 What's happening? Olympia's Sunrise Park Off-Leash Dog Area >> The Olympia Sunrise Park Off-Leash Dog Area (dog park) is in trouble. Email info@soundhounds.org if you are an active dog park user and can help out. After two years, City of Olympia Parks finally met with us about access and help at the dog park. We learned about serious concerns by the neighbors (noise, smell, lack of privacy, other incidents). Olympia scheduled a public meeting to address the dog park concerns on January 25, 6 pm, at the Olympia Center Room A, 222 Columbia St NW, Olympia, WA 98501. Olympia is making observations and will report on them a the meeting. Sound Hounds hopes to have a draft volunteer agreement in place with Olympia by the meeting for access to help a the dog park. Scroll down to the Olympia section for more information about the dog park. >> February 8 is the next Sound Hounds meeting (2nd Wednesdays, 6:30-8 pm) at Cutters Point Coffee, 5831 Lacey Blvd SE, Suite A, Lacey, WA 98503, 360-456-2974, directions. On the agenda: Olympia and Thurston County dog park concerns, Tumwater dog park development. We need an infusion of dog park users to sustain Sound Hounds and dog park stewardship and development in general. Get involved! Come to a meeting or complete the Volunteer Form on this website. >> We have email (again)! Our last email was in 2010 due to problems with the size of our email list and challenges with spam filters. We are using Virtual Response for Non-Profits, thanks to our fiscal agent, PARC Foundation. If you didn't receive a recent email from us on January 22nd, compete the Email Form on this website and we'll add you to the email list. We expect to send 2-4 emails a month. As always contact information is not shared. >> Get involved! We have one Sound Hounds Board vacancy and several other Board members willing to step down in order to have more active Board members. Please consider joining the Board if you are a dog park user and have some time to work with us on any of a variety of concerns and developments. >> Thanks to everyone who helps helps keep the dog parks clean. Please review and follow the rules. If possible, leave it better than you found it with less poop on the ground and more extra bags.
>> Speak up! Use this handy dandy contact sheet to contact your elected leaders, key staff, and advisory groups in four of our jurisdictions - Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, and Thurston County.
>> Show your support for South Sound dog parks: * Buy a customized brick to honor your loved one(s) and support current and future Thurston County dog parks (small $50, large $250). * Purchase a t-shirt and other Sound Hounds logo items for people and dogs through CafePress online store ($20+ and up). * Display a bumper sticker - look for them at Fluffy & Floyd's, K9 Clubhouse (W Olympia), Tumwater Vet ($1suggested donation). >> If you haven't received our email before, use this
provide your contact information. When we have email service we'll restart email communication . We won't share your information and you South Puget Sound's first off-leash dog areas:
South Sound's dog parks are fully fenced and feature small- and large-dog areas, signage, rules, water fountains for people and dogs, pathways, information kiosks, seating, double-gate entry systems, service gates, dog-friendly landscaping, and more. The dog parks are wheelchair (ADA) accessible at least to the entry gates. Olympia's small dog area is fully accessible.  Know how to have a safe and fun visit at the dog park. 1) Read and follow the rules for each dog park. Rules vary from dog park to dog park, depending on their needs. Rules are posted near the entrance. 2) View this Etiquette Video. 3) Review the references in the Links page of this website. 4) Use a guide such as the book Visiting the Dog Park by Cheryl S Smith, Dogwise Publishing. >> Borrow the book from the library or buy the book from our sponsor Orca Books ($12 plus tax). You can also buy the book for $10 directly from us at one of our "booth events".
Olympia
Sunrise Park Off-Leash Dog Area opened on October 15, 2010. This one-acre off-leash dog area (dog park) is located at Sunrise Park and the address is 505 Bing St NW, Olympia, WA 98502. Sunrise Park features ADA-accessible parking, pathways, and a restroom.
