On any given morning in Clark County, you will find dogs frolicking in green grass, checking trees for squirrels and playing ball. All of this joy is within fenced dog parks with double- gated safety entrances. And all of this is due to the hard work of DOGPAW.
DOGPAW is a non-profit, volunteer organization. They partnered with Clark County, Bonneville Power Association, and Vancouver Parks and Recreation to create five off-leash dog parks, all beautiful places to spend time with a furry companion. In fact, these safe and scenic dog parks were part of the reason I moved back to Vancouver.
People who do not live in Clark County have said to me they are amazed that we have several parks to choose from and that the locations are so scenic. As I traveled with Cinnamon, the coonhound, during our move back to Vancouver, I made a point of stopping at off-leash dog parks on the way. They were often dusty, small and poorly maintained.
When I settled in Vancouver, I came to realize how lucky we are to have the DOGPAW organization to enhance the quality of life of our dogs and dog owners. Despite what many think, these parks are not maintained by any government entity.
A Little DOGPAW History
Pat Weinkauf, a local dog trainer, was the visionary and first president of DOGPAW. She was concerned that there was no safe place to take dogs in Vancouver. In 2004 Ross Dog Park was established in partnership with Bonneville Power. That was the first park.
I was at that park with my coonhound and ran into Mark Watson, DOGPAW vice president, putting up a banner for a new business sponsor. Mark recalled, “It was a perfect match… dogs don’t mind the power lines.” The park, now with information kiosks, a small dog section, and a relatively new water station, has hills, trees, benches and paths. Cinnamon, the coonhound, knows exactly where the squirrels live.
Over the years DOGPAW continued to advocate for more parks, finding land, paying for permits, putting in fencing and trails and creating dog-friendly spaces, eventually establishing five dog parks in Clark County.
DOGPAW also built partnerships with other organizations such as the Humane Society for Southwest Washington. DOGPAW quickly became active with our K9 Police Officers, naming dog parks after local fallen K9 officers. In addition, DOGPAW has raised money for purchasing replacement dogs and for assisting retired police dog owners with medical bills.
Paying for State of the Art Dog Parks
DOGPAW volunteers build, maintain and manage all four parks in Clark County. The land used for the Washougal Park was sold, and it is now closed.
Building new dog parks and managing the current parks is expensive. Much of the funding comes through annual memberships. The day I was at the Ross Dog Park, DOGPAW volunteers were set up under a canopy, recruiting members and raising awareness of the role their organization plays in maintaining the parks. Julia Stong, DOGPAW intern, shared an interesting fact with me, “Eight of ten people we talk to at these events don’t even know about our organization.”
The parks are open to everyone, but becoming a member is highly encouraged to help defray costs. The tab runs $100,000 or more to set up a new park. Permitting costs are paid by DOGPAW, and, at a minimum, the park needs fencing, kiosks, trails and gates. And these parks do not take care of themselves. Maintenance, some of which is carried out by volunteers, still runs close to $70,000 a year for the four parks. Mark Watson said, “Costs are increasing for park maintenance,” and he added, “That doesn’t include any enhancements, marketing or outreach.”
DOGPAW Fundraisers
You will be surprised to know that only 10% of the people enjoying the parks with their dogs are members. The off-leash dog parks serve over 7,000 dogs and their owners a week. So DOGPAW has been hosting membership drives and building awareness that the parks are not run by the county with your tax dollars.
They are also fundraising. The Save DogPaw Off-leash Parks website has an exciting list of fundraisers and membership drives in partnership with local businesses. How about Yappy Hour at Battleground’s Mill Creek Pub And, you can bring your dog!
A Vision for the Future
East Vancouver’s dog park is a popular place. The Dakota Memorial Dog Park at Pacific Community Park can get very crowded, especially on weekends. Dog owners will tell you overcrowding leads to grumbly, ill-mannered dogs. They just get overwhelmed.
DOGPAW is developing partnerships and planning a new dog park near the Humane Society for Southwest Washington. The park, currently on hold due to a need for funding, will be on a 10-acre plot of land with an open field and wooded paths. DOGPAW has plans to partner with Harmony Sports Complex and the Humane Society to create a one-of-a-kind, off-leash park that will have a lot of amenities – a K9 training facility, agility course and lots of fun things dogs will love. But it will not happen soon. “Right now we have to concentrate on making DOGPAW sustainable,” adds Watson.
The search for land for a replacement park in the Washougal area continues as well.
With the influx of people coming to live in Clark County, the need for dog parks is steadily increasing. While the fundraising and membership drives are paying off, DOGPAW is still short of its goal, both monetarily and in numbers of members. So the hard work is continuing.
How to Help DOGPAW
Businesses can provide sponsorships. You will see their advertisements on the fences of the parks. It was because of a dog park banner that I became aware of Forever Pet Dental, a reasonably-priced dental service for dogs.
Individuals can join as members, volunteer and donate what they can. DOGPAW has developed different levels of memberships for people and businesses. If you are a dog park user, it is important to become a member and renew annually.
And pass the word along. DOGPAW is “pawsome,” says Cinnamon, the coonhound. She frequents three of the area’s four dog parks. As I got ready to leave the park the other day with Cinnamon, I said good-bye to Mark Watson and thanked him for his dedication. “I do it for one reason, and it’s puppy kisses!” That sums it up well.
