Please don't bring pools into the park.
We know the weather is hot and we know that some dogs love to splash in cool water on hot days. We understand why people want to bring those plastic wading pools to the park. Unfortunately, the pools are causing problems.
We've had reports of dogs who use the park coming down with Giardia, an intestinal parasite that thrives in dirty water which can infect dogs and humans. Giardia can get into the pool if dogs have fecal matter on their paws. If the dogs drink the infected water, they can get sick. Symptoms of Giardia include diarrhea that can last for several weeks.
Because we have a drainage issue in the park, even if the pools are dumped out, the infected water remains in a puddle for several hours.
Westgrove P.A.C.K. is taking a number of steps to deal with this problem.
1. Communicating to park users about the importance of keeping water bowls clean, picking up poop, and not bringing pools.
2. Removing and disposing of pools that are left in the park.
3. Working with Fairfax County Park Authority to improve drainage in the small end of the park. Drainage remediation is expected to begin this fall.
4. Long-term, we hope to install a safe and healthy water play area for the dogs to cool off on hot days.
You can support this effort by:
If you have suggestions or comments about this policy, contact westgrovepack@gmail.com.
We've had reports of dogs who use the park coming down with Giardia, an intestinal parasite that thrives in dirty water which can infect dogs and humans. Giardia can get into the pool if dogs have fecal matter on their paws. If the dogs drink the infected water, they can get sick. Symptoms of Giardia include diarrhea that can last for several weeks.
Because we have a drainage issue in the park, even if the pools are dumped out, the infected water remains in a puddle for several hours.
Westgrove P.A.C.K. is taking a number of steps to deal with this problem.
1. Communicating to park users about the importance of keeping water bowls clean, picking up poop, and not bringing pools.
2. Removing and disposing of pools that are left in the park.
3. Working with Fairfax County Park Authority to improve drainage in the small end of the park. Drainage remediation is expected to begin this fall.
4. Long-term, we hope to install a safe and healthy water play area for the dogs to cool off on hot days.
You can support this effort by:
- Not bringing pools into the park.
- Frequently changing the water in the bowls.
- Picking up your dog's poop.
- Picking up any other poop you see on the ground.
- Keeping your dog at home if it has diarrhea or any other sign of illness.
- Helping communicate this message to other park users.
If you have suggestions or comments about this policy, contact westgrovepack@gmail.com.