Major fundraiser planned for November
Dogs (and their owners) are delighted the city has designated a portion of land on Community Park for them to romp around unleashed.
Now, the issue before the Morgan Hill Dog Owners Group (D.O.G.), is raising enough funds for equipment to make the interim dog park a reality.
“Ideally, I’d like it to happen tomorrow,” said Gloria Zufall, chairperson of D.O.G.
But she and other members of the nonprofit group have estimated they will need to raise about $75,000 to set up the dog park. It will cost $30,000 alone to purchase and install a chain-link fence around the land designated for the dog park.
The city council approved the land for an interim dog park when they approved Phase I improvements for Community Park this summer. The Master Plan for the park includes a dog park, but in a later phase of the improvement project. In the meantime, in order to accommodate the estimated 12,000 dog residents in Morgan Hill, the city designated three-fourths of an acre on portions of the south and southeast side of Community Park for an interim dog park.
Dog lovers are pleased.
“We understand that the city cannot spend money on making the park itself. We are grateful to the city for giving us the land, and would like to thank the council, the Park and Recreation Commission and Public Works, especially Mori Struve for all their support,” said Zufall. Deputy Director of Public Works Operations Mori Struve was instrumental in working with D.O.G. on their request for the dog park.
Zufall said D.O.G. plans to install a 6 ft. chain-link fence around the area and have separate sections for small dogs and big dogs. Also in the plans is a gated entry, a sign posting rules of do’s and dont’s, drinking fountains, shade structures, benches where owners can sit while their pets play, poop bags, scoopers and other items needed for cleaning after the dogs.
D.O.G. has come a long way over the last two years. The idea for the plan came from Holly Mor, the founder of the organization, after she was ticketed by an animal control official for unleashing her dog briefly while on a walk. She admitted what she did was against the law, but she still felt the incident was unjustified. From that point on she rallied other dog lovers to raise awareness and support for a dog park in Morgan Hill.
An unleashed dog, allowed to run around in a large open space and with other dogs, makes for a happier dog, Zufall and many dog owners believe.
“We are a grassroots group that has done an awful lot of research,” she said. “It’s good for dogs to run without their leashes and play with one another. If given the chance to play together, they are fun to watch. They are just like kids. It’s a rare day when dogs fight. Just like kids, they’ll walk together and play with one another. If they yell and bark at each other, just like kids, if let alone, they just work it out.”
The group has already begun fundraising. In May, they held a dog wash and pet fair and raised $5,000. D.O.G. has joined the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce and Zufall has given talks in public about the organization. The group has engaged a professional grant writer to help them seek grants for the park. The group also had a booth at the Taste of Morgan Hill to inform the community of their existence and future plans.
In the works are a letter-writing campaign to businesses seeking donations for the dog park, and a major fundraising event in November.
“We plan to reach out and do what we can do. Word of mouth has been really good,” said Zufall.
Zufall is hopeful the dog park will be a reality by next summer.
“We could start building the fence if we had the money right now,” she said eagerly.
D.O.G. has a steering committee of 10 and approximately 60 members. The organization meets on the third Wednesday of each month in different places. Anyone interested in making a donation to the dog park, or joining the group, may contact Zufall at 779-3451.
