By Valerie H | Assistant Director
“I think we should take this dog home.”
Eden's childhood on a farm meant she was surrounded by animals - horses, cows, pigs, cats, the occasional snake, the baby bird that the cat tried to kill - but never a dog. She was pretty sure that she needed a dog and her dad was equally sure she did not need a dog.
So Eden grew up dogless until she got married and was determined that her dogless life needed to end. Convincing her husband was the trick, but eventually, in the middle of a home and garden show where a shelter was displaying their adoptable animals, her husband saw the light and let her take home a beautiful one-year-old black lab. Now in possession of a ball crazed black lab that was filled with boundless energy this farm-girl-turned-city dweller had to find a solution.
Eden quickly discovered that Clark County, Washington's leash laws were in full effect everywhere. A quick search of Google revealed a DOGPAW dog park just 5 minutes away from her urban home, and she quickly loaded up her dog and discovered doggie heaven. Grass and trees, benches for dog owners, walking trails, and fenced fields asking for a dog to run and chase balls all day. Now Eden and her dog both could exercise and thrive.
Without a DOGPAW dog park, Eden and her dog would have no place to go. With every trail and park having mandatory leash laws, dogs who love to run and play and chase are without a lot of options, except to run illegally on open fields and land. Off-leash dog parks are the number two amenity people look for in a new community.
DOGPAW has over 7,000 dogs and their owners visit their four parks each week. Yet only 10 percent of the people who visit support DOGPAW with donations, volunteer hours and membership.
In April 2017, DOGPAW launched an awareness campaign aimed at raising donations and increasing membership so that DOGPAW can continue to exist in Clark County. Without continued support from donors, DOGPAW is at risk. The increasing numbers of dogs into Clark County means that the dog parks are overcrowded and underfunded.
We are, happily, gaining ground, but there is still much work to be done.
To help DOGPAW keep dogs and their owners happy and thriving in Clark County, Washington we would love your support. The dogs will thank you!
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