Montgomery County Dog Parks To Begin Charging

Photo courtesy of

courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

So much for the dog days of summer. As of August 1, Montgomery County will require a permit for the use of its five dog parks. Permits will cost an annual $40 for the first dog and $5 for each subsequent dog. Any dog found romping without a permit will incur a fine for its owner by the park police.

The permit fees are designed to generate funds for the county’s beleaguered Department of Parks, which is facing a proposed 17.5% cut in their requested budget for FY 2011. The new permits are expected to generate roughly $40,000 for the department each year.

Need a permit for your pooch? You can download a form at the Montgomery Parks dog parks page.

Rebecca Gross

Raised in nearby MoCo, Rebecca happily jumped the District line in 2005. When not stuck behind a computer, she can be found exploring the city’s many wonders, usually with her trusty canine sidekick Jasper Jones. Questions, comments, concerns? Email her at RebeccaGross (at) WeLoveDC.com.

One thought on “Montgomery County Dog Parks To Begin Charging

  1. Sorry, but this is rediculous. My taxes already pay for the dog parks. Basically, I’m being charged again for what I already pay for. And why don’t we charge for public parks that people take their children to? Why are dog parents singled out? I am so tired of all this hypocrisy. If Montgomery County cannot afford to maintain parks with the funds it already receives, ALL parks should transition to a pay-for-play structure. If you want to visit a park (be it alone or with your dog or children), you should have to pay an entrance fee. If every person paid just $1 for each person/canine entering a park, it would more than cover the costs of maintaining the parks.