On August 16, 2022, the City Council passed the suspension of enforcing city ordinance (12.44.010(B)(3)) that prohibits dogs in city parks unless they are leashed and within ten feet of either side of a multimodal paved pathway. The suspension of enforcement is known as the Dogs in Parks Pilot Program, which is slated to run through August 31, 2023.
Dogs are allowed in parks, on-leash provided that:
- The dog must be on a leash, 6 feet or less in length
- The dog must be under the control of the owner
- The dog must be properly licensed in the municipality that it primarily resides in
- The owner must pick up after their dog
- Dogs will not be allowed in playground areas, tennis courts, pickleball courts, the Family Aquatic Center, the Tom & Rita Tubbs Splashpad and Playground, park restrooms/changing facilities, or ice rinks
Upon conclusion of the pilot program, staff will report back to the Commission and subsequently, the City Council, on a recommendation whether or not to make this a permanent change. A recommendation will be made upon pre-determined metrics, which include:
- # of complaints made regarding dogs in parks (e-mails and phone calls to the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department)
- # of positive feedback comments made regarding dogs in parks (e-mails and phone calls to the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department)
- # of incidents reported to Police Department or Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department regarding dogs in parks
- Observational data provided by parks crew members and police department personnel as it relates to impact of dogs in parks
We are seeking your feedback to assist in determining if this should be permanent or not - please consider taking a brief survey about the pilot program at: www.tinyurl.com/SPDogs2023