MARSHFIELD, WI (OnFocus) – After an incident at a local dog park where an attendee suffered an injury while holding their dog away from an attacking dog.
The dog and her handler (we will refer to the person involved as “the handler” out of anonymity for the person) were making their normal trip to the the dog park when another dog became aggressive and went after the handler’s dog. The handler acted quick and tried to grab their dog’s harness and pull the dog out of the scrum. The handler’s finger got caught in their dog’s harness and as their dog was wrestling with the other animal, the handler’s finger was injured.
Paws N’ Play Dog Park wished to help the handler raise funds to help cover some of their medical bills and asked that people donate to help them.
Alishia Reigel of Paws N’ Play Dog Park said although incidences like these are few and far between, the park isn’t for every dog.
“Not often does this happen, but also you can’t predict what a dog is going to do in every situation,” Reigel said. “If your dog is unpredictable in different types of situations with other dogs or people where they may act aggressively, it’s best to stay away from public places like the dog park where you can’t control the environment. The dog park is a great way to socialize your dog with people and other dogs, but in order for everyone to be safe, all dogs need to be controllable.”
Jessi Betz, a frequent Paws N’ Play visitor, said the park is a welcome place and a great place to meet other dog owners.
“Everyone is good at helping guide others if they are new to the park or help if a dog needs redirecting because it’s getting over excited,” Betz said. “We all have one thing in common, we are dog owners and this is their playground. We are thankful for the use of the facility and want it to be an enjoyable experience for all who come.”
Reigel said watching how your dog interacts with others is an important step to preventing issues at the dog park.
“As a frequent visitor at the dog park, I know almost everyone that goes there regularly,” Reigel said. “While I’m there I keep an eye out for who is coming and going and looking for cues from my dog and other dogs for when one of them might be uncomfortable. Watching your dogs and others to make sure everyone is being friendly is key to keeping the dog park safe. There is also a smaller, separate area that is fenced off if you ever feel uncomfortable.”
Betz said dogs are ultimately animals and rely on instincts to shape their actions.
“Unfamiliar territory can be stressful to animals, so sometimes it’s better to be isolated in the smaller side but still be able to burn off energy by running in a fenced in area,” Betz said. “The large side is typically for larger breed dogs, but that’s not to say small dogs aren’t welcome. It’s really fun to see the dogs interact, chase and play with each other.”
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