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BELLVILLE — Mary-Pat Savord had never taken her dogs to the Bellville Dog Park, but she believes her husky could sense what was going on as soon as they pulled into the parking lot.
“He was like, ‘I see dogs there and a fence and I know what that means,’” she said. “The minute we parked, he knew we were here for him.”
Savord and her husband live in Toledo with their two dogs, a husky named Tonks and an Australian Shepherd named Shrute. The couple stopped by the Bellville Dog Park: Finnigan’s Run on a windy Saturday afternoon while visiting family nearby.
“We we’re so excited when we saw that this was open and ready to go,” Savord said.
Finnigan’s Run opened last month and is located just north of Bellville, behind the B&O Bike Trail opposite the bike trail parking lot on State Route 97. The park was founded by friends of the late Lyle Beveridge, who loved going on runs with his dog Finnigan.
The park features two fenced-in sections — a 1.5 acre section for small dogs and a 3.5 acre section for large dogs. Both sections are equipped with cleanup stations, a doggie tunnel and a paved walking path.
Cindy Truex called the park her happy place. Truex said she’s taken her dogs to park four or five times since it opened.
“I’ve been out two times this week and then today,” she said. “It’s just so neat to be here because they’re so happy and the other dogs are so happy.”
Truex said the park is a perfect place for her French bulldog Piper and mini golden doodle Primrose to get some exercise and play with other dogs.
“These two get bored with each other, so having other dogs is good,” she said. “And I get to visit with other people, so that’s always nice.”
Owners said dogs are happier and easier to manage at home after a little exercise.
Finnigan’s Run is one of three public dog parks available in Richland County.
The Maize Memorial Dog Park opened in November 2015. It’s located inside Marshall Park at 3375 Milligan Road in Ontario. The park offers a 2.25 acre side for large or active dogs and a quarter acre side for small or less active dogs.
Like the Bellville park, it was named after a beloved golden retriever.
Shelby opened its first dog park in 2018. Located inside Rabold Park, it has two 75 by 150 foot fenced areas.
Rules vary slightly for each park in Richland County, but the following apply to all three parks:
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Dogs must be in good health to enter the park.
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Dogs that are in heat and puppies under 4 months old are not permitted. Aggressive dogs are not permitted.
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Owners must be in the park with their dogs at all times.
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No human food is allowed in the park.
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Dog waste must be cleaned up immediately and thrown away in the provided trash bins.
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Owners assume all responsibility for their dogs inside the park.
Demrie Alonzo said proper etiquette is key for making dog parks a welcoming environment for everyone.
“If you’re responsible with your own dog and leave a dog park if there’s an aggressive dog, then it works out,” said Alonzo, who helped found the Maize Memorial Dog Park.
“I’ve had great experiences at dog parks. Serious dog park goers get to know other people and they become a kind of community.”
