South Coastal Delaware Dog Park: A Sanctuary for Wagging Tails
In 2022, a small group of passionate individuals came together with a new idea for the community: to create a dog park in south coastal Sussex County, Delaware where off-leash dogs can run free. Longstanding community members saw the need for a place where their beloved pets could socialize, play, and exercise off-leash in a dedicated safe, controlled, and fun environment just for dogs.
Sussex County laws require dogs to be leashed in almost every circumstance, and pet owners also face the realities that dogs are not allowed on beaches during certain times of the year. As our local population grows, so does the number of pets, increasing the need for a designated area where dogs can roam freely and safely. The proposed South Coastal Delaware Dog Park will be on 5 to 10 acres in the community.
The South Coastal Delaware Dog Park Foundation (SCDDP) was established as a 501(c)(3) in 2023 and now this nonprofit organization has reached the fundraising stage. We need your help to reach our goal in land acquisition.
How is the South Coastal Delaware Dog Park Different?
We asked and dog enthusiasts responded. We surveyed over 2,400 pet owners in the Selbyville, Bethany Beach, Ocean View, Dagsboro, Frankford, and Millville areas and nearly 90% responded positively to establishing a leash-free dog park in south coastal Sussex County, DE. As our community has grown in size, the demand for a dog park has also grown.
SCDDP will offer dog owners a safe, controlled, and fun leash-free environment for dogs of all sizes and needs to socialize, play, and exercise on 5 to 10 fenced acres of managed open space. The park will be open from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year!
How You Can Help
Donations are essential to move forward with this grassroots community effort. Once we reach our initial goal, we will move on to subsequent phases to make the park a reality for the community.
Our off-leash dog park goals include:
- Acquisition of land, approx. 5-10 acres
- Site clearing, ground preparation, and plantings
- Water and electricity for dog fountains, pools, wash-down areas, and sprinklers
- Enclosed areas with 6-foot tall fencing and access gates into separate areas designated for large and medium dogs, small dogs, and special needs dogs
- Waste stations and multi-week trash pick-up
- Shade trees, structures, and benches for both pooches and people
- Signage, a parking area, and a safe entrance from the street
- IT support system