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Denver Steps Up Enforcement of Leash Law Violations in City Parks

May 17, 2012 in News

May 15, 2012 – Denver’s Animal Care & Control, Parks and Recreation, and Denver Police are teaming up to help ensure the safety of people and pets in city parks this summer. As part of this effort, the city will increase park patrols and enforcement of dog off-leash violations beginning June 1.

“There have been several attacks lately by off-leash dogs, and this has been an ongoing issue in many of our parks for years,” says Doug Linkhart, Manager of Environmental Health, Animal Care & Control. “The city has put a lot of effort into increasing dog parks, and we’d like to encourage people to use them.”

“At this time of year when we see more and more people taking advantage of Denver’s great park spaces, our responsibility to keep the parks safe for all citizens by enforcing these leash laws is something we take very seriously,” said Lauri Dannemiller, Manager of Denver Parks.

As part of the stepped up enforcement, residents are encouraged to report specific problem areas to animalcomments@denvergov.org, or by calling 311.

Denver city ordinance requires dogs to be on a leash and under control of their owner at all times. The city’s leash laws are intended to protect the health and safety of both the people and pets that enjoy visiting Denver’s many parks and open areas.

In 2009, the Parks and Recreation undertook a comprehensive effort to gather input about the need for off-leash dog areas. As a result, Parks & Recreation implemented a Dog Park Master Plan. The city now has ten dog parks for dog owners to safely and legally enjoy, including:

Berkeley Dog Park – Sheridan and West 46th
Barnum Dog Park – Hooker and West 5th
Kennedy Dog Park – Hampden and South Dayton
Josephine Dog Park – Josephine and 16th Avenue
Fuller Dog Park – Franklin and East 29th
Green Valley Ranch East Dog Park – Jebel and East 45th
Stapleton – East 24th Avenue and Syracuse Street
Railyard Dog Park – 19th Avenue and Little Raven Street
Lowry Dog Park - East 4th Place and South Yosemite Way
Parkfield Dog Park – 53^rd Ave and Chambers Road

The fine for having an off-leash dog is $80 for the first offense, $150 for the second and $300 for the third.

For more information about Denver’s leash law, visit www.denveranimalshelter.org. To view locations of Denver’s dog parks, visit Denver Parks and Recreation.

Tags: enforcement, leash law, off leash
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Dog Park Etiquette Training – Josephine

April 5, 2012 in Events, Get Involved, News

August 18, 2012
9:00 AM	to	10:00 AM

Join us for one of 5 hour-long training sessions dedicated to improving your experience at the dog park. Our professional trainer will cover the following concepts:

Review of the dog park rules
Park manners for both humans and dogs
Going in and out of the park gates politely and safely
Walking on a loose leash to the park entrance
When and how to step in when dogs are playing too roughly

To sign up or for more information, click: http://denverdog.org/new-events

Tags: dog parks, dogs, outreach, training
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Dog Park Etiquette Training – Lowry

April 5, 2012 in Events, Get Involved, News

July 14, 2012
9:00 AM	to	10:00 AM

Join us for one of 5 hour-long training sessions dedicated to improving your experience at the dog park. Our professional trainer will cover the following concepts:

Review of the dog park rules
Park manners for both humans and dogs
Going in and out of the park gates politely and safely
Walking on a loose leash to the park entrance
When and how to step in when dogs are playing too roughly

To sign up or for more information, click: http://denverdog.org/new-events

Tags: dog parks, dogs, outreach, training
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Dog Park Etiquette Training – Fuller

April 5, 2012 in Events, Get Involved, News

June 16, 2012
9:00 AM	to	10:00 AM

Join us for one of 5 hour-long training sessions dedicated to improving your experience at the dog park. Our professional trainer will cover the following concepts:

Review of the dog park rules
Park manners for both humans and dogs
Going in and out of the park gates politely and safely
Walking on a loose leash to the park entrance
When and how to step in when dogs are playing too roughly

To sign up or for more information, click: http://denverdog.org/new-events

Tags: dog parks, dogs, outreach, training
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Bite Prevention Tips from Denver City Animal Care & Control

February 27, 2012 in News

Provided by Denver Animal Shelter and Animal Care & Control

According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 4.5 million dog bites occur in the U.S. each year. Almost one in five of these bites require medical attention.

Fortunately, many bites are preventable by taking a few simple precautions to reduce your risk.

Spay or neuter your dog. In addition to helping to reduce pet overpopulation, spaying or neutering your dog can help reduce aggressive tendencies by reducing hormones. According to the American Humane Association, Un-neutered dogs are more than 2.6 times more likely to bite than neutered dogs. It’s also required by Denver City Ordinance.
Never leave infants or young children alone with a dog. Children are more likely to unknowingly engage in movements or actions that are unfamiliar and can appear threatening or aggressive to a dog. Children also often lack the experience and knowledge to recognize cues when pets are apprehensive.
Keep your pet on a leash. Just because your dog is dog-friendly, it doesn’t mean everyone else’s is. Dogs can be territorial and aggressively defend their space, which can result in human injuries for those trying to intervene. Denver City Ordinance requires dogs to be leashed except in designated dog park areas.
Don’t tether your dog. Dogs that are constantly tethered become much more territorial, and often aggressive, than dogs that are not. If you must tether, it should only be for short periods.
Ensure your pet is properly trained and socialized. Basic training is as important for the owner as it is for the dog, and socialization is the key. Puppies should be exposed to a variety of people, places, dogs and other animals starting at a young age. As dogs get older, continue this exposure to these elements to ensure that they remain well socialized throughout their lives.

For more information about dog bite prevention tips, visit www.americanhumane.org. For more information about Denver’s animal code or Denver Animal Shelter, visit www.denveranimalshelter.org.

Tags: animal control, dog bites, education, prevention
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Dog Park Construction

October 3, 2011 in News

- Berkeley Park: The “Lake End” improvement for the Berkeley Lake is under way. Because of this project, the existing Berkeley dog park needed to be moved to make room for a staging area. The temporarily dog park location/structure will remain as is until summer 2012. The Lake End project (which will extend the lake to create a marsh land) will be complete in June/July 2012. At the completion of the Lake End project in Summer 2012, the Berkeley dog park remodel/improvement will begin and new location will be south of the old location but will square foot will remain approx. 1 acre as it had been. As for the water fountain, unfortunately, due to new Denver Water regulations, the water source is too far away from the fountain, so it will remain off permanently. P&R hopes to have the funds to put in a new water fountain in the remodeled dog park next summer.

- Fuller and Kennedy Dog Park Temporarily Closed: Fuller and Kennedy dog park are temporarily closed from September to November (complete date pending weather) to complete planned renovations! The park will be getting new surface material, adding landscaping, benches, separated small and large dog areas, and a shade structure!

- Berkeley Park, Fuller Park and Kennedy Park Shade Structure!: P&R hopes to be able to put one shade structure in each location during this remodel phase. They are very expensive so keep your fingers crossed! They have completed the landscaping so that additional shade structures can be added it the future.

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