Doggit - Bend, OR

05/03/2023

Just another reminder to keep your dogs leashed when not in designated off-leash areas! And while we appreciate that Bend Park & Recreation District continues to push this message to our community, we have yet to see a difference… every day, in every park and neighborhood, we literally always see off-leashers (it is almost more surprising when we see people who actually use a leash, sadly). It would be great if the city would actively cite people for this, as messaging alone does not seem to be enough.

04/09/2023

With NINE big, amazing, fun and safe designated off-leash parks in Bend, there is ZERO excuse for letting your dog off-leash in non-designated spaces.

09/29/2022

THANK YOU Bend Park & Recreation District! Hopefully this will be an ongoing thing, because the problem has gotten so out of hand across the city, in every park & neighborhood, that it needs serious enforcement!

The BPRD Park Stewards love seeing your dogs on leash, especially when it's one they know! This week, keep an eye out for the stewards in parks near you as they conduct enhanced patrols for off-leash dogs.

If you love your dog, leash your dog. Here’s why:
-- It’s the law with a $275+ fine for breaking it - a Class B civil infraction. Park stewards may issue a 30-day exclusion from parks and trails. Repeat offenders can be excluded even longer.
-- Respect for others. Some people and dogs fear loose dogs and are scared to be approached or jumped on by a dog. Also, off-leash dogs’ poo is often missed and not picked up.
-- The liability is on you. It’s your dog and you’re liable for your dog’s behavior. If any issues, you could be held responsible for criminal charges and civil lawsuits.
-- BPRD has nine off-leash dog parks for you and your dog where it's okay to run loose.
So, for your next park outing with your pup, leash up. Learn more about enjoying Bend's parks and trails with your dog at: https://www.bendparksandrec.org/parks-trails/dogs-in-parks/
Thank you for your cooperation!

09/26/2022

The new Alpenglow Park in Bend, which boasts one of the largest, coolest off-leash dog parks we’ve ever seen. And yet, every time we go there we see peoole like this: Using the non-dog-park grassy area as their own personal dog park, literally RIGHT IN FRONT of the off-leash dog area (AND right next to the big sign saying to leash your dog!).

Apparently it wasn’t enough that the city built a ginormous off-leash dog park, complete with separate fenced areas for big and small dogs, agility equipment, and tons of space. Nope, they want to claim the entire park for them and their dog.

Can the city please enforce the leash laws? Imagine the money they could bring in for other important issues if they actually handed out tickets!
City of Bend City of Bend Police Department Bend Park & Recreation District

03/13/2022

“Bend has a City-wide leash law with a $250+ fine for leash violations”.

Now if only they would enforce that law. The city could make a mint and the rest of us could safely enjoy the public spaces for which we pay taxes!

City of Bend Police Department Bend Park & Recreation District

12/09/2021

Amen. Wise words from a fantastic dog trainer here in Bend.

City of Bend Police Department please start enforcing our leash laws! Signs aren’t stopping people, they need to be ticketed.

Max is here to talk about leash laws. 🤓

There are many good reasons to have your dog on a leash in on-leash areas of Bend, such as Pine Nursery Park and Discovery Park. Both of these parks have wonderful fenced, off-leash areas for those folks who would rather forego the leash, and we are blessed in Central Oregon to have many other wonderful and safe off-leash opportunities as well.

But public parks are on-leash only, and these signs are here to reiterate that in case you forget. 💁‍♀️

So, why should you leash your dog?

🦮 They might run up to a dog who is fearful of other dogs and could react defensively. They (and their humans) deserve to have their space respected and know that your dog is safely contained on a leash, regardless of their recall ability and how hard you’ve worked on it.

🦮 The other people at the park might be afraid of dogs approaching them. Even if your dog is friendly, you don’t know that person and what they’ve been through - you can’t just assume that they are okay with your dog running up to them. People deserve to feel safe in public spaces - seeing dogs contained by a physical leash can help.

🦮 Even if the dog your dog approaches is friendly, the other dog could be in training - and you could be interfering with that progress, setting that dog back by weeks (or even months) of hard work.

