Relaxed park rules for dogs advance
Only trained pups could be off leash
By Connie Cone Sexton

King Leo the Lion Hearted, owned by Elsa Brett of Scottsdale, performs during obedience training at Paradise Valley Park in northeast Phoenix. The Phoenix City Council will consider a proposal that would let a dog roam free in a park if the owner is carrying a certificate proving that the dog has passed obedience training.

Dog owners wanting to take their animals off the leash in a Phoenix park may get their wish without having to go to a designated fenced dog park.

The freedom will apply however only to owners who are carrying certificates proving that their dogs passed obedience training. In addition, if asked by a park ranger, dogs must show the ability to come back to their owner on command.

A city, subcommittee last week endorsed the proposal, which must go before the Phoenix City Council. The issue is expected to be discussed within the next two months.

Scott Covey, who has been a Phoenix park ranger for 18 years, worked on the proposed change to the city code. The changes had been in the works for three years, ever since the city amended its rather, lenient leash law, Covey said.

In February 2004, the city changed the law to ensure that no dog would be able to roam free in a park. All dogs were to be on a 6-foot leash or in a crate when at a Phoenix park.

Many members in the dog training community were upset, Covey said. For years they had been able to operate in parks, taking dogs off the leash.

"It went from being very loose to being very strict with no loopholes," he said.

"The dog sporting community said they could no longer use the park without breaking the law, so the parks department started working with the owners."

If the current code amendment is approved, it would allow dogs that are certified to be off a leash. In addition, a dog owner may have only one dog at a time off a leash.

Toni Drugmand, who owns Dog-On-It Training, said she is pleased that the code may be revised.

One of the sites Drugmand has had to use for training is in the parking lot outside a Starbucks in northeast Phoenix. Getting to train in a park makes a good location for both the' dogs and their owners.

She has been using Paradise Valley Park at 40th Street north of Bell Road for some classes and said no one from the city has questioned her about having dogs off leash for training.

"But we are very careful and very respectful of other people around," Drugmand said.

Dog owners will want to carry proof of certification with them when they go to a park.

Even with that, dogs still must prove they can return on command.

Violating the off-leash code is a Class I misdemeanor and can carry a fine up to $2,500 and six months behind bars.

A first fine is not to exceed $250. It generally is about $25, Covey said. Second fines within 24 months are at least $100, and third fines in the same time period are not less than $500.

Covey said at least a couple people have had a second violation in recent years.

Printed in the Northeast Republic • Wednesday, September 19, 2007

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