The Humane Society of Huron Valley estimates that approximately 30,000 dogs call Ann Arbor their home; hopefully, they would agree that their lives are pretty good (even if their owners put raincoats and tiaras on them and name them Cupcake Cupcakerson). Many dog owners would like an off-leash dog park near their home, or at least nearer to downtown, to make Cupcake's life just that much happier. Given the desire for such amenities in Ann Arbor, and our relative affluence, why don't we have more dog parks in established neighborhood parks?
Residents of the city have long asked for off-leash dog parks. In 1998, a
Dog Park Task Force released a report to the Park Advisory Commission. The well-researched report spelled out regulations for city-run parks and also discussed the idea of having existing parks offer dogs "off-leash" hours. For the latter, the task force presumed that the dogs would be well-trained, with no liability issues, and cared for by responsible owners. A number of regulations were suggested if an existing neighborhood park wished to cordon off part of its property for a dog park.
In the early 2000s, the Canine Social Club was one of the main groups encouraging the city to form an off-leash dog park. One of the members of that group, Leslie Rzeznik, said that the group was looking for "anything" from the city.
"Some people were unofficially using space in Gellman, but that didn't work out," says Rzeznik. "We then used a member's private backyard, but we still wanted an official park where we could take our dogs."
The
Swift Run Dog Park, a collaboration between the city and the county, finally opened in 2007. The dog park in Olson Park followed less than a year later. Both parks are on the outer rings of the city, with Swift Run in the far southeast corner and
Olson Park in the northeast.
Two years ago, a downtown dog park was recommended for a section of West Park, but the idea was scuttled when neighbors (including the New Hope Baptist Church) raised objections to the location. Common objections include fears of spreading the various canine viruses that circulate, aggressive dogs, and irresponsible dog owners.
Those in favor of dog parks are many and have many different reasons for wanting them in the city, and preferably close to their home: the dogs' primal urge to run, the need for exercise, and the fact that many residents do not have access to a fenced in area for their dogs to exercise. It is also believed that the dog parks allow for socialization opportunities for both dogs and people.
Local holistic health practitioner Linda Diane Feldt, and owner of Nala, says that dog park users take care of their own, and that it is part of the culture to point out if someone's dog left a "deposit" that wasn't picked up, to help someone else with his dog if he needs it, and to put pressure on anyone who thinks that she can ignore basic courtesy. Impact studies done on off-leash parks in Portland, OR (with a whopping 33 off-leash areas) and Minneapolis support her argument.
Having a dog park downtown would benefit homeowners and business owners, says Keith Orr, co-owner of the
\aut\Bar and Common Language Bookstore. "Downtown is becoming more residential, and a dog park within walking distance of people's homes -or in my case near work, as Duke comes to work with me- would be a bonus to the thriving downtown environment."
Those in favor of dog parks also cite the warm welcome that dogs receive in other cities. A 2014 law in California overturned the ban on pets in restaurants, giving dog owners the right to dine outdoors with their furry friends. State College, Pennsylvania, boasts three restaurants that allow dogs to dine al fresco with their owners. Other dog friendly restaurants are scattered about in states like Oregon, North Carolina, and New York. A few places in Ann Arbor also (unofficially) allow leashed dogs to join their human companions in the outdoor café. Overall, states in the western part of the country have fewer leash laws, although off-leash parks exist throughout the United States.
Several cities, similar in size and demography to Ann Arbor, have embraced off-leash dog parks. Asheville, North Carolina, is rated as a dog-friendly city, with several dog parks, bakeries for dogs, and dog-friendly cafes. In addition to multiple off-leash dog parks, Eugene, Oregon hosts numerous events for dogs, including a truffle-hunting seminar. Most of Boulder, Colorado's 144 miles of trails are open to leash-less dogs and when one registers a dog in that city, she registers as the dog's legal guardian. Larger cities also offer numerous off-leash options: Washington DC has six off-leash parks (despite having the lowest rate of pet ownership in the country, according to a 2012 survey) and
New York City's Central Park allows dogs to run off-leash in many of the unfenced park landscapes from 6:00am-9:00am and 9:00pm-1:00am.
City councilperson and Parks Advisory Commission (PAC) member, Julie Grand, agrees that a dog park is to be expected in a town our size and so PAC formed a Dog Park Subcommittee to address the issue.
"This group of individuals has worked for more than two years looking at best practices and seeking input from the community," says Grand. "The subcommittee plans to present their final recommendations to PAC at their May meeting. The recommendations do not identify specific parks, but rather present a clear process and set of metrics to select and evaluate locations."
Having said that, she does not feel that Council feels an urgency to create new dog parks, but "that doesn't mean there wouldn't be support (from Council)."
It has been said that if you get 20 Ann Arborites in a room, you will get at least 40 opinions. This holds true on the matter of dog parks. Even among those who agree that we need them, there are questions of whether or not there should be an admission fee, how they should be regulated, if they should be regulated at all, and by whom they should be policed.
Perhaps, Minneapolis could provide a model for Ann Arbor to study. The city currently maintains seven off-leash areas in city parks, ranging from a tiny fenced in area at
Loring Park Dog Park (.22 acres) to the rambling 7.5 acres in Mississippi River-side
Minnehaha Dog Park. Use of the parks requires a $35 annual registration fee, with citations issued to users who do not have the proper tags. Overall, the Twin Cities metro region boasts nearly 50 off-leash areas, a veritable nirvana for canine devotees.
With pooches taking up residence in nearly a third or more of Ann Arbor's households, neighborhood dog parks seem to be one of those quality of life amenities our progressively-minded city should embrace. There's little doubt the Cupcakes, Buddys and Princesses in our small city would agree. The verdict on being forced to wear doggie raincoats and tiaras is, however, still out.
Patti Smith is a freelance writer. Her first book, Images of America: Downtown Ann Arbor, was recently published by Arcadia Publishers. It is available on her website, www.TeacherPatti.com as well as at bookstores in the Ann Arbor area.
All photos by Doug Coombe.