As 2024 progresses, our dedicated volunteers at Dog Paw are actively planning for the success of our parks. We sincerely appreciate your support, and please rest assured that your contributions are directly benefiting our parks, helping us fulfill our mission of maintaining safe and enjoyable spaces for dogs and their owners.
Photo courtesy of park goer Tammy Austin and her pup Balloo
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Spring is here, and our park teams are preparing your park for the increased presence of dogs and their human companions who visit their favorite spot. It will be crowded at times, and occasionally, spirited play can turn into aggressiveness, resulting in bites, nips, or worse.
Recently, we have installed "NO Aggressive Dogs" signs at each entrance, although unfortunately, they are not often read. If an incident should occur, please call the numbers listed on the "In Case of Emergency" sign, posted on the bulletin board, and provide as much information as possible such as where it happened, time of day, breed of dog, owner description, type of vehicle, license plate, etc. Photos would certainly help.
Accessibility is a primary focus this year, with plans to upgrade the entrance areas of Dakota, Ike, and Lucky parks. This work aims to address drainage issues and improve park accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
Despite signs advising visitors not to leave valuables in their vehicles, and especially not in plain sight, the unfortunate problem of car break-ins persists at the dog parks, as well as others in the area.
Exciting news! DOGPAW MERCHANDISE is on the way. We are currently researching various items for fundraising and developing an easy-to-use online platform for purchasing. Our goal is to have this in place later this year, just in time for the holiday season.
Please show your support for the business sponsors listed. Without their generous donations, we would not be able to maintain and operate our parks as effectively as we would like. REMEMBER, we do not receive any monetary funding from Clark County or the City of Vancouver. It is through your memberships, fundraisers, and grants that we can continue to operate and maintain our parks. So please, DONATE generously.
Lastly, while our current Board of Directors is doing a terrific job, additional help is still needed. Please check the website for open board positions. A key opening we are looking to fill is the Volunteer Coordinator position at Volunteer — DOGPAW Off Leash Parks.
Thank you, everyone, for your continued generosity and support! You are APPRECIATED!
May 4 - Walk/Run for the Animals Downtown Vancouver Waterfront look for our booth at the fundraiser for Humane Society for Southwest Washington Sign up here: https://southwesthumane.org/walk
May 16 - DINE AND DONATE at Beaches 1919 SE Columbia River Dr, Vancouver, WA 98661 - tell your server, "I'm here with DogPaw." 50% of your ticket goes directly to Dog Paw.
May 18 - LuckyPark Improvement Day. 9am to 12pm In addition to our regular park clean up day, Clark County Conservation PoopSmart program will be at our parks to educate our park goers of the importance of proper dog waste removal to prevent waste getting into our streams, rivers and lakes.
June 8 - Dog Paw Bark in the Park Vendor & Fundraising Fair Fundraiser at Dakota (Pacific Community Park) 9am to 2pm
COME BE A VENDOR!Do you or someone you know sell dog treats, dog food, dog supplies, accessories, grooming, training, or anything dog related? Come join us! email ask@dogpawoffleashparks.org for more info. We also have business sponsorship opportunities.
COME BE A VOLUNTEER!Help set up and take down vendor tables, direct parking and other activities. Please email ask@dogpawoffleashparks.org
June 19 - Ike 3:30pm to 6:30pm Clark CountyConservationPoopSmart
June 28 - Dakota 10am to 12pm IQ Credit Union employees will volunteer for park clean up
July 11, 18, 25 - BINGO at Latte Da Coffeehouse & Wine Bar 6pm to 8pm Make sure to mark your calendars for this enjoyable event! All proceeds from the sale of BINGO cards will directly benefit DogPaw. Last year, this event proved to be a fantastic fundraiser for DogPaw, and let's aim to make 2024 even more successful!
July 20 - Dakota Park Improvement Day 9am start time
Aug 18 - Ike/Ross Park Improvement Day 9am start time
Aug 30 - Ike 10am to 12pm IQ Credit Union employees will volunteer for park clean up
Sep 21 - Lucky Park Improvement Day 9am start time
Kane park improvement days will be on as needed basis
OUR GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN IS GOING STRONG BUT WE STILL NEED YOUR SUPPORT
A tremendous expression of gratitude to everyone who contributed. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to acquire a shiny new John Deere riding lawn mower for Ike, along with a sturdy steel storage container for safekeeping. With these resources in hand, our committed volunteers can now maintain Ike Park's grounds regularly. For those unfamiliar, Ike/Ross land is under BPA ownership, and while the City of Vancouver occasionally tends to the park, it's not on a consistent schedule. It's crucial for us to keep the grass trimmed to deter fleas, ticks, and the troublesome spread of foxtail grass.
We continue to require funding for:
Replace worn out sheds.
Replace worn-out weed eaters and acquire other necessary tools for park upkeep.
Funds to repair gate entrances at Lucky, Dakota and Ike.
Run water to Kane Memorial Park
Run water to Ike upper park
Donate to our GoFundMe campaign and ensure the continued beauty and safety of these vital community spaces, where dogs play, friendships form, and bonds strengthen. Your contribution makes a significant difference. We have a GoFundMe account for these donations below:
DAKOTA (Pacific) - 1515 NE 164th Ave, Vancouver, WA Dakota will be the site for our June 8, 2024 Vendor Fair event. Be on the lookout for updates as this event planning progresses.
IKE(Ross) - 5117 NE 15th Ave, Vancouver Ike Small Dog Area will be closed April 30 to May 3 for fence repair. We are actively continuing our fundraising efforts to cover the costs of the remaining fencing. If you'd like to contribute specifically to this project, donations can be made by clicking HERE.
