Whitefish dog park ranked one of best in U.S.
<p><strong>Pam Mendel</strong> of Whitefish and her dogs Lucy, left, and Marley enjoy the Hugh Rogers Wag Park on Tuesday in Whitefish. Mendel praised many aspects of the park, including the pond, the separate area for little dogs and the walking path, her personal favorite. The Whitefish dog park has been named one of the top 10 in the country. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p><div> </div>
Whitefish has gone to the dogs big-time.
The Hugh Rogers Wag Park in Whitefish was named one of the Top 10 Best Dog Parks in the United States by USA TODAY.
Larry Bleiberg compiled the Top 10 list for the popular national newspaper with input from Becca Barnett of BringFido.com, a website focused on pet-friendly accommodations and events.
“While humans enjoy the mountain views in this scenic town near Glacier National Park, canines will love the obstacle course and ball catapult,” Bleiberg wrote of the Whitefish dog park. “The 5-acre pet playground’s also equipped with human and dog water fountains. It’s always clean and well-kept. The commitment there is very strong.”
The article notes the importance of dog parks, given the growing number of pet owners who bring their pets along on trips.
USA TODAY reported in 2011 there were 569 off-leash dog parks in the 100 largest cities in 2010, a 34 percent increase. The world’s first dog park opened in 1979 in Berkeley, California, the newspaper said.
Other dog parks on the Top 10 list included parks in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Fort Worth, Texas; Maple Grove, Minnesota; Tierra Verde, Florida; Medford, New Jersey, Richmond, California; Bentonville, Arkansas; and Seattle.
Whitefish’s dog park, named after beloved Whitefish veterinarian Hugh Rogers, who died in a 2009 plane crash, is located in the Armory Park complex east of Whitefish.
It features fully accessible paths, benches, a drinking fountain for dogs and people, a message center and lots of open space for play. There are separate areas for large and small dogs.
Recent improvements to the park have been a community pavilion, additional paved pathways, the addition of an agility course, a small dog area, trees and a safe, clean swimming pond for dogs.
The latest improvement project is a proposed dog wash to hose off pets after they’ve frolicked in puddles or rolled in the mud. The board of directors for the nonprofit Whitefish Animal Group, known as WAG, has approved a dog-wash design and soon will present the project to the Whitefish Parks and Recreation Department.
“Once they give the go-ahead and we are confident of meeting our fundraising goal of $8,500, the building process will begin,” the WAG website states.
WAG led the effort to develop the park, which opened in 2009. The facility is free to the public and welcomes all responsible users. It is owned and maintained by the city of Whitefish, with WAG acting in an advisory capacity.
Donations to the WAG Dog Wash Fund may be sent to P.O. Box 754, Whitefish, MT 59937 or go online to www.wagparks.org.