Dog trainer Cait Farrar knows a thing or two about dog parks, and the importance of dog safety. After all, that is a priority in her line of work.
Farrar said that the incident this past Friday, where Debbie Blair lost her dog Woody after he was mauled at Jacobson Park, could have been preventable; but maybe not at other parks.
“This is why I come to Jacobson Park, over other dog parks. These two sides are separate,” Farrar said. As she pointed to the layout of the public space, a large, rectangular, fenced-in structure with a median in the middle.
Dog owners, according to Farrar, should be able to tell when their pup is near its breaking point.
“Knowing your dog is just as important [as the equipment],” Farrar added.
The equipment she is referring to is a harness.
The dog who attacked Woody on Friday, broke through his harness to get a hold of him.
“You can’t control your dog without the right equipment,” said Melonie Weiss, who came to the park with Willow.
Willow is from the humane society, and has been brought back six different times, because of her loud personality. Weiss said it’s because of the Huskie in her.
Both Farrar and Weiss’ companions have some big personalities, just like most dogs. That’s what makes them so special. They also agree that they need places like Jacobson Park, where their dogs can let out their energy.
“It’s been a godsend to have a dog park to be able to bring them to,” added Weiss.
They encourage people with dogs to make sure their friends are behaved enough to use the facilities. Which according to the two, is usually the case.