KANE (Hockinson) - 10910 NE 172nd Ave, Hockinson, WA Although our smallest park holds a special place in our hearts and is equally cherished, it hasn't been forgotten. Despite no recent updates, it continues to be a cherished space within our community.
LUCKY (Minkler) - 10100 NE 149th St, Brush Prairie, WA See above to help Save Lucky from future development.
DID YOU KNOW?
Our four parks are named after fallen K-9's that died in the line of duty.
K9 Dakota
Vancouver Police Department, Washington End of watch: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 Breed: German Shepherd Age: 5 K9 Dakota was fatally shot while tracking an armed subject who had threatened to kill a police officer.
K9 Ike
Vancouver Police Department, Washington End of watch: Wednesday, September 2, 2015 Breed: Belgian Malinois Age: 6 K9 Ike sustained fatal stab wounds during a confrontation. Officers responded to a suspicious person call and encountered a wanted individual resisting arrest. Ike was deployed for apprehension but was stabbed multiple times in the chest, head, and neck before the suspect was apprehended. Despite emergency surgery at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital, Ike's injuries were too severe. Ike had served with the Vancouver Police Department for three years.
K9 Lucky
Clark County Sheriff's Office, Washington End of watch: May 8, 1990 Breed: German Shepherd Age: 4 K9 Lucky was fatally shot while tracking a robbery suspect in a wooded area north of Camas. The suspect, who had stolen a vehicle and firearms from an off-duty police officer's home, engaged in a pursuit with the officer. Upon exiting the vehicle, the suspect fired at the officer and fled into the woods. K9 Lucky and his handler responded to the scene, where shots were fired. The suspect was eventually apprehended, convicted of harming a police dog, burglary, and theft, and sentenced to nine years in prison. K9 Lucky had served with the Clark County Sheriff's Office for three years, aiding in 178 felony and 237 misdemeanor convictions.
K9 Kane
Clark County Sheriff's Office, Washington End of watch: April 10, 2011 Breed: Dutch Shepherd Age: unknown K9 Kane was fatally stabbed during the arrest of two individuals driving a car with stolen license plates. Upon fleeing a traffic stop, Kane was released and bit one of the suspects, who then stabbed him. Despite being rushed to an animal hospital, Kane succumbed to his injuries.Kane had served with the Clark County Sheriff's Department for six years and just one year from retirement.With gratitude, we pay tribute to these fallen heroes, as well as to all the officers, past and present, who serve.WE ABSOLUTELY ADORE HEARING POSITIVE TALES! 💍Have you got a heartwarming story from one of our parks? Usually, we receive complaints or calls related to dog issues, but here's a delightful one from Ike Dog Park: A visitor lost her diamond ring while out for a stroll with her furry friend. Upon realizing her loss, she diligently printed flyers and posted them around the park. Thankfully, another park visitor stumbled upon the ring and promptly handed it over to one of our dedicated park volunteers. These stories truly warm our hearts. They're a beacon of positivity, especially as the weather brightens, and our parks become bustling with activity.
REMINDERS
Please refrain from leaving your valuables unattended in your vehicle. It only takes a matter of seconds for someone to break a window and abscond with your belongings. Your cooperation in helping us maintain the cleanliness and security of our parks is greatly appreciated.
BOARD UPDATE
We are pleased to announce Scotty Summers as our newest board member. Scotty, along with his wife and their adopted dog named "K9," are frequent visitors to Ike Memorial Park. With extensive experience in computer software, Scotty will be transitioning into the role of IT Director, bringing valuable expertise to our team.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Les Uyeji, our outgoing IT Director, for his many years of dedicated service to Dog Paw. Les's passion for dogs extends beyond our organization, as evidenced by his commitment to the Humane Society of Southwest Washington. We are deeply appreciative of his contributions.
It's important to note that our Board operates entirely on a voluntary and unpaid basis, driven solely by our shared commitment to the well-being of dogs in Clark County.
THE FOLLOWING BUSINESSES HAVE GRACIOUSLY DONATED FUNDING TO SUPPORT DOGPAW
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Let's all thank them by supporting their businesses whenever we can.
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Platinum Sponsors
Paws Down Pets Dog Training 2804 NE 155th Ave Vancouver, WA 98682 (360)936-6129 PawsDownpets.com
------------------------------------------------------------ The Lions Den Doggie Day Care 6415 East Mill Plain Blvd, Unit A Vancouver, WA 98661 (360)859-7803 thelionsdendoggydaycare.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Deaf Man Tree Company Tree Services, Landscaping Clark County, WA (360)720-8369 ------------------------------------------------------------
Mudpuppies Grooming 808 NE Minnehaha St Vancouver, WA 98665 (360)718-8261 ------------------------------------------------------------
Dogwood Veterinary Dental 615 SE Chkalov Drive, Ste 14 Vancouver, WA 98683 (360)859-3790 DogwoodVeterinaryDental.com ------------------------------------------------------------
Paws Cascadia 720 W Main St, Ste 104 Battle Ground, WA 98604 (360)721-1162 pawscascadia.etailpet.com ------------------------------------------------------------
Wilco 815 W Main St Battle Ground, WA 98604 (360)687-3113 farmstore.com
DOGPAW OFF-LEASH DOG PARK LOCATIONS: Dakota: 1515 NE 164th Ave. Vancouver, WA Ike (Ross): 5117 NE 15th Ave. Vancouver, WA Kane: 10910 NE 172nd Ave. Brush Prairie, WA Lucky: 10100 NE 149th St. Brush Prairie, WA
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