1 /5 Lily Godfrey: I had high hopes for Lionel Watts Dog Park after hearing great things, but unfortunately, my experience has been disappointing—mainly due to the attitude of some of the other dog owners. While the park itself is a great space for dogs to run and play, the unwelcoming atmosphere created by certain individuals has made visits less enjoyable.
A man rudely approached me about picking up after my dog, assuming I had purposely ignored it when I simply hadn’t seen her go. I always clean up after my dog, so his tone was completely unnecessary. Another time, a woman told me I had to refill the water bowl after my dog drank because “the oldies get annoyed.” While my dog did have a big drink, the bowl was far from empty. Ironically, when we left today, the bowl was almost completely dry—yet no one seemed concerned then. Ive been to plenty of other dog parks where this was never an issue, and it just felt like unnecessary nitpicking.
It’s frustrating when a community space meant for enjoyment becomes stressful because of a few overly rigid and unkind individuals. If you’re looking for a more welcoming dog park, I’d suggest exploring other options first.