The Parks and Recreation Department received a citizen request to allow dogs in the James E. Grey Preserve.  The City Code, sec. 4-4 on Animals in Parks states "Pursuant to section 14-40 of the Pasco County Code, as may be amended from time to time, animals shall only be permitted in Orange lake, Cotee River Park, or any park where signage is posted indicating that animals are permitted.  Animals shall be prohibited in all other parks."

Dogs are permitted in four City Parks:  Orange Lake, Sims Park, Cotee River Park and the Meadows Dog Park.  Signage is posted on Dog Waste Bag Dispensers in these four parks and the presence of the dispensers indicates that dogs are welcome in these parks. 

Pasco County Parks and Recreation allows dogs in only one out of their three Nature Preserves.  Pasco Preserve and Jumping Gully Preserves do not allow dogs.  The Upper Cotee Preserve allows dogs on a six foot leash, but only on designated trails and not on all trails in the preserve.

In the Pasco County Nature Parks, dogs are allowed as follows:  Eagle Point, no dogs; Key Vista, dogs are allowed on a six foot leash and in Starkey Park, dogs are allowed on a six leash only on hiking and paved trails.  Key Vista is an unstaffed park and the County representative expressed that there have been issues with people allowing their dogs to run off leash in the park since no staff are there to enforce the code.

The James E. Grey Preserve is an unstaffed facility.  If dogs are permitted in the preserve, there is concern that dog owners will allow their dogs to run off leash.  This could lead to encounters with visitors to the preserve that do no wish to be confronted with dogs while visiting the preserve.  

The City of New Port Richey and the Pasco County Codes on Animals in the Parks are attached.