By Dr. Sue Nielsen
With the encouragement of Friends of the Paw Parks, Sarasota County Parks and Recreation have made some very nice improvements to two of our paw parks – Arlington and Lakeview.
At Arlington, the need for shade is a prominent issue and recently two good sized trees were planted in the middle of main park to eventually provide needed relief from the hot sun. 
In addition, the small dog park got its own picnic table and three new additional benches, a poop station, and a sign to let the public know that only dogs 20# and under are allowed in the small dog park. The fence all around the entire park has been cleaned, vines cleared off, and invasive species removed. Mulch has been placed along the fences to keep weeds down and improve the appearance of the park. 
All the changes provide a great place for dogs of all sizes to enjoy the paw park at Arlington. After a romp off leash, owners can accompany their dogs on a 6 foot leash for a walk around the rest of the City Park. It’s beautiful with a paved trail which leads walkers around a small lake with a fountain, 
full of turtles looking for a handout at the bridge…. Sorry folks, it’s best not to feed the wildlife at the park! Just enjoy watching. You can find several poop stations at points around the park – ALWAYS “Scoop that Poop” and save our Sarasota waters.
At Lakeview, just in the past month, a 6 foot fence was placed between the large and small dog park. This eliminates the safety issue for very small dogs due to fence jumping. The large dog park received several new picnic tables and benches, toxic plant species were removed, an abandoned building taken down, and the entry way was cemented.
The small dog park received a new water source and new poop station. In the last several months, the Friends of the Paw Parks have spent at least 6 hours removing natural debris (fallen branches, ivy on the fence) from the park and are planning further large scale clean up days at all of the paw parks. Lakeview is especially shaded with a great variety of trees and palms, but this leads to a lot of fallen debris. One new schedule change at Lakeview Park: the park will be closed on Tuesdays from 12-2 for maintenance.
We want to shout out a BIG THANK YOU to the Sarasota County Parks and Recreation Department for all their hard work and continued dedication to the Paw Parks of Sarasota! They are responsible for making these great changes for the dog loving community in Sarasota.
Please also refer to SarasotaDog.com for complete information on all the Paw Parks in Sarasota County and watch Friends of Sarasota Paw Parks Facebook page for pictures and updates.
See our most recent interview on Animal Outtakes that was shot at Arlington Paw Park!!!!!