MSPCA-Angell Dog Park Reopens, Professional Dog Walkers Not Allowed Anymore

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The MSPCA-Angell Dog Park at 350 S. Huntington Avenue in Jamaica Plain.

The MSPCA-Angell dog park reopened Tuesday after being closed for several days while a fight between two dogs at the park was investigated.

Cindy Lu was sad when she could not play in the MSPCA-Angell dog park with her friends.

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Cindy Lu was sad when she could not play in the MSPCA-Angell dog park with her friends.

The dog fight occurred Aug. 18, with one dog suffering significant injuries. That dog was treated at Angell Animal Medical Center and then discharged, said Rob Halpin, director of public relations for MSPCA-Angell.

Halpin said that following last week's incident, professional dog walkers are no longer permitted to use the park.

"Despite efforts to balance access to the park with safety for visitors, the arrival of multiple dogs, handled by just one person, creates an ongoing safety concern for the community," said Halpin.

Like numerous dog owners, Anita Lauricella was sad when she came to find the park closed for several days, as was her dog, Cindy Lu. But the news of the park reopening was a joyous moment.

"I'm glad MSPCA-Angell responsibly investigated the incident and took the safety concerns of dogs and people very seriously as they always do. Cindy Lu and I are very happy the park reopened," said Lauricella.

The dog park will be open in the morning and afternoons, but will continue to be closed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, as it was before the incident. The hours of operation assist in decreasing dog walkers with multiple dogs from coming to the park.

Halpin said a community-policing endeavor will enforce the no-dog-walkers policy. Members of the community should contact dogpark@mspca.org if they see something of concern and the MSPCA will investigate.

"Our commitment has always been to balance access to the dog park with safety for those who use it," added Halpin.

Dog parks have been in the news lately. The city recently put Beecher Street Park off-limits to off-leash dogs. That closure prompted JP's city councilor, Matt O'Malley, to renew efforts to find space for a dog park along the Southwest Corridor.

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