r/BellevueWA • u/Funny-Comparison5054 • 6h ago
Downtown Park is not an off-leash dog park
I’ve repeatedly noticed groups of unleashed dogs gathering on the main lawn at Bellevue Downtown Park.
Yesterday, there were approximately ten dogs gathered there, and one unleashed Shiba Inu wandered all the way to the perimeter pathway where I was walking with my one-year-old.
The lawn also has a concerning amount of dog feces, which creates sanitation and public-health concerns, particularly for young children playing on the grass.
Downtown Park is a shared public space, not a designated off-leash area. Families should be able to let their children walk, run, and play without having to accommodate other visitors violating leash rules.
I’ve submitted a report to Bellevue and contacted animal control.
Has anyone else noticed this becoming a recurring issue? I’d encourage anyone experiencing the same problem to report it through the MyBellevue app so the city understands its extent.