SPRING IS HERE! We want to thank you for your current and ongoing support, without you we could not do what we do and the community would not have these amazing parks. Please check out what’s new (and old) below.

April 18 to May 31 GIVEBIG24 FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
Washington's annual online giving campaign is back. Last year $14.5 million for more than 1,400 nonprofits statewide was raised. Help us spread the word by donating - click HERE. All funds go directly to the maintenance and upkeep of the parks our furry companions enjoy.

May 6 at 9am to noon
WALK/RUN for the Animals, Humane Society for SW Washington
Esther Short Park, 605 Esther St Vancouver, WA
We will have a booth in the vendor village so come by visit, donate and enjoy the morning with your pup. You must register to walk/run:
southwesthumane.org
$50 to walk/run, kids 12 & under & spectators are free.

As it always happens during this time of the year, our parks endure the bad weather resulting in numerous puddles resulting in erosion around gates and walking paths. We realize many of our 4 legged companions enjoy romping, splashing, playing chase in these wet areas, but not so much their human parents. Our park managers and volunteers do their best to mitigate these areas as best as they can, especially at entrance gates. This is an ongoing concern that I have again taken to the County and City for resources and materials, i.e. gravel, barkdust, and dirt. Delivery was requested prior to Park Improvement Day, so volunteers can help distribute it, wherever needed.

Have you ever felt a sharp poke in your sock or shoe and found something like what’s in the picture? For humans, the foxtail is an annoying pokey, but for your dog, it can be deadly.

Deadly? Pfft, surely I’m exaggerating, right?! No, I’m not. Because foxtails have nearly invisible barbs, they only move forward, burrowing into your sock and shoe, your dog’s foot, nose, ears, or anywhere its barbs can grab. Picture your dog playing at the park. He sniffs a plant and inhales a tiny seed head. Once it is in your dog’s nose, every inhaled breath will help the seed head move deeper into your dog’s respiratory system. And because of the barbs, the foxtail cannot back out – so a sneeze will not help. According to Wendy Fries and Amy Flowers, DVM, the barbed seed heads “can migrate from inside your dog’s nose to its brain. They can dig through skin or be inhaled into – and then perforate – a lung.” More likely, your dog will get the foxtail in his ears, between his toes, or in his fur. Again, because of the barbs, once it punctures the skin and starts to burrow in, you will most likely need a vet to completely remove it.

Like any weed, the foxtail is very hard to eradicate. There are three basic ways to get rid of it: chemicals, tilling the soil to push the seeds too far under the ground to germinate, or pull the plant out with the root before it drops its seeds. Clearly, the only option for the dog parks is the labor-intensive job of pulling the weeds.

Why doesn’t mowing work? Unless a bag is used to capture the awns (the prickly part with the seed heads), the mower will actually spew out the seeds, helping the plant spread the seeds around.

Fortunately, the foxtail’s roots tend to be shallow. After a rain, it’s fairly easy to pull the entire plant, roots and all. Just grab the plant as close to the ground as possible and wiggle it while pulling up gently. This is best done while the awn is still green. Oh, and wear gloves! IMPORTANT! Pulled weeds must NOT be placed in poop bin but disposed of separately.

Here are foxtail information resources:

Foxtail Grass: Awns of Destruction for Western Dogs - Whole Dog Journal (whole-dog-journal.com)

Foxtails: Why They're Dangerous for Dogs (webmd.com)

PARK IMPROVEMENT DAYS
To be held the 3^rd Saturday of the month – start time as noted.
May 20 Lucky at 10am
Jun 17 Kane at 9am
Aug 19 Ike at 9am
Sep 16 Lucky at 10am
Oct 21 Kane at 10am

We are asking you to join us to step up and volunteer...because...
DOGPAW Needs Your Help.

Sign In at the Volunteer Table - (Look for the green DOGPAW flags)
What's needed and What you may be doing:
Please bring gloves, pruning tools, shovel/rake, weed whacker, etc., as we may be doing pruning tree limbs, bushes & blackberry vines, pulling foxtails, poop pickup, and spreading landscape materials to fill holes or smooth walking paths.

Dress for the weather & bring something to keep hydrated.
Please let us know you are coming to help, or have questions to volunteer@dogpawoffleashparks.org

Yes, you can bring your pet(s), but they still need care taking, even though we're busy tidying up the park.

With the warmer weather water is being turned on at Parks that have outdoor water faucets. Always things going on and things to get done at all of our parks:

Dakota (Pacific) - 1515 NE 164th Ave, Vancouver, WA
We continue discussions with the county to potentially relocate the small dog park from west side to east side. This park is one of our largest and is the go to park for many dogs. A big thank you to Park Manager Rick and the Volunteer Management team (Dan, Laurie, and Bob), for their time and effort in keeping the park the best it can be.

Ike (Ross) - 5117 NE 15th Ave, Vancouver , WA
We continue to fundraise for the lower level fencing (phase 3), and are estimating approximately $90,000.00 to complete this final phase. We are trying to start this before the end of this year. Donations for this project specifically can be made HERE. You may notice that we have replaced the old main gate with a new one. This will definitely make the entry/exit process a whole lot better. We also had the huge laurel tree overhang cleaned up which makes the east side walking path safer and brighter. For those that may not know, IKE is the only park managed by DOGPAW that is owned by BPA (Bonneville Power Administration). Lastly, we want to give a big shout-out to Eddie the Ike Park Manager, as well as the Volunteer Management team (Anouchka, Pete, Scotty, and Bill), for the great job they are doing.

Kane (Hockinson) - 10910 NE 172nd Ave, Hockinson, WA
While tucked away at Hockinson Community Park, Kane is the smallest of our parks. It also has the most shade tree coverage of our parks, and continues to get many visitors and their dogs. Kane is still on the project wait list to get a water line brought in from the baseball fields.

Lucky (Minkler) - 10100 NE 149th St, Brush Prairie, WA
Always active and crowded, one of the main issues is the walking paths. Which has over the years become uneven, narrowed, and eroded in many places. Underlying weed control cloth has also come to the surface that may be a trip hazard as well. We are working hard to address the drainage issues on the walking paths. Thanks to Tree Contractors NW for the load of shredded wood chips. Our Park Volunteer Management team (Gary, Jan, Chuck), as well as others, have started to spread the materials out to various areas of the walking paths. This is all done by shovel and wheelbarrow. Contact volunteer@dogpawoffleashdogparks.org, if you can help with distributing the chips.

DOGPAW welcomes Courtney Beck as the new Secretary, Emily Evans as the new Treasurer and Tina Brooks as the new Communications Director. The Board of Directors looks forward to working with you!

Our Board is completely voluntary and unpaid; we do what we do for the dogs of Clark County.

Thank you Jan Fogg, Realtor with Homes with Jan for the generous donation from the recent real estate transaction with Sally!

Need Dog Training? The best time to train them is when they're still young. However, old dogs can learn new tricks too! Julie Mills at Paws Down Pets Dog Training provides positive reinforcement training for dogs of all ages.

Do you know someone who got a new puppy/kitten? Get them a gift box to welcome their pup into their home with a kit from Just Your Fur Baby. The Welcome Home Kits has all of the essentials for your new companion's needs.

Horizon Veterinary Care
1900 NE 162nd Ave, Suite D110
Vancouver, WA 98684
(360)320-6556
horizonvetcare.com

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