Little Egg Harbor To Open New Dog Park Next Week

LITTLE EGG HARBOR, NJ — Southern Ocean County dog lovers will have a new place to take their pets to run and roam next week.

The new dog park at Freedom Fields County Park in Little Egg Harbor will open Tuesday at 8 a.m. and will close daily at 7:30 p.m.

With 4.5 acres of Freedom Fields County Park, the dog park is complete with picnic tables and areas for both large and small dogs.

“We have received numerous requests from dog owners in the southern part of the County to open a dog park closer to them," said Ocean County Commissioner Virginia E. Haines in a news release. "This new regional off-leash dog park is easily accessible for our residents living in the southern part of the county."

Registration is required to access the county’s off-leash dog parks and dogs must be at least six months old.

People using the dog park need to carry their county issued dog park identification card to assure dogs using the facilities are licensed and are up to date with their vaccines.

Patrons can register their dogs at the following Ocean County facilities:

• The County Connection, Ocean County Mall, 1201 Hooper Ave, Toms River, by appointment only: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m., Sunday
• Ocean County Parks Administration Office, 1198 Bandon Rd, Toms River: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
• Tip Seaman County Park, 120 Lakeside Dr, Tuckerton: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday
• Wells Mills County Park, 905 Wells Mills Rd, Waretown: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday
• Jakes Branch County Park, 1100 Double Trouble Rd, Beachwood: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday

“These regulations give the County the opportunity to know who the people are that are using these facilities,” Haines said. “It’s important that dogs using these off-leash dog parks can socialize well. It’s also important that this project allows dogs the freedom to run and play but also has the appropriate safeguards.

“We have 517 county canines registered to use our two other off-leash dog parks,” Haines said. “The county’s off-leash dog parks are very popular and we are happy to open this new one in Little Egg Harbor.”

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