Kildare County Council is urged to provide a dog park

The possibility of opening a dog park at Millennium Park in Naas has been mooted.

Kildare County Council is to explore the notion of buying or leasing a small parcel of land for this purpose.

It’s the largest development  in a bid by local politicians to provide a dog park - an area where dogs can bet off the leash.

A dog park opened on experimental basis on three summer Saturdays in 2018 at Monread Park. However, plans to  open it permanently fell by the wayside after residents objected.

Now Naas Mayor Bill Clear has asked for the council to see if there is land suitable to purchase or lease for a dog park “given that there are approximately 10,000 dogs in the Naas area and that the councillors have set aside funding for such a park."

He told a Naas Municipal District meeting that little more than an acre of land would be required and he said dog parks work well in other locations.

He was supported by Cllr Evie Sammon who said owners are required to keep dogs on the leash at Punchestown Racecourse, a popular walking venue.

“We need to have a place where dogs can be left off the leash," she said.

Cllr Bob Quinn said a location which people would not have to drive to might be a better idea and he said that Millennium Park is closed to the public at certain times.

Kildare County Council official Simon Wallace said this would create a maintenance expense for KCC, partly because not everybody cleans up after their dog.

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