Nova Scotia off-leash dog park is for dogs, not children

A Nova Scotia dog park is making headlines for limiting its visitors to dogs and their adult owners.

At the Marshland Drive Off Leash Dog Park in Truro, Nova Scotia, children under the age of 12 are not allowed — not even with adult supervision.

"Some parents are adamant their children should be allowed to go anywhere, unfortunately they're not," Doug MacKenzie, Director of Parks, Recreation & Culture for the Town of Truro, told Global News.

"This is a place that was built and designed for dogs, for off leash dogs and their owners. There are plenty of places in the town of Truro for parents to take their children."

MacKenzie emphasized that the dog park isn't a safe place for children to play. Large dogs roam free at the park, and the park's direct access to a large marsh area can be dangerous for kids.

Despite the no-kids rule, children are still showing up at the park.

MacKenzie fears that something will eventually go terribly wrong if parents don't comply with the rules.

"It will at some point result in an injury to a child or an injury or perhaps death to a dog that makes a mistake, this needs to be a protected space for dogs and dog owners," he said, adding that the town might need to take greater action in enforcing the rule.

Last year, a blogger for K9High cautioned parents about the risks of bringing their kids to dog parks:

"One thing that every parent needs to understand before they take their child to the dog park is that not all dogs live with, like, or even tolerate children. All dogs have limits, and every dog has the potential to bite, that is the primary reason that dogs are not allowed near children's parks, and yet children are allowed and are often present at crowded dog parks. Many dogs at the park may have zero experience with children, many dogs are afraid of children."

In a Reddit threat on whether or not parents should bring their kids to the dog park, some Reddit users felt that dog parks should be open only to well-behaved pets and well-behaved children.

"I have seen some kids who are totally amazing at the dog park and other children who are just dangerous. The same rules apply to kids as with dogs: the child/dog should be well-trained and understand warning signs," wrote Reddit user toklas.

The Truro off-leash park isn't the only one to limit kids.

Nonprofit organization Leash Free Milton provides a leash-free area for dogs to run around in — and offers a designated kids safety zone.

At the Leash Free Dog Park in Bowmanville, kids under six are not permitted to enter, and children between the ages of six and 12 must be under strict adult supervision at all times.

And while a two-hectare "top of the hill" off-leash dog park in Hamilton allows children, it requires adult supervision at all times.

Would you bring your kids to an off-leash dog park?