Dogs who use the off-leash parks are supposed to be licensed. I have NEVER seen any animal control officers ever in the dog park doing any kind of random checking to enforce that provision.

Also, dogs are to be on leash until in the fenced area. I have called animal control a number of times telling them that they need to just stand outside the dog park and ticket the many careless owners who let their dogs jump out of the car, near a busy street, and run unfettered towards the dog park gate. It seems people give animal control officers incorrect information to get out of a ticket. Then, animal control has every right to take their dog and give it back after the owner has paid the fine.

A less punitive measure is to make registering easier–use the dog parks as registration centers once per month. I know a dog needs rabies shots–give them at the dog park with the registration!

I think an unfenced dog park in City Park is a dog/car accident waiting to happen. Many of the propsed areas in the park are near streets where cars and bikes are traveling.

Even if I, as a dog-owner, know that there is a dog park “area” during certain hours and that I should avoid that area, a number of owners will allow their dogs to go unleashed to and from the area–increasing the chances that I might be approached by unleashed dogs.

I think the City of Denver needs to do a better job with enforcement of current rules/laws pertaining to dogs before they branch out to more dog parks. In all the articles I have read about the Dog Park Master Plan, I have yet to hear an argument that convinces me that we need more parks BEFORE correcting the problems we currently face.