Washington City Council is considering such a dog park for our area.
It’s a grand idea.
The effort is being spearheaded by members of the Washington Off-Leash Dog Park Initiative, which suggested building the park at the former Fragrance and Texture Garden and adjacent land on East Third Street close to Veterans Park. The proposed two-acre park would cost $11,000 to build, representatives said.
Proponents stressed the park would require no money from the city — just donated land on which to build it.
They also noted that in addition to giving dog owners a place where their pets could run free, the park could serve as a containment area for displaced animals during emergencies, such as hurricanes.
They said, too, that the park would help keep the city’s dogs out of areas where they are prohibited, such as parks, the boardwalk and festival grounds.
Council members seemed to embrace the idea at their Monday meeting, though they want to consider alternative sites for the park. The issue is now in the hands of the city Recreation Advisory Committee, which will review the proposal and return comments to the council for final action.
A Washington dog park would be a positive addition to our community. It works in Greenville, and there’s no reason it can’t do just as well here.
We urge the City Council to approve it.