🦮 Other dogs may have contagious illnesses which your dog can catch should they come into contact.

🦮 Dogs who are off leash often unknowingly 💩 when they’re human is not carefully watching them. I then get the lovely opportunity to step in it when I’m working with clients. 🤮

🦮 Something unexpected (like a loud sound from neighboring construction sites) could spook your dog and cause them to go running into traffic and get hit by a car or go missing.

Tell me - what other reasons do you keep your dog on a leash in on-leash areas?

12/06/2021

Maybe Bend Parks & Rec should put signs like this up everywhere! Sadly though, I think we know they would fall on deaf ears. City of Bend Police Department just needs to start issuing citations. Nothing else will get through to the offenders. And as a bonus, can you imagine how much money they could bring in for the city?!

12/02/2021

And a couple more responses from our survey. Just two of hundreds, all sharing bad experiences with off-leash dogs. All right here in Bend. City of Bend Police Department: This is a problem in our community. Please start issuing citations to people not abiding by the leash law!

11/16/2021

Yet another example of why leash laws should be followed. It may be hard for us dog lovers to understand, but not everyone is comfortable with dogs, and some are downright afraid of them. This is one of the many responses from our survey, from a Bend resident:

“I walk and hike with three kids. One is pretty afraid of dogs, no real reason, just scared. It's not fair to her to have dogs come close to her when the owners are quite a distance away and can't pull the dog away. It's not my job to hold your dog so she doesn't panic and fall off the trails”.
City of Bend Police Department Bend Park & Recreation District

11/12/2021

More responses from our survey...

Who can relate? How many of you all have had this same experience with “friendly” dogs here in Bend?

Newsflash to the off-leashers: Your dog rushing up to a leashed dog is not “friendly”. It’s rude, and potentially dangerous.

Attn: City of Bend Police Department

11/10/2021

Just some of the MANY comments we received from Bend residents in favor of leash laws, and why they are necessary. Whether or not you agree, at the end of the day IT’S THE LAW. And frankly, it’s just plain rude and irresponsible to let your dog go about unleashed.

Hey, City of Bend Police Department and Bend Park & Recreation District You could rake in thousands of dollars for our city each year if you enforced the leash laws! Our community wants this, please consider this feedback we’ve received. And if you’d like the full results of our survey, message us and we’ll send you the complete data. Bend Park & Recreation District

11/09/2021

Hello Bend Doggit Friends! We realize it's been a minute, but we are excited to finally share the results of our Off-Leash Dog Survey! We had great feedback from all of you and it is clear that the overwhelming majority of respondents feel that off-leash dogs are a big issue in our Bend community. Sadly, far too many respondents shared that they no longer walk their own dogs in certain areas, or are afraid to run or jog as a result of prior encounters with loose dogs. So the rule breakers are infringing upon the rule followers, law-abiding tax payers can't enjoy their own city parks because of those who feel the leash law doesn't apply to them. The following photos are some of the overall survey results, and over the next few days we will be sharing some of the many additional comments, experiences and highlights that participants shared.

We had big ideas about this endeavor when we first launched Doggit, but due to unexpected life circumstances we unfortunately do not have the time or money needed to pursue it right now. However, we are hopeful that in sharing the survey results, which we believe illustrate what a glaring problem off-leash dogs are within our community, that perhaps the appropriate agencies will step up and enforce the laws, so that we may all enjoy and feel safe within our public spaces: Bend Park & Recreation District City of Bend Police Department City of Bend, Oregon Government
And to any of these agencies who would like the full results of the survey, we woud be happy to send you the complete files. Please message us here to request them. Bend Park & Recreation District

09/15/2021

Grab your Kleenex! One of the potential risks of not leashing your dog is that they can run off and be missing quicker than you might imagine. Now this was not the case in Goober’s situation (he slipped his leash during a seizure), but this emotional video is an excellent example of how to catch a dog that’s been missing! Thank you Missing Pet Recovery Services for sharing this!

