Tinley Park-Park District Delays Opening of Dog Park Due to Canine Flu

With news of the dog flu reaching epidemic levels in the Chicago suburbs, the Tinley Park-Park District has decided to delay opening Canine Campus Dog Park. The Grand Opening Celebration was originally scheduled to be held on May 2, but has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 30 at 10 a.m. at the dog park at the corner of Nielsen Drive and 84th Avenue in Tinley Park.

Consulting with local area animal shelters and veterinarians, Park District officials felt it’s best to play it safe when it comes to the dog flu.

“Some dog parks in the area have closed while others have remained open, but posted signage informing patrons of the risk involved with Canine Influenza,” said the Director of the Park District, John Curran. “For the safety of our four-legged friends, it was decided to postpone opening the park since we haven’t officially opened for operation yet, and in order to allow more time for the spread of the dog flu virus to dissipate before we start selling memberships and open the gates for the first time.”

According to the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) website, Canine Influenza (dog flu) is a respiratory disease in dogs caused by a specific Type A influenza virus that only has been reported to affect dogs. It can be spread from dog-to-dog contact, as well as by moving objects and materials from infected and uninfected dogs. There is a vaccination available for uninfected dogs, however, once a dog becomes infected the treatment is almost solely supportive care. To date, there is no evidence of risk to humans from this virus.

Dogs at South Suburban Humane Society in Chicago Heights recently fell ill with symptoms resembling those of the canine flu.

“It definitely isn’t the greatest timing for the first year of our brand new dog park,” said Marketing Manager, Matt Libs. “However, those purchasing memberships will not be affected, as memberships will last for one year after purchase for each dog.”

The Park District asks those interested in staying informed about Canine Campus to check www.tinleyparkdistrict.org during the next month. The TPPD will announce on their website and on their Facebook page when memberships are on sale, as well as when the park is open for operations and if the Grand Opening Celebration needs to be changed from its current date and time. A registration packet can be downloaded from the front page of the Park District’s website. Those with more questions are encouraged to call (708)342-4200 for more information.

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