17th Street Dog Park is Open
From left: Jack Evans, Adrian Fenty, Mike Silverstein (chair, ANC 2B-Dupont) and Ximena Hartsock at the inauguration of the dog park today. (Photo: Luis Gomez)
Dogs and owners enjoy the special artificial turf for dogs. (Photo: Luis Gomez)
There was a dog fight shortly after the ribbon cutting today. (Photo: Luis Gomez)
The weather was great for the political poobahs who turned out on a sunny afternoon for the opening of the dog park at 17th-S-New Hampshire NW.
DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, Council Member Jack Evans (Ward 2) and Dr. Ximena Hartsock (Acting Director, Parks & Recreation) cut the ribbon to the converted dog park on 17th Street.
Many dogs and their owners also turned out for the dog park, which was plagued by long delays and an opening date several months after the original deadline.
Unfortunately, there was a dog fight right after the ribbon cutting. It appeared that a big dog got hold of a Chihuahua, but I don’t know if the smaller dog was hurt. One thing missing from this park is the separate area for smaller dogs that is part of the Shaw Dog Park on 11th Street NW.
One thing I hope we don’t see more of at the new dog park: a small child was running around in the middle of the dogs. Small children should never be inside an enclosed area with dogs. What if that dog had gone after the small child instead of the small dog? Note to parents: Please read Child Safety: On Dogs, Dog Parks and Small Children.
