Ord 21-2021 Amending Chapter 82 Parks and Recreation, Article VIII Off Leash Dog Facility in Lake Wichit 07/20/2021 Ordinance No. 21-2021
Ordinance amending Chapter 82 Parks and Recreation Article VIII Off
Leash Dog Facility in Lake Wichita Park in its entirety, and providing
for codification
WHEREAS, the Health District and Parks Department recommends revision of the
existing Off Leash Dog Facility Ordinance to promote and protect the health and safety
of all citizens and dogs utilizing the off leash facility; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Wichita Falls desires to adopt an
ordinance that promotes and protects the health and safety of all citizens and dogs
utilizing the off leash facility.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS, THAT:
1. Chapter 82 Parks and Recreation Article VIII Off Leash Dog facility in Lake
Wichita Park is hereby amended to read as follows:
Secs. 82-243-82-249. - Reserved.
ARTICLE VIII. -OFF-LEASH DOG FACILITY IN LAKE WICHITA PARK
Sec. 82-250. - Established.
The rules and regulations in this article are established for the government and protection of the
city's off-leash dog facility in Lake Wichita Park.
(Code 2001, § 82-250; Ord. No. 15-2011, § 1, 3-15-2011)
Sec. 82-251. -Compliance.
Compliance with the rules and regulations in this article is a condition of using the city's off-leash dog
facility in Lake Wichita Park. A person found by a city peace officer, animal care officer, or employee of
the city's Parks and Recreation Department to have violated these rules and regulations may be issued a
citation and/or ejected from the park by said city employee, and it shall be unlawful for any person so
ejected to reenter on the same day.
(Code 2001, § 82-251; Ord. No. 15-2011, § 1, 3-15-2011)
Sec. 82-252. - Definitions.
The following words, terms, and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed
to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Dog means a domesticated animal that is a member of the canine family.
Motorized mobility device means a device designed for transportation of a person with physical
disabilities that:
(1) Has three or more wheels;
(2) Is propelled by a battery-powered motor;
(3) Has not more than one forward gear; and
(4) Is not capable of speeds exceeding eight miles per hour.
Off-leash dog facility means the fenced area of Lake Wichita Park accessed by double gate entries
and established for the use of owners and dogs that are not leashed.
Outside obstacle means any play or training feature that is not part of the permanent off-leash dog
facility, including, but not limited to, wading pools, training equipment, and portable or makeshift kennels
or cages.
Owner means a person who owns or has custody or control of a dog.
Showing aggression means growling, barking, or snapping more than momentarily, or biting,
scratching, or attacking for any period of time.
(Code 2001, § 82-252; Ord. No. 15-2011, § 1, 3-15-2011)
Sec. 82-253. - Hours of off-leash dog facility.
(a) The off-leash dog facility shall be closed every day from dusk until dawn and during any time when
signage is posted closing the off-leash dog facility for cleaning or maintenance.
(b) It shall be unlawful for anyone to loiter, idle, wander, stroll or play in the off-leash dog facility during
such period when it is closed. However, if anyone applies for permission to carry out an activity in the
off-leash dog facility during such hours, and the director of parks and recreation determines that such
activity will not create a disturbance or public nuisance, the director shall have authority to issue a
special permit for such activity.
(Code 2001, § 82-253; Ord. No. 15-2011, § 1, 3-15-2011)
Sec. 82-254. - Use of off-leash dog facility.
(a) Only dogs accompanied by an owner at least 16 years of age are permitted to be within the off-
leash dog facility, whether or not the dog in question is leashed. An owner will only be considered
to be accompanying a dog if both the person and the dog are within the fenced confines of the off-
leash dog facility and the dog is in the visible presence of the owner at all times.
(b) Dogs must wear collars or harnesses bearing a current rabies vaccination tag and a city license
tag at all times while in the off-leash dog facility.
(c) An owner may not accompany more than two dogs in the off-leash dog facility at any one time.
Both dogs should be of the same size and be located in the same area of the dogpark.
(d) No dogs under the age of 4 months of age are permitted in the park at any time.
(e) It shall be unlawful for any person to bring a dog weighing 30 pounds or more into the designated
small dog area of the off-leash dog facility.
(f) It shall be unlawful for any person to bring a dog weighing less than 30 pounds into the designated
large dog area of the off-leash dog facility.
(g) It shall be unlawful for any person to host or participate in any competitive event at the off-leash
dog facility unless the director of parks and recreation determines that such competitive event will
not create a disturbance or public nuisance and issues a special permit for such competitive event.