THE LATEST, GREATEST. See above on dog park trouble. Sound Hounds is currently not allowed to help at the dog park, but we're working with Olympia on a volunteer agreement that we hope will soon allow us access to the dog park to improve stewardship and address neighbor concerns, etc. ~~ Dog park hours are posted on the kiosk: Summer/Summer hours (March 16-Sep 15) are 7 am to 8 pm. Fall/Winter hours (Sep 16-March 15) 7 am to 5 pm. ~~ Sand is working well on the bare spots. ~~ The dog park rules prohibit unsupervised kids < age 12. Their size and actions due to poor judgement can provoke attacks on humans and dogs. If they are present, kindly ask them to leave. If they don't, report it to the city or Animal Services for follow-up. The rules also prohibit "unfriendly dogs." They can provoke attacks on humans and dogs. If they are present, kindly ask them to leave. If they don't, follow them to their car, take a photo of them, note their car licence number, and report it to the city, Animal Services, or 911 for follow-up. These occurrences are relatively rare, but they do occur. When using the dog park, always scan before you enter and don't proceed if it looks hazardous for your dog. ~~ The dog park is quite well used (overused?) with roughly 50 dog park users on one sunny summer weekend.
 Tell us about your Olympia dog park visits with this informal Feedback Survey. We will use your feedback to work with the city on improvements.
Next dog park is deferred due to budget cuts. In 2012 Olympia planned to open a smaller second off-leash dog area at Friendly Grove Park on a site (<1 acre) behind the tennis court. When the dog park was deferred, the city said they will work with Sound Hounds on dog park development standards for a more basic low-cost design/approach involving volunteers and donations.
Larger dog park is deferred due to budget cuts. In 2012 Olympia planned to develop a phased plan for this park, one that might have included a 5-acre dog park. Olympia has a grant to develop Chambers Lake Park. The high cost of roadside frontage improvements and the wetness of the soil are the main concerns about using this site as a dog park.
Thurston County
The Off-Leash Dog Area at Hawks Prairie opened on October 29, 2010. This five-acre dog park is located at the closed Hawks Prairie landfill, now called the Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center. The address is 2418 Hogum Bay Rd NE, Lacey, WA 98516. Note for GPS users: Search for the location using 2420 Hogum Bay Rd NE. The dog park features convenient parking next to the dog park, including ADA-accessible parking spots, an ADA-accessible port-a-potty, and a shed for dog park maintenance and special projects.
THE LATEST, GREATEST. The dog park has lots of constant use. We counted almost 30 cars in the new parking lot on a recent sunny weekend afternoon. The county said the new parking lot has even been full occasionally with overflow parking areas used. ~~ To prevent a muddy dog park in the rainy season, the county is amending the soil with sand and working on the drainage. Please try to keep your dog out of the roped off areas. ~~ Sound Hounds is not allowed to help at the dog park, but we are working with the county to resolve this problem.
Tell us about your Hawks Prairie dog park visits with this informal Feedback Survey. We will use your feedback to work with the county on improvements. The rules are posted throughout the dog park.
 Closed Loop Park. Next to the dog park, Closed Loop Park is a beautiful garden developed by WSU Cooperative Extension's Thurston County Master Gardeners and Master Composters programs. Their sedum collection was featured in the September 2010 issue of the Martha Stewart Living magazine. Dogs aren't allowed in the garden, but people are encouraged to visit the garden without their dog and help with gardening activities.
Lacey
Potential dog parks sites include Brooks Park and McAllister Park, but we need volunteers to raise awareness and help Council/Park Board identify dog parks as a priority project. Action Alert: If you are a Lacey resident, contact City Council, tell them a variety of dog parks are needed in Lacey and ask them to make low-cost dog parks a top priority, working with Sound Hounds on dog park development. Email info@soundhounds.org if you're interested in working with us on Lacey dog parks.
Tumwater Sound Hounds and Tumwater are actively working together on a dog park. The 2008 Tumwater Parks Plan includes dog parks as a need. One potential dog park site is 423 Capital Blvd, five acres on a ten-acre park site, located under the BPA power lines across from Eagan's restaurant. Once there is a designated site, rough cost estimate, and volunteer agreement in place, Sound Hounds can begin to raise funds and solicit donated material and labor to help construct the dog park. Action Alert: Email info@soundhounds.org if you're interested in working with us on Tumwater dog parks. Regional Dog parks are identified in the annual meetings of Park Boards within Thurston County as a need for regional collaborative development. Sound Hounds has worked with the Port of Olympia and the Washington State Parks on dog park development. In 2005 the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) was changed to allow dogs off leash in state parks' designated areas. After associated policies and procedures in place and a site is designated (for example, a large site at undeveloped Lake Isabella State Park, located south of Shelton) in several years we could open the state's first dog park. Our approach: Each jurisdiction should have a network of public off-leash dog areas (dog parks) for their residents and visitors. Over half of the general population own dogs and prefer to recreate and travel with their canine family members. People need dog parks as legal, healthy "leash-free" recreation options, places to be active with their dogs. Off-leash dog areas are typically THE most used park amenity in any park system.
