Tulsa Dog Park

[cannon_fodder]

Tulsa is the only city of any size that I know of that doesn't have a dog park.  In spite of having a high number of dogs (couldn't find the dang article).  In Oklahoma the cities that have dog parks include:

Oklahoma City
Norman
Del City
Edmond
and Enid.  

My college town of 35,000 and home town of 70,000 had dog parks.  Nearly every city in Kansas has a dog park.  14 Cities in Missouri.  Dozens in Texas.  

Much compared cities of Albuquerque (3 just in the city proper), Omaha (2 in city proper),  and Portland (7 in city proper) all have dog parks. Even Little Rock has a couple. A listing of dark parks can be found here:
http://www.ecoanimal.com/dogfun/

The Mohawk plan released over a year ago had mentioned a dog park, but I've heard nothing since.
http://www.cityoftulsa.org/Recreation/Parks/MohawkParkStrategicPlanUpdate.asp

Why can't we attract young families to live in an urban environment?  Well, here is one small example.  We lack the basic amenities of a city our size (aside from drivable streets and other concerns of course) and cities much smaller than us.  Such a simple thing with such a minimal investment, I don't get it.

Is the city moving on this at all or what?  It's something that I would enjoy for sure and if done somewhere more "urban" would be a neighborhood selling point (so long as it's not in the middle of a neighborhood of course).  Putting it out at Mohawk will be helpful, but won't do anything for people living in new apartment buildings going in downtown, Brookside or other dense areas of town.

Thoughts?

[cks511]

+1, I miss having a dog park, there were five in the Indianapolis area.  Manion Park, since it's no longer a rec center or swim center, could also foot the bill.

[Gaspar]

Canon,
I think I could turn this around and look at it the other way.  

. . . We have a lack of "NO DOG" parks!  

I have a vizsla and we take her to Hunter park about 4 times a week to run free and play with all of the kids at the park.  

She meets the other dogs there and runs around at just under 100 mph.

I have lived in cities like St. Louis where leash laws are so strict that you can get fined or arrested on the spot and have your dog taken to the pound.  



You can go to almost any park in Tulsa and see friendly dogs running around playing, I don't think there is a need for a fenced in dog park.  I find these places depressing.

[TheArtist]

I thought there was a dog park by Woodward. I was at the rose garden one day and a lady with a dog came over to me and asked where the dog park was. I said I didnt know. Another lady overheard and pointed off in a direction and said it was over there.

[Double A]

Got to the Arboretum next to Woodward Park and you will be pleasantly surprised to find a secret dog park.

[Gaspar]

I wonder if anyone knows the location of Tulsa's other secret dog parks?

[cannon_fodder]

1. Gaspar, in Tulsa it is illegal to have your dog off of a leash and you can get ticketed, fined, the dog impounded AND the person arrested.  I am able to let me dog run at a nearby park (after checking to make sure no one cares/is there) but technically this is not allowed.  Certainly it is a different atmosphere than an actual dog park.

For the following the law specifies "at large" means "off the leash or not at heal" in prelude to the title.  There is some wiggle room in the definition, but basically at large = off leash.

quote:
Title 2, Section 101 of the Tulsa Municipal Code:
A. It shall be an offense under the terms of this chapter for any owner within
the corporate limits of the City of Tulsa to... 2. Fail to prevent any dog or cat owned, possessed, kept or harbored by him
from running or being at large

The penalty is a fine up to $750 and up to 90 days in prison (section 118).

Section 116 of the same title:

quote:The Chief of Police may impound animals which are deemed to be at large within
the meaning of this chapter and which are found off the immediate premises of their
owners.

And to head off the "dogs crap everywhere anyway" argument, that is illegal and fined at $200 a pop per section 101.12.  

All city animal laws:
http://www.cityoftulsa.org/OurCity/Ordinances/title2.asp#Chapter3

So, while it is commonly done and it is something I do when possible.  It is against the law and can suffer stiff fines.  It is also uncontrolled and may deter people from using the park.  While I would approach someone and ask them to leash their if it bothered me, someone who is afraid of dogs or more timid would simply have to NOT go into that park.

2. The "dog park" at Woodward park is actually an arbor walk.  It is a walk to showcase the trees and various landscaping items as the sign age indicate.  It is not a dog park and the last time I was there the sign specifically said you must have your dog on a leash.

Though that law is usually ignored and even encouraged to be ignored (lady told me to let my dogs run if I wanted to).

