The Arlington County Parks Department is considering banning small children from its dog parks. Children under the age of 8 would no longer be allowed in any of Arlington’s eight dog parks under the proposal. Children between 8 to 14 would have to be supervised by an adult at all times.
The rule change, said Keith Fred, who helps sponsor the Shirlington Dog Park, is needed to protect the children, though there have been no reports of a child being hurt in any of the parks.
“We don’t want to wait until a child is seriously injured to do this,” said Fred. Some dogs weigh more than small children and have knocked them over because no one can react quickly enough to prevent an incident, he said.
“Even though a parent might think a child is fine with dogs in their own home, they have no idea if other dogs in the park might not be used to children,” Fred said. “To err on the side of safety, it’d probably be best to have the restrictions in place.”
Some parents and dog owners rejected the proposal as unnecessary.
Kim Haughton, who owns a dog day care center adjacent to the Shirlington Dog Park, said personal accountability should be enough to prevent a serious incident.
“It’s a little bit restrictive,” Haughton said, noting the rule would prevent parents from bringing strollers into the park while walking their dog. “Anywhere you go you’re responsible for you own children. It’s up to the parents and the dog owners.”
Officials are trying to balance the need to maintain the dog parks as a community gathering place while also addressing the safety needs dog park sponsors are requesting, said Caroline Temmermend, chief of Arlington’s parks and natural resources division.
Dog parks in Alexandria require supervision for children 16 and under. In Fairfax County, children younger than 8 are banned from dog areas, and children between 9 and 15 must be supervised.
There is no deadline for the parks department to decide on the new rule, but before it’s official, there will be a chance for the public to comment, Temmermend said.
