Animal Park Project

WASHINGTON, IND. (WTHI) -       A southern Indiana community is building a small park that will be going to the dogs.

     In Washington the Animal Control Department is working on a dog park that officials say should help make the animals more adoptable.

     The price on the project to the taxpayer  is also right.

     Every year 1,300 animals go through the Washington Animal Shelter.

     The small shelter lacks space for the dogs to exercise, so the Animal Control Department is looking to make some changes.

     "We have no good space for them to experience grass and playing and running," said Animal Control Office Manager Beth Trousdale.  "It's all asphalt out here so we decided to put in a dog park for use of the shelter."

     The shelter is converting a city parking lot next door into a dog park where volunteers can take the dogs to play.

     City crews and equipment are being used for the work, but the $3,000 cost of fencing and turning this place green is being covered by donations and fund raisers.

     "We have done shirt donations and we're also accepting other donations at this time as well," said Trousdale.

     Officials say the park is going to do a lot of good things for the shelter animals.

  The most important is to make them more adoptable.

     "We've had a lot of school groups that come out here and we never had a good place for them to take the animals and do that," said Trousdale, "and this gives them a place to take them and walk them and it makes them more adoptable that way when they can walk on a leash and are able to play with their new owners."

     The project has been hung up some by the wet weather but officials believe the new park can be ready for the dogs to run this spring.

     The project will also include gazebo and some other features.

     Anyone wishing to donate time or money should contact the Washington Animal Control office.