Hawaii Island dog owners have something to bark about. A trial program that allows leashed dogs inside four previously “No animal” county parks is probably here to stay.
Since 2014, Ainaola Park, Gilbert Carvalho Park, Ahualani Park and Machado Acres Park have allowed county-licensed dogs within certain areas, so long as they’re tethered by a leash less than 6 feet long and owners pick up their waste.
The policy has bucked an overarching no animal rule in place at most county recreational parks and all county beach parks.
Parks and Recreation spokesman Jason Armstrong said Friday the department plans to continue the program and is “expecting to make (it) permanent.” It’s worked out well, he said, and has reduced the number of complaints the department once received resulting from confrontations between pet owners and other park patrons.
“The complaints have tapered off,” he said.
Under the program, each park has its own rules posted as to where dogs can reside. For example, Carvalho Park permits dogs only in a grassy area beyond the outfield fence and Ahualani Park allows them only around the park’s perimeter.
Not everyone has been a fan. Carvalho Park’s recreation director Chris Drayer said Friday he’s continued to have “problems with dogs” and thinks allowing dogs — in any capacity — has generally been more trouble than it’s worth.
“People will bring them and let them run loose,” he said. “They don’t keep them on chains or in the area where they can go. I wish they would just go back to ‘No dogs.’”
The news was welcome to dog owner Kirsten Wong, 26, on Friday, who walked her Chihuahua mix Mickey around Ahualani. Wong said she recently moved to the island and had trouble finding places to take her pup.
“A lot of parks don’t allow dogs,” she said. “I live in an apartment, so when you find a park by your house, it’s amazing. It’s hard, because you don’t ever want to disrespect the neighbors, but then you can’t really take your dogs a lot of places on the Big Island.”
Rhonda Pollard, a Honokaa resident who operates Lava Dogs Hawaii, a website that aims to publicize dog-friendly places around the island, also lauded the news. She said she hopes the loosened policy eventually will be implemented in parks outside East Hawaii, though Armstrong said Friday there are no immediate plans to do so.
“It’s really good news,” Pollard said. “(The program) is giving us an opportunity to show that we can be responsible dog owners.”
The program is among multiple efforts recently to expand the number of sites around the Big Island that allow canines.
Late last year, a group of about 35 community members began meeting to discuss the feasibility of installing multiple off-leash dog parks on the island. The group has since identified three possible sites, organizer Carl Oguss said Friday.
Earlier this year, Puna Councilman Greggor Ilagan pitched installing a dog area within his proposed 20-acre community park in Hawaiian Paradise Park. On Friday, Ilagan said park plans, which still include the dog area, were moving forward. The county next needs to hire a firm to create a park master plan, he said.
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com