Private
Private dog parks are secured with special access requirements. Joint Base Lewis McChord opened a private dog park for military personnel in 2009. Panorama City opened a private dog park in 2009. Carlyon Beach Homeowners Association opened a private dog park in July 2011 after years of diligent work - check out the photos :-) Indian Summer residents are exploring a private dog park. Let us know of other private dog parks in the region. We are happy to provide limited consultation, support, and technical assistance. Advocacy
Take action at the local level. Contact your elected leaders in the jurisdictions where you live, work, shop, and vote:
1) Thank and recognize Olympia and Thurston County leaders for the first off-leash dog areas (dog parks) in the region.
2) Encourage Lacey and Tumwater leaders to build their first dog parks.
3) Encourage jurisdictions to work with Sound Hounds to designate dog park sites early in development, then raise funds to develop them.
4) Attend a public meeting, alone or with one or more friends, and give a short public comment with the same message.
Take action at the neighborhood level.
1) Talk with your neighbors about dog parks and their benefits.
2) Attend a Homeowner or Neighborhood Association meeting and discuss dog parks.
3) Invite Sound Hounds to a meeting to learn more about dog parks.
4) Conduct a neighborhood park assessment to identify any potential dog park sites in underutilized sections of the park, working with Sound Hounds and your city and/or county.
and...
5) Send us news and information, links, photos, videos, etc and we'll post it on this website :-)
 Plastic Poo Bags
Donate used small plastic bags - newspaper bags, produce bags, not shopping bags - in clean condition to restock the bag stations located in most Olympia parks. Bring your "bag o' bags" to Animal Services (on Martin Way) or to the Olympia Parks Maintenance Facility (in Priest Point Park behind the rose garden) for redistribution. Better yet, take your bags on your next walk to a park or visit to one of South Sound's off-leash dog areas and restock the bag stations yourself. What else? Questions about Sound Hounds are welcome! If you are able to partner with us or contribute to our efforts to create a network of successful dog parks in South Puget Sound, please contact Lynn Scroggins (contact info at upper left).
Everyone is welcome at Sound Hounds meetings. Meetings are held at Cutters Point Coffee, 6:30-8:30 pm, 5831 Lacey Blvd SE, Suite A, Lacey, WA 98503, 360-456-2974, directions. Typical agenda addresses the focus areas of organization: outreach, dog park development, volunteers, and fundraising. Look for meeting summaries in the activity log.
Core Group members: Access to internal documents. | What's needed?
Volunteers
We need a range of help with outreach activities and events such as booths, presentations, fun activities, promotion... with park development such as park assessments, contacts with staff and elected officials, design work... with fundraising events and activities... with volunteer and member assistance with contacts, recruitment, and retention, and ... with technical assistance such as communications and systems maintenance and development. We have a Board vacancy and several other positions to fill with active dog park user volunteers. Email info@soundhounds.org if you are interested in volunteering. To be added to our email list, please click on this Volunteer Form to submit your contact information and volunteer preferences. All information is kept within our group as confidential. Photo Gallery
Click here for other Sound Hounds photo albums. Send us your photos and we'll post them in an album.
Donations Sound Hounds is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations cover organization and outreach expenses, and are invested in capital accounts for future dog parks and dog park improvements.
We gladly accept tax-deductible donations online through our fiscal agent, the PARC Foundation. Or you can download our Donation Form and mail your donation (cash or check payable to PARC Foundation - Sound Hounds) to 2414 Buker St SE, Olympia, WA 98501.
 Donate $25 or greater and you'll receive an bumper sticker and lapel pin with the above design.
Founding Membership Levels
1 Paw ($25 - $99) you'll receive a bumper sticker and lapel pin
2 Paws ($100 - $499) + Visiting the Dog Park book
3 Paws ($500 - $999) + more!
4 Paws ($1,000 - $4,999) + more!!
The Whole Dog ($5,000 and over) + more bow-WOW!!!
 Please support our sponsors!
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