Our View: Dog park has one wrinkle

A dog park in Green River is a wonderful idea.

It’s something many visitors seek out as they stop in Green River, on their way to another destination. It’s also the kind of place that will impact other parks in the city, as dog owners will have a specific place to take their furry friends. We’re also proud of Green River High School’s National Honor Society for taking up the cause and raising money to help bring the park to fruition.

However, despite all that, there is one glaring issue that hasn’t been discussed: what to do with the dogs’ doo. There are responsible pet owners out there who will clean up after their pets.

These are the sort of people who are most likely excited about the dog park and those that will do their part to make sure it remains a sanitary place.

However, the fact of the matter is there are also irresponsible pet owners who simply let things lie where they fall. These pet owners will certainly visit the park as well and this is where the problem is, without regular cleaning by volunteers or parks department employees, the park will eventually become a wasteland of dog piles.

Anyone who has visited the dog park in Rock Springs has firsthand experience with how messy an unkept dog park can be.

Creating a dog park means additional maintenance for parks employees. Currently consisting of 28 parks, there is a lot of land for a limited number of people to cover. This would result in employees having a difficult time regularly cleaning the park, should the task fall on their shoulders.

A one solution is readily apparent. One would involve the city’s work restitution group making regular rounds to the dog park would be one way of mitigating the poopy problem. It would also be a means of doing the job without needing to pay anyone, except for the officer supervising the group.

A second option would be to find a way to fine pet owners who don’t clean up after their fur babies, as leaving a dog dropping is similar to littering. That, of course, would require more investment than the problem is worth.

We’re happy to see the traction a proposed dog park is receiving and think it would bring benefits to the city. Residents would have a place to play with their pets and visitors would have another reason to stop off in Green River during their travels. A dog park is a needed facility and will only enhance the recreation opportunities the city already offers.