09/14/2021

Top Ten Reasons to Leash Up!
From Bend Parks & Rec

1. It’s the law in Bend and first-time citations are $275.

2. Off-leash dogs can easily get in another user’s way on a trail and cause an accident or injuries.

3. Off-leash dogs scare and/or chase off wildlife causing wild animals to avoid parks and natural spaces.

4. For people who are afraid or uncomfortable around dogs, an encounter with an off-leash dog can be downright terrifying.

5. Off-leash dogs can instigate aggression problems or fights with leashed dogs. Each year, BPRD receives numerous reports of problem encounters, several resulting in dog bites or injuries.

6. If your off-leash dog causes a serious issue, you could be held liable and that could equal criminal charges, lawsuits or even loss of your pet.

7. Off-leash dogs can run off and get lost.

8. When off-leash, dogs can quickly eat something that could be bad for them.

9. BPRD offers eight off-leash areas for dogs to run and play freely.

10. You love your dog and want to keep him or her safe.

https://www.bendparksandrec.org/parks-trails/dogs-in-parks/ -leash-areas-reasons-to-leash-up

08/25/2021

Thank you so much to everyone who has taken our survey regarding off-leash dogs in Bend. We have received lots of great responses and are eager to share results with you all! We would like to keep the survey up and running for another couple of weeks to get as much feedback from the community as possible. So we thank you for your patience as we let the survey circulate a bit more before sharing results. In the meantime, please consider sharing it if you haven't already. We would also
love to hear from any local animal organizations and shelters who may have unique insight on the issue. If you are an employee, volunteer, etc, for Humane Society of Central Oregon, Think Wild Central Oregon, Brightside Animal Center, Pet Evacuation Team -Pet, or any similar local organization, please consider taking our survey, or just share your thoughts in the comments below.

https://s.surveyplanet.com/MN_guOyuR

**Please only one response per person, to maintain the integrity of the results. Non-Bend residents who live in Deschutes County or other nearby locations and work in or spend multiple days per week in Bend are also welcome to take the survey.

Hello Fellow Bendites! One of the many great perks of living in Bend is that it truly is a dog friendly town. However, despite that, there is increasing debate around the topic of off-leash dogs in town. We are a grassroots effort with the goal of maintaining the dog-friendly vibe in Bend while resp...

07/29/2021

Great job with the survey, Bend!! We are still getting lots of helpful feedback and would like to keep it going and hear from as many Bendites as possible, so please share if you haven’t already. We will share the results at the end of the campaign. In the meantime, we would love to also hear from any local animal organizations and shelters who may have unique insight on the issue. We do know that wildlife may be at risk of displacement or injury due to domestic pets chasing or harassing them. And we know that animals are brought in to the shelter for a variety of reasons, and we imagine some are the result of being off-leash and getting away from their owners somehow. If you are an employee, volunteer, etc, for Humane Society of Central Oregon, Think Wild Central Oregon, Brightside Animal Center, Pet Evacuation Team -Pet, or any similar local organization, please consider taking our survey, or just share your thoughts. https://s.surveyplanet.com/MN_guOyuR

**Please only one response per person, to maintain the integrity of the results. Non-Bend residents who live in Deschutes County or other nearby locations and work in or spend multiple days per week in Bend are also welcome to take the survey.

Hello Fellow Bendites! One of the many great perks of living in Bend is that it truly is a dog friendly town. However, despite that, there is increasing debate around the topic of off-leash dogs in town. We are a grassroots effort with the goal of maintaining the dog-friendly vibe in Bend while resp...

07/14/2021

We are getting some really great feedback on our survey (from both sides of the aisle). Let's keep it going! We'd like to hear from as many community members as possible, so we will keep the survey live and running for the next few weeks. Please share with your fellow Bendites! And thank you to all who have participated thus far, we appreciate all of the responses!

**Please only one response per person, to maintain the integrity of the results. Non-Bend residents who live in Deschutes County or other nearby locations and work in or spend multiple days per week in Bend are also welcome to take the survey.

Hello Fellow Bendites! One of the many great perks of living in Bend is that it truly is a dog friendly town. However, despite that, there is increasing debate around the topic of off-leash dogs in town. We are a grassroots effort with the goal of maintaining the dog-friendly vibe in Bend while resp...

