Dogs get a place to roam at Echo Park
By ROBERT E. MISSECK
STAR-LEDGER STAFF

Zeke, a frisky brown pharaoh hound tried unsuccessfully to get Misty, a little West Highland white terrier, to frolic in a breezy sun-splashed section of Echo Lake Park in Mountainside.

But Misty was having none of it.

Although she and Zeke were free to roam unleashed, Misty was content to stick close to her owner while the larger hound gamboled about the grassy area on his own.

Until recently, such behavior would have violated Union County's dog leash law and cost the owners a $25 fine.

But now, the county has provided an enclosed area within Echo Lake Park where people to allow their pets to run freely.

The park is to be enjoyed just by dogs, according to posted rules, which note that "Dogs must be accompanied by a human at all times," and "No human can bring more than three dogs to the dog park."

"It is so much fun to watch the dogs interact with each other," said Misty's owner, Renate Gordon of Mountainside. "She has never been off a leash except in the back yard and in the house, so she doesn't know what she should do.

"I could never let her off a leash because she would run away But in here, she can run lose and I don't have to worry," Gordon said.

The new dog park is located on more than an acre of land in the Rolling Meadow Picnic Area of the county park The area is situated on a gentle, grassy slope, surrounded by a wooden fence and contains benches along with stations that dispense plastic bags so owners can clean up after heir dogs.

It cost the county $1,500 to set up the area, said freeholder Mary Ruotolo, who also happens to be a dog owner,

Ruotolo said she hopes the park "will be real asset for dog owners who want to let their Pets interact with other dogs and get some exercise."

"We want People and their Pets to enjoy the park but there will be rules posted to ensure the safety of the dogs, their owners and other people who use the park," Parks Director Charles Sigmund said.

There are 20 dog parks in the state and more than 600 nationwide, officials said Monmouth, Passaic and Somerset counties all have dog parks incorporated into their park systems, officials said.

According to the American Kennel Club, the parks allow dogs to exercise and socialize safely, promote responsible dog ownership, provide an outlet for dog owners to socialize and make for a better community by promoting public health and safety."

One of the most successful dog parks in the state, according to kennel club, opened in October 1999 in Thompson Park in Lincroft, Monmouth County. The park was built after local dog owners presented park officials with a 12,000-signature petition in support of the facility.

Robert E. Misseck works in the Union County bureau. He can be reached at rmisseck@starledger.com or (908) 322-0828

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Courtesy of: Star-Leader - November 9, 2001 issue