Taking your dog to the dog park is optional. You assume the risk by choosing to go there. For many HP dog owners, the value of the dog park goes beyond just letting your dog play and exercise - it’s also a social opportunity to connect with others in the neighborhood.

Yes, there are untrained dogs who go there. Yes, there are owners who aren’t vigilant and have dogs who don’t meet the criteria to go to a dog park. However, choosing to go to the dog park is exactly that… a choice.

FWIW, my family’s experience with a dog attack in HP occurred OUTSIDE the dog park with a dog ON LEASH. The owner couldn’t control their dog, dropped the leash, and the dog attacked. This did not occur inside the dog park.

A JC cop honked at me because I was stopped in front of the crosswalk at Hamilton Park right outside Chickies/Rumba Cubana - I was stopped because there was A PEDESTRIAN IN THE CROSSWALK. Yet the cop laid on his or her horn for a solid 4 seconds until they realized I was stopped at the crosswalk for a reason (you know, the thing you’re supposed to do as a safe driver). It was absolutely infuriating and I wanted to get out of the car and yell at the cop.