Dog Parks in the District of Columbia are maintained by the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) in partnership with the public. In 2007, dog park rules were issued which allowed for the creation of official, public dog parks on District-owned parkland -- outdoor property within the possession and control of the Government of the District of Columbia.

Dog Park Locations

Dog Park Applications Under Review 

Interested parties wishing to review the applications can do so by selecting the application of interest from the list below or by visiting the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), 1250 U Street, NW, Second Floor. Please submit any feedback prior to the public comment deadline. 

For more information or to submit your comments, contact DPR at (202) 671-0421 or email dpr.dogparks@dc.gov.

Rules and Applications

The Council of the District of Columbia unanimously passed legislation, DC Act 16-182*, amending the Animal Control Act of 1979, effective October 18, 1979 (DC Law 3-30; DC Official Code 8-1801 et seq.)(2001) which authorized the Mayor to create fenced-in, off-leash dog parks.

DPR worked with the public and other District agencies to create rules for dog parks. District agencies involved with creating the rules were the DC Department of Environment (DDOE), DC Department of Health (DOH), Department of Public Works (DPW), Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Office of the Clean City, Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), and the DC Water and Sewer Authority (DCWASA).

A summary of these rules and guidelines:

• Public dog parks are open to all residents and visitors of the District of Columbia. DPR will not charge fees for use of dog parks.
• Dog parks located on the grounds of a DPR facility will be open the same hours as the facility.
• Dog parks located on non-lighted grounds or parks will be open from dawn to dusk.
• All dogs using a dog park must be licensed and registered in the District of Columbia. All dogs are required by law to be vaccinated and registered.
• All dogs must display a Dog Park Registration Tag*, and other tags as required by law.
• A maximum of 30 dogs per 10,000 square feet may be in a park at one time. Please refer to signage at each dog park for specifics at that location.

Residents may also apply to have a dog park constructed in their area.  Review the related documents below for more information.