Volunteers Make This Dog Park Special
For more than seven years, supporters of the Brook Run Dog Park have turned out on a monthly schedule to ensure that the off-leash area is kept clean and safe for all visitors, both fur- and two-legged. Recently, however, those excellent volunteers really went above-and-beyond!Keeping the Park Clean is Not Enough
Storms and heavy rains in late June left numerous muddy areas throughout the park. Although many dogs loved it, their humans were not as thrilled. When dog park leaders asked for help in covering the muddy areas, the resulting turn-out was more than anyone expected. Individual volunteers and entire families showed up, some bringing their own wheelbarrows and shovels. In the miserable heat and humidity of a June evening, these devoted folks shoveled hundreds of pounds of gravel (purchased with donations, as are all our purchases for the dog park), pushed those heavy wheelbarrows all across the 3 1/2 acre off-leash area, and then spread the gravel thickly to cover dense mud spots.Cleanliness is Vital
Other volunteers walked throughout the park to pick up stray poop, as we do every month. The majority of dog park visitors are very good about picking up after their dogs, but it's impossible to be perfect in a park so large. The Brook Run Dog Park Association (BRDPA) provides gloves and bags, and volunteers take it from there. Picking up poop is a chore that is not conducted by employees of the Parks Dept., not in Dunwoody, nor in DeKalb Co., nor in any dog park I've ever heard of. Along with hundreds of dog park visitors, I can personally attest to the revolting conditions at many dog parks across the greater Atlanta area.Keeping the off-leash area clean is not just an aesthetic issue: when our furry friends step in stray poop, there are no positive results. They track that filth into their owners' cars, and when they later lick their paws, they ingest bacteria and parasites that can lead to illness. And in the summertime, poop draws flies and exacerbates the spread of germs and illness. Visitors to the dog park often remark that this is the cleanest dog park they've ever seen, and it's because this park is filled with so many appreciative, supportive folks!
