Providing an enjoyable place for dogs and their owners to play and socialize, dog parks have seen steady growth in popularity over the years.
The facilities still come with risks to dogs and humans alike — everything from dog bites, dog-to-dog disease transmission, or even dog-to-human disease transmission. Parks departments need rules that can help make their experiences enjoyable and safe.
Here are some key areas that cities and towns may want to focus on for dog park rules:
Responsibility of dog control – The rules should specify that the dog owner or handler is responsible for keeping the dog under control at all times and is responsible for the dog’s behavior. Consider noting SC Code 47-3-110, stating that liability for dog bites or other attacks against a person in a public place rests with the owners or people who have the dog in their care.
Cleanup – The rules should also note that the owner or handler is responsible and must possess the tools required for the cleanup and disposal of dog waste. Posting signs about cleanup in multiple locations will improve compliance.
Where dogs are not allowed – Along with the park set aside for dogs, cities should also designate where dogs are not allowed. Common areas where dogs are prohibited are playgrounds, athletic fields, or areas of special or programmed events, including games and practices.
Vaccination and spay/neuter requirements – State law, under SC Code Section 47-5-60, requires pets to be vaccinated against rabies. Other common vaccinations that dog parks may required include DHPP vaccines or kennel cough vaccines. Many dog parks will also require the dogs to be spayed or neutered.
Fees and registrations – Some public dog parks establish fees for dog owners. If the city has established registration fees for dogs residing in the city, the rules could make note of this as well.
Dogs per person – Consider limiting the number of dogs per adult owner to improve the likelihood of owner control over the dogs. Consider also setting age limits for supervised children to be in the dog park as well.
Leash requirements – When a park is “off-leash” for dogs, the rules might still note that dogs must be leashed anytime they are outside of the fenced-off area, or must be immediately leashed and removed if they are showing aggressive behavior. For a park requiring leashes for dogs, park rules could limit the leash to 6 feet or less to mitigate trip and entanglement hazards.
Beyond rules for using the park, cities and towns must establish policies and procedures for the inspection, regular maintenance and repairs of dog park facilities as they would with other park facilities. They should train the staff responsible for doing so, documenting the training and documenting the regular maintenance efforts.
The American Veterinary Medical Association has resources online to help officials understand the risks for dogs and humans in parks or other social settings.