It is not supposed to be used as a dog park.

http://www.tulsaaudubon.org/guides/woodward-park.htm
http://www.tulsagardencenter.com/htdocs/wwpark/wwphist.htm


3. I have been to fenced dog parks in KC, San Francisco and Chicago and found them far from depressing.  Most often I keep my dogs leashed because other people don't want them running around and it is their right to be unmolested by my dogs.  Not to accuse you, but I am not comfortable nor do i assume that other people or dogs want to interact with mine so I err on the side of leashed.

[edit] Does the dog park in OKC look depressing to you?
http://www.pawok.com/ [/edit]

[grahambino]

im not necessarily a fan of an unleashed dog im not familiar with running up to me.

I have a friend hiking on a trail and he had a Pit Bull.  He was allowing this dog to run unleashed and met another hiker.  This guy freaked out (of course) when a pit bull comes running up.
My friend couldn't believe the guy freaked out.  
Me: 'dude you're an idiot'

yes, the dog was sweet, but if i see a pit running towards me, im pretty sure my bowels would empty right there and I would not be a happy hiker.

[grahambino]

im not necessarily a fan of an unleashed dog im not familiar with running up to me.

I have a friend hiking on a trail and he had a Pit Bull.  He was allowing this dog to run unleashed and met another hiker.  This guy freaked out (of course) when a pit bull comes running up.
My friend couldn't believe the guy freaked out.  
Me: 'dude you're an idiot'

yes, the dog was sweet, but if i see a pit running towards me, im pretty sure my bowels would empty right there and I would not be a happy hiker.

[EricP]

I guess I haven't been attacked by a dog so I don't know, but people being so deathly afraid of pit bulls cracks me up. They are only mean when bred to be that way. If one were coming after me and decided it were going to attack me I think it would simply get a nice boot to the head...

I've wished we had a dog park we could let Evey run around off her leash at before as well, maybe we can help make it happen.

I figured she would say hi since we are on the topic

Then...


And err.. 6 months ago.

[we vs us]

Tulsa DEFINITELY needs a dog park.  Or six.  

CF, it looks like you found a pic of Doggie Beach in Chicago.  Perhaps the most excellent resource ever for apartment-bound dergs, though the sand will scratch up your hardwood floors something terrible.

I know logically that pit bulls are excellent and mostly harmless beasts, but I've seen too many sweet-as-pie PBs turn into Doggie Terminators when another male comes walking by their enclosures.  Like when I take my fella for his daily constitutional and happen to meander past the fenceline.  They are usually unsnipped and full of testosterone.

More Doggie Beach:




Carter:

[cannon_fodder]

Wevus:

quote:CF, it looks like you found a pic of Doggie Beach in Chicago. Perhaps the most excellent resource ever for apartment-bound dergs, though the sand will scratch up your hardwood floors something terrible.

Nope, that is Paw Park in Oklahoma City.
http://www.pawok.com/
- - -

and per Pit Bulls, I don't have an inherent fear of them but I certainly use more caution.  I know plenty of well behaved pit bulls, but bad dog owners or those who want 'tough dogs' seem to migrate towards the breed and thus a pit bull seems more likely to be poorly trained or socialized.   I've never had a problem with any dog attacking me (partly because I know to back away from aggression) more more often than not people who shouldn't own dogs seem to choose pit bulls (note: that does not mean pit bulls are bad, but that they seem to attract bad owners).

In that regard, all regular laws apply.  If your dog causes damages you are liable for them in the dog park like anywhere else.  If your pit bull or your chihuahua injures another dog you will have a hefty vet bill to foot and (obviously) are not invited back.   If your dog becomes overly aggressive you have to leave.  If you know your dog doesn't play well with others, don't take him off the leash until you have trained him otherwise (part of the reason dog parks are helpful).

In many dog parks there is a small area set aside for small or aged animals that don't want to run with the big dogs to help mitigate potential problems. Sparky might think he's tough, but it's up to you to make sure he doesn't try to prove that to the bull mastiff (assuming a play bite from the mastiff could injure a small dog).

bah, you get what I'm saying.

[Double A]

Mayfest has never been the same since they banned dogs.

[ARGUS]

dont tell anybody but there is a secret dog park at 5pm at Zink; but you must have a cocktail or glass of wine in hand for the handler.

[Double A]

quote:Originally posted by ARGUS

dont tell anybody but there is a secret dog park at 5pm at Zink; but you must have a cocktail or glass of wine in hand for the handler.

That sounds like my kind of dog park.[]