07/12/2021

Attention Bend!! OFF-LEASH DOGS AROUND TOWN... How do you feel about it? We want to hear from you! Please take our survey and help us understand the depth of the issue from fellow Bendites. Do you think it’s a problem? Is enforcement, or lack thereof, the issue? Are there certain areas in town where the problem is worse? Or, do you think we’re overreacting and well-trained dogs don’t need to be leashed at all times? Your answers to our survey will help us as we work to develop a program around the issue. We hope to also involve Bend Police and Parks & Rec in our efforts, and will use this survey to relay the voices of our community to them. We will keep the survey up and running over the next several weeks, in order to attain as much feedback as possible from the community. So please share and help us get the word out!!

https://s.surveyplanet.com/MN_guOyuR

**Please only one response per person, to maintain the integrity of the results. Non-Bend residents who live in Deschutes County or other nearby locations and work in or spend multiple days per week in Bend are also welcome to take the survey.

Hello Fellow Bendites! One of the many great perks of living in Bend is that it truly is a dog friendly town. However, despite that, there is increasing debate around the topic of off-leash dogs in town. We are a grassroots effort with the goal of maintaining the dog-friendly vibe in Bend while resp...

07/11/2021

Sometimes we wonder if people don’t like using a leash on their dogs because the dog is just too difficult to manage on leash, and maybe they just find it easier to forgo the leash? If anyone out there is struggling with leash walking your dog, this is a great tip from a local Bend trainer. What a simple and fun method to work on with your dog!

07/05/2021

Katie Albright does amazing work finding lost dogs and cats here in Central Oregon, and she has excellent tips for searching for lost pets. Please save this post as a resource, it’s a great source to share when you see a Lost Pet posting.

*You may wonder ‘what does this have to do with Doggit and leash laws in Bend?’ Well, A LOT! Even the most well trained dog with a solid recall can be distracted by a squirrel and be off and running out of sight before you know it. Especially on a holiday like today with extra noises that dogs can be so easily spooked by. Because at the end of the day, they are animals, which is one more reason we advocate the importance of leashing up!

07/02/2021

Happy Independence Day weekend, everyone!! 🇺🇸Remember the City of Bend has prohibited fireworks (even legal ones) due to our extreme fire risk. And for that, I think all of our dogs are thankful this year!! 🐶🎉🇺🇸🐶🎉🇺🇸. Enjoy the weekend with your family and friends (two and four-legged)! And please stay tuned for the off-leash dog survey we will be sharing next week!

06/30/2021

BEND! Are you familiar with all of the off-leash dog parks we have in town? There are EIGHT parks throughout the city, that’s one of the highest numbers of dog parks in the country (per 100,000 residents)!!

With so many parks for dogs to play off-leash, we wonder why we still see so many posts and complaints about dogs being off-leash in non-designated off-leash spots in Bend. What are your thoughts? Is it an issue of not enough designated off-leash areas; would more dog parks curb the problem? Or is it something else? It’s a heated topic, and we’d like to understand both sides (whether you agree or disagree with dogs off-leash).

Dogs In Parks & On Trails: Dogs are a part of many Bendites' lives and involved with their owners in many recreational adventures. In Bend, there's so much to do with your four-legged friend including: Walk and run on the trails and paths Swim in the Deschutes River Play

06/30/2021

Hello Bend! Welcome to Doggit, a new community group created to foster the conversation around Dogs, Leashes, and Laws in our beautiful city here in Central Oregon. If you love Bend and you love dogs, then please join us here! We want to hear from fellow Bendites about your experiences and opinions regarding leash laws, off-leash dogs, and more!

We are a grassroots effort with the goal of maintaining the dog-friendly vibe in Bend while respecting the laws and keeping the peace among fellow residents. You can help us achieve that goal by answering the questions in our forthcoming survey, and helping us gain insight into the general consensus of Bendites surrounding dogs and leash laws. So stick around and stay tuned for our survey, coming in the next few days!