Dogs On Leashes Now Allowed In More Dearborn Parks

From the City of Dearborn:

Dog owners celebrate!

At the recommendation of Mayor Jack O’Reilly’s administration, the Dearborn City Council recently passed a new ordinance increasing the number of parks at which dogs on leashes are permitted to walk on park tracks.

The ordinance, passed by the City Council on Nov. 26, now allows leashed dogs in seven City parks: Crowley, Geer, Oxford, Penn-Vasser, Schemansky, Summer-Stephens and Ten Eyck parks. Previously, dogs on leashes were only permitted in Crowley and Geer as a trial to determine the success of the program.

Residents are reminded that dogs are restricted to only track areas of the parks, and dogs must remain on a leash that is no longer than six feet in length the entire time they are in the park. Dog-walkers must properly dispose of dog waste.

Any dog showing aggression toward people or other dogs must immediately be removed from the parks. Dogs that have been deemed vicious or dangerous by a state or local government agency are not allowed in City parks.

In the event of a dog bite or scratch, local laws dictate that the injury must be reported to the Dearborn Police Department with 24 hours of the incident.

Any violation of the ordinance—including failure to report a dog bite, failure to remove a dog showing aggression from a park, or failing to leash a dog in a park—results in a civil infraction with increasing fines for each violation, with the fourth resulting in a misdemeanor offense.

To report an unleashed or aggressive dog, please call the Dearborn Police Department’s non-emergency line at 313-943-2241. If in immediate danger, please call 911.

Further details of the ordinance can be found in Section 15-28 of the City of Dearborn Code of Ordinances.

Pet owners may also purchase a permit to use the Dearborn Dog Park, which allows dogs to run loose within fenced areas. The Dearborn Dog Park is behind the Henry Ford Centennial Library and has separate areas for large and small dogs, plus interesting structures for dogs to play on.

For information on the Dog Park, visit http://cityofdearborn.org/documents/city-departments/recreation/dearborn-dog-park/4068-dog-park-application-rules-waiver/file

This press release was produced by the City of Dearborn. The views expressed here are the author’s own.