DoGood for a Dog Friendly Chattanooga invites residents on two legs and four to attend the second annual St. PAW-trick’s Dog Walk March 12.
Karen Roach and Tilly, a toy poodle, walk during the first St. PAW-trick’s Dog Walk.“During the one we had last year, we were still focusing on getting the Walnut Street Bridge open, so it was a way to rally around the Walnut Street Bridge and get word out about responsible dog owners,” said Karen Roach, founder of DoGood. “We had about 60 people and 80 dogs show up that day – our largest event ever. A lot of people were really excited and it was a kickoff for the Green Bandana program. This year we want it to be bigger and better than ever.”
Dogs and their owners will gather at Ross’s Landing March 12 at 11 a.m. in vibrant St. PAW-trick’s costumes. Participants will parade along Ross’s Landing to the Hunter Museum, across the Walnut Street Bridge and back.
“We’re thrilled with the results,” Roach said. “We monitor the bridge just about every day. For the most part, people are picking up after their dogs. We fill the bag stations a couple of times a week. We have a couple other cities following our example.”
The rules for dog walkers are straightforward. Dog owners must utilize waste bags found at dog stations along the bridge to pick up all dog waste and dispose of it in the trash. Dogs must be walked using a leash that is 6 feet or less in length. Current city licenses and rabies tags are also required. Walkers who do not comply with these rules will be issued a $50 fine plus court costs by park rangers.