Problem Dog Owners Ignoring Leash Law in Boise Parks

Boise, Idaho is a great place to find really nice city parks. Few cities have as many large, beautiful parks as Boise does. All of Boise's parks have substantial recreational space, and most also have great play structures for kids as well. The majority of city parks in Boise also have plenty of shady areas to enjoy on hot days. A few parks sit adjacent to the beautiful Boise River, and several can even be accessed by the Boise Greenbelt. All of these attributes make Boise's parks very popular among city residents.

In recent years however, there has been a growing problem at Boise's city parks. Unfortunately, many dog owners in the area are becoming progressively less considerate of city laws regarding their dogs. This lack of consideration for rules, and accompanying disregard for other park visitors, is making Boise dog owners quite problematic in city parks.

The city of Boise has an active leash law, requiring all dogs to be secured with a pet leash (and contrary to what many Boise dog owners apparently believe, that actually means that the other end of the dog leash is supposed to be in the hand of a responsible human) any time they are in a public area, with exception of a very few designated "off leash areas" around the city. However, an increasing number of Boise dog owners are completely ignoring this law. Dogs run freely through park playgrounds, and commonly run at small children. Children have been bitten, and complaints have been made to the humane society as well as the Boise Police Department. While a number of the free roaming dogs aren't behaving aggressively, they're still out of control, and it doesn't take much for a hyper dog to knock down or injure a toddler or small child. These same dogs also commonly urinate on multiple components of the play structures (again dog owners, these structures are actually meant for children to play on, not dogs), leaving a gross and unsanitary environment for the kids who are there to play.

Additionally, many Boise dog owners are making this problem even worse by allowing their dogs to defecate in the parks, and then leaving without bothering to clean up after them. This irresponsible (and disgusting) practice isn't limited to less affluent neighborhoods, either. Reportedly, Baggley Park (located off ParkCenter), and Bowden Park (located next to South Junior High) are two of the worst parks in the city regarding this problem.

The ever growing problem of inconsiderate dog owners in Boise parks seems to have no end in sight. Considering the amount of tax dollars and man hours that the city of Boise expends to maintain their beautiful parks, one would hope that authorities might act to deter dog owners from behaving in these ways that degrade the parks.

Perhaps Boise residents can help the city out by reporting problem dog owners in the parks when they see them. According to the Idaho Humane Society's website, they have officers deputized by the Ada County Sheriff's Office to enforce animal related laws. Their phone number is: (208)313-3166, and the website states that they are on duty from 8am to 6pm, seven days a week. The website also states that if you are asking for an officer to be dispatched to a location, then a street address will need to be provided.