Bryan County Bark Park

04/09/2025

❤️🐾

01/13/2025

Thank you for helping homeless animals in the local shelter! ❤🐾
GA - Bryan County Animal Services
This fundraiser is a Win Win! 🏈❤🐾
Enjoy the best Boston butts in town and help homeless shelter animals!
The perfectly smoked Boston butts will be prepared by Chef Gabe Flaherty just in time for Super Bowl weekend. Gabe developed his skills after years of experience assisting the legendary men's group of St. Elizabeth's with their annual Boston butt sale.
Presale only through Feb. 4
$35 each
Pick-up on February 8
South Bryan: 10 a.m.- 11 a.m. at Bryan County Bark Park inside Henderson Park
North Bryan: 12 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Hendrix Park

Click to order:
https://forms.gle/GtBdSWaRcwu98R369
Form links to PayPal
Venmo & CashApp also accepted:
https://linktr.ee/bryananimalleague

11/22/2024

Fun for the whole family 👩‍👩‍👧‍👧🐾 to support homless animals in the local shelter at Flashback “A Rock and Roll Bar with a Sports Attitude” right after the 28th Annual Richmond Hill Christmas Parade!

GA - Bryan County Animal Services will have adoptable dogs!

Please share and join us!

Thank you for supporting Bryan Animal League ❤🐾

11/13/2024

Wendy Bolton was recognized as a “Friend of the City” by Mayor Russ Carpenter and the Richmond Hill City Council meeting last night (November 12).

Before presenting the award, Mayor Carpenter spoke for a few moments, telling the audience of how Wendy’s vision ten years ago, led to the opening of a large dog park inside Henderson Park where dogs can run and play off-leash.

“Twelve years ago on a Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Wendy Bolton, her husband Mark, young Nicholas, and Bailey, their Golden Retriever, were enjoying a short hike just off Main Street in the quaint mountain town of Highlands, NC. The trail led them to a local dog park within the city. The fenced-in area had a section for small dogs and large dogs and a pavilion with picnic tables and benches. There was a fire hydrant and an agility course there for the pups to enjoy. She returned every day during her short vacation stay for Bailey to romp and play.

Wendy took lots of pictures of the facility and mused that Richmond Hill should have its own Bark Park. When she returned home, she promptly went to work. She got help to create a 501c3 charity and put together a small team of spirited volunteers, and the Bryan Bark Park Association was founded with the mission of raising funds and finding a site to construct a dog park in Richmond Hill.

First was the not-so-easy task of selecting a site and securing the land. Then, raising enough money to clear it, bringing in 90 loads of fill dirt, installing fencing, digging a splash pond with a fountain, installing outdoor lighting, and building a doggie wash-down area to create a facility usable for big and small dogs alike. 10 years ago last week, the ribbon was cut.

The Bark Park is located inside Henderson Park at the end of a 900’ handicap accessible walkway behind the baseball fields. The Bark Park has its own telephone number (it rings on Wendy’s cellphone), and she was totally unprepared for the volume of calls she would receive from people looking for the “last mile” directions to the Park. At first, thinking callers were local, Wendy soon discovered most callers were from out of state and were spending the night in the I-95 Richmond Hill motels.

Dog parks have far-reaching benefits beyond the well-being and exercise of our best friends. Wendy has often cited the advantages that renters and apartment dwellers gain and the trickle-down effect of having fewer shelter pets because of the ability of those without yards to contemplate adopting. Before the Bark Park, some pet owners had resorted to using the fenced-in baseball fields for exercise. So, perhaps in a small way, the Bark Park is protecting the sanctity of the sports fields!

If you’ve been a visitor, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that dog owners are a social bunch — so the park encourages interaction with our neighbors.

Initially, it was a challenge to convince the County Commissioners to offer their space in Henderson Park. But with that overcome, the Bark Park now stands as a shining example of a successful public-private partnership.

We owe Wendy a debt of gratitude for her tireless efforts to raise the nearly $70,000 invested in the Bark Park infrastructure. She and her volunteers organized many Yappy Hour” events at Fish Tales to raise money and forge ahead.

“It is for all of these reasons,” said Mayor Carpenter, “We are proud to recognize Wendy, a 40-plus-year resident of Richmond Hill and Bryan County, and to welcome her officially as a Friend of the City.”

11/12/2024

Thanks to all of our friends who came to Howl-O-Week at FishTales. Here are your pictures. Thanks to Samantha Byrd Photography for her excellent work.

11/07/2024

Bring your pup and come join us for some 10th-anniversary fun at the Bark Park this afternoon.

11/04/2024

Celebrating 10 years of Tail Wagging Fun. This is where it all began on November 5, 2014.

10/14/2024

Here are a few pictures from our Howl-O-Ween dog costume contest last year at Fish Tales at Ft. McAllister Marina. Be sure to be there again this Thursday evening (October 17) from 6-8 p.m.

10/14/2024

It's Howl-O-Ween time again at Fish Tales.

10/02/2024

JB, a loyal BP user, has temporarily patched the fence in the large dog area. The fence in the small dog area is still unsecured.

NOTICE TO BARK PARK USERS: there are downed trees in the Bark Park some of which have damaged the fencing. Be aware that the fence may not be 100% secure at present. The Park Superintendent is aware of the problem but since maintenance now falls under the county Public Works department, I'm sure we're way down on their list as they deal with storm damage and cleanup.

10/01/2024

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1030521215697?aff=oddtdtcreator

Dirty Paws For The Cause!

09/27/2024

The legacy of Sampson Mock grows…..

Friends of the Bryan Bark Park, Bob & Charlotte Mock, were recently honored by the Humane Society of Greater Savannah. The Mock’s donation enabled a significant rehab to the outdoor area where adoptable dogs and their prospective owners interact. The Humane Society reported a significant increase in the number of adopted dogs in the two months since the project was completed.

We remain grateful to the Mock’s for their generous gift that enabled the addition of our pavilion and wash stations, also named in honor of their beloved dog Sampson.

09/20/2024

Stephanie Gendron from Richmond Hill writes, “We had a little dog party there on Wednesday and I wanted to share the pics with everyone.” Thanks for sharing, Stephanie. We see a lot of happy pups romping in the park. We hope you will return often.