City launches initiative to to open more parks to on-leash dogs

Should Oahu have more dog-friendly parks?

The Department of Parks and Recreation on Wednesday announced a “comprehensive change” to make more city parks accessible to responsible dog owners and their leashed dogs. Before making that change, however, DPR is seeking community input on the
initiative through Oahu’s neighborhood boards.

According to DPR, there are currently 308 city parks on Oahu, but the majority — more than 85% — do not legally allow dogs for recreation. Only 36 allow leashed dogs, and 10 offer off-leash areas for dogs. The lack of dog-friendly parks is particularly noticeable on the leeward, windward and north sides of Oahu.

“We firmly believe the current rules regarding pets in City parks are too restrictive and should be changed, but we want to be respectful of the various needs of our community members,” said DPR spokesperson Nate Serota, who is leading the effort. “With this in mind, we are empowering you to let us know where these dog-friendly privileges should be extended, decriminalizing an activity that should be encouraged in these open, public spaces.”

Under current park rules, the DPR director has the authority to designate areas in public parks for use by people with dogs on-leash or for use as off-leash dog parks.

“With the growing variety of ways our parks are used, and the increasing need for recreational space across the island, we want to do our best to balance these diverse interests as we extend on-leash dog privileges,” said DPR Director Laura Thielen in a statement.

She added that providing a small area within a larger park for leashed dogs can make a significant difference to the growing population of dog guardians.

“We hope these
discussions, and extending dog privileges, leads to a variety of social benefits,” she continued, “such as relieving our police department from responding to dog complaints, activating under-
utilized park spaces, and
a broader cohesion and
respect amongst the
community.”

The department has sent letters to each neighborhood board requesting that they hold hearings on the issue to discuss which parks would or would not be suitable for dogs. Each has a list of parks in their jurisdiction.

“While we’re trying to extend these privileges, we’re also trying to put emphasis on responsible dog ownership,” said Serota.

Ala Moana Regional Park and Oahu’s botanical gardens are not being considered for this initiative at this time, DPR said, but may be discussed at a later time. Ala Moana is its own special case, Serota said, while the gardens are managed by the Division of Urban Forestry.

Regarding dangerous dogs, DPR notes that the state Legislature passed a bill last year addressing the issue. Act 224, which goes into effect July 1, defines what a dangerous dog is, and establishes penalties
for their owners.

There are tens of thousands of pet dogs on Oahu, according to the Hawaiian Humane Society, with 43% of households here owning pet dogs.

The society wholeheartedly supports opening up more parks to dogs, said spokeswoman Brandy Shimabukuro, to promote the human-animal bond.

Dog-friendly parks offer health and social benefits to both people and pets, she said. It’s also about making park spaces equitable for all users.

“Pets deserve spaces where they can exercise and socialize,” she said. “We also know housing with yard access is few and far between.”

For many residents who can only afford to live in condominiums or apartments, public parks serve as important outdoor spaces for their pets. Opening up parks to dogs also could activate them when not in use to help deter crime.

At the same time, the society is 100% committed to promoting responsible pet ownership, she said.

The city’s newest off-leash dog park on Oahu is in Kane­ohe, which became a reality in December after more than a decade of advocacy efforts by the nonprofit Windward Dog Park Hui.

To see a map of dog parks, visit bit.ly/OahuPark
Map. To view an interactive map showing neighborhood boundaries and parks with dog privileges, visit bit.ly/dogneighborhoods.

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