Several Boise parks are open for a seasonal off-leash dog program

BOISE, IDAHO. Dogs can now run free in many Boise parks as part of Boise Parks and Recreation’s seasonal Dog Off Leash program. In November, three parks will open for off-leash use — Ann Morrison Park, Optimist Youth Sports Complex and Simplot Sports Complex.

(A transcription of the full broadcast follows.)

“Richka is greening here, River come here! Yeah, and that’s River, haha,” says DeAnne Robb, who brings her four rescue dogs to Ann Morrison Park to meet friends.

“Usually we go to the foothills trails, but today we’re celebrating the opening and they love coming down here,” Robb says.

She tells me that the seasonal Off-Leash Dog program is a great way for her and her dogs to socialize in places that are usually full of activity.

“We’re really looking forward to it because there are very few places that have this amount of land where we can go off-leash,” says Robb.

“You can teach your dogs to behave a little more … well-behaved,” says Denilson Suarez, a Boise dog owner.

“Well, look, they’re having so much fun that they get tired, so I love it,” says Boise dog owner Natalie Nathan.

Ann Morrison Park and Optimist Junior High School opened the season on November 1.

“We don’t start football matches between November and the end of February, they start again in March. So it’s a good time for people to bring their dogs in and not have conflicts,” Boise Parks and Recreation Director Doug Holloway said.

He tells me the program helps them use the parks in the off-season — something he says the community looks forward to.

“On October 31st you can drive past Ann Morrison Park and not see a single dog running, and the next morning on November 1st you can drive past the park and see several dogs running around the park. So people look at this calendar, they know about it, and it’s just a good time to let your pet run around the park and not worry about the leash,” added Halloway.