(h) It shall be unlawful for any person to keep a dog leashed in the off-leash dog facility. Dog leashes
must be removed within the double gate entry, and the dog released without the leash into the off-
leash pen making sure the gate closes fully after entry or exit. Upon exit,the dog should be secured
with the leash in the double gate area. Only one owner at a time may utilize the double gate entry
to leash and unleash a dog.
(i) It is the responsibility of any person/persons having care, custody, and control of any dog(s) who
uses the park to read the dog park rules before entering.
(j) Shoes shall be worn inside the park at all times.
(Code 2001, § 82-254; Ord. No. 15-2011, § 1, 3-15-2011)
Sec. 82-255. -Care of off-leash dog facility by users.
(a) Owners must immediately clean up and dispose of waste left by any accompanied dog. It shall be
unlawful for an owner to leave the off-leash dog facility without first cleaning up and disposing of all
waste left by an accompanied dog, whether inside or outside of the dog park per City ordinance
Chapter 14 Animals Sec. 14-12 (a) and (b).
(b) Owners must stop any accompanied dog from digging and must fill any holes caused by an
accompanied dog. It shall be unlawful for an owner to leave the off-leash dog facility without first
filling any holes caused by an accompanied dog.
(Code 2001, § 82-255; Ord. No. 15-2011, § 1, 3-15-2011)
Sec. 82-256. - Health rules for off-leash dog facility.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to bring a dog that does not have current rabies vaccination
into the off-leash dog facility.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly bring a dog that has a contagious condition,
disease, parasite, or open wounds into the off-leash dog facility.
(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to bring a female dog in season into the off-leash dog facility.
(Code 2001, § 82-256; Ord. No. 15-2011, § 1, 3-15-2011)
Sec. 82-257. - Bites, scratches, and aggression in the off-leash dog facility.
(a) All bites and scratches by a dog within the off-leash dog facility must be reported to the Animal Control
Division of the health district. It shall be unlawful for any person to fail to report to the Animal Control
Division that a dog accompanied by him in the off-leash dog facility bit or scratched a person or another
dog immediately after a bite or scratch occurs.
(b) Dogs showing aggression toward people or other dogs must be removed immediately. It shall be
unlawful for an owner to fail to move immediately to leash and remove from the off-leash dog facility
any dog showing aggression.
(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to bring any dog deemed to be a vicious dog or a dangerous dog
by any state or local government or agency into the off-leash dog facility.
(d) It shall be unlawful for any person to bring a dog with a previous bite history or a dog known to have
aggressive tendencies into the park.
(Code 2001, § 82-257; Ord. No. 15-2011, § 1, 3-15-2011)
Sec. 82-258. - Use of off-leash dog facility by children.
(a) No child under eight years of age is permitted in the off-leash dog facility except during city-approved
activities scheduled for that age group. It shall be unlawful for a parent or guardian to permit a child
under eight years of age to be in the off-leash dog facility unless the child is attending a city-approved
activity scheduled for that age group.
(b) Every child over eight and under 16 years of age in the off-leash dog facility must be accompanied by
an adult over 17 years of age who is directly supervising that child's activities. It shall be unlawful for
a parent or guardian to permit a child over eight and under 16 years of age to be in the off-leash dog
facility unless the child is accompanied by an adult over 17 years of age who is directly supervising
the activities of that child, or unless the child is attending a city-approved activity scheduled for that
age group.
(Code 2001, § 82-258; Ord. No. 15-2011, § 1, 3-15-2011)
Sec. 82-259. - Possession unlawful.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess food for humans or dogs, tobacco products, alcoholic
beverages, or glass containers in the off-leash dog facility. This section does not apply to dog training
treats.
(b) This facility is a tobacco free area, and possession and/or use of tobacco products,
including electronic devices, shall be unlawful.
(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess an animal other than a dog within the off-leash dog facility.
(d) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess or utilize an outside obstacle in the off-leash dog facility.
(e) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess a skateboard, skates, a bicycle, a scooter, or any other
wheeled apparatus in the off-leash dog facility. The operation of a nonmotorized wheelchair or
motorized mobility device by a person with physical disabilities is exempt from this section.
(Code 2001, § 82-259; Ord. No. 15-2011, § 1, 3-15-2011)
PASSED AND APPROVED this the 20th day of July 2021.
MAYOR
ATTEST:
l'qaA —
City Clerk