Katerina Medina is the mother of 3 young girls. She writes:
When we moved to Westport in the summer of 2022, I could no longer withstand my daughters’ pressure to get a dog.
Our beloved Mishka is now a 1-year-old German shepherd. He is growing into his name, which means “Little Bear.”
A few short months back though, Mishka looked more like a fluffball who all humans wanted to pet — and some not very friendly dogs aggressively wanted to show him his place in the dogs’ hierarchy.
So with Mishka came not only joy, but also worries and responsibilities. After enjoying the local beaches last winter, we were forced to search for a new venue to walk Mishka in spring.
Mishka enjoys a Compo Beach sunset.
That is how we discovered Winslow Park. From the first glance it struck me as an underdeveloped gem in the middle of Westport.
While some may prefer to see Winslow the way it is now, underutilized and not well maintained, I could not help but think how this park would benefit from having an enclosed dog space where young puppies, small breeds, fragile old dogs with health issues or dogs still learning to come back on recall, would run and play safely.
There would be well-paved roads, and beautifully landscaped native shrubs and flowers; maybe even a playground in a corner field at the Post Road and Compo Road North, while leaving most of the park and its trails to the hikers and responsible dog owners who may stroll the park instead of having their pets play in a confined space.
This vision was reinforced by an aggressive dog, who bit Mishka.
While most dog owners and their pets were friendly and happy to provide dog training advice, a very few did not belong in an open play area.
Having fun at Winslow Park. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
I did not feel safe having curious young Mishka attempting to interact with their aggressive, imposing dogs. After seeing another puppy injured by the same dog that attacked Mishka, we stopped visiting Winslow Park until recently.
And while dog bullies are less likely to pick on Mishka now, I still think an option to separate vulnerable dogs from all others would be a great addition to Winslow Park.
If the above is not a convincing argument, think of public safety. There are no barriers at Winslow Park to prevent dogs from running away. It is not surprising to read about runaway dogs, or those saved from traffic by good Samaritans.
While we are lucky to live in such a caring community, safety measures must be in place.
An accident last month prompted me to share my concerns with the community.
My mother was visiting. She was driving home from Trader Joe’s when a dog running away from Winslow jumped on Compo Road North, right in front of her.
She swerved to avoid hitting the dog. She hit the curb instead, getting a flat tire.
While she was shaken by the experience, I thought of how this event ended in the least bad scenario of all possible ones.
What if she jumped a curb and hurt someone else, or damaged someone’s property? What if she ended up injured? What if a dog was killed?
Winslow Park (Photo/Laura Robinson)
It is my opinion that the town should apply all efforts to prevent these sorts of situations in the future. With the growing human population, the dog population grows too. While most dog owners are responsible and caring, we as a public cannot count on their pets always acting as directed.
Local authorities should consider putting an enclosed dog play area at Winslow Park, or redeveloping it altogether to accommodate a wider public while still allowing our beloved pets their space.
Winslow Park has always had a reputation for aggressive dogs. I would suggest Wakeman Farm as a better choice. While the western border has no fence and is susceptible to raging high school drivers as well as sightings of coyotes in the forest, the dogs and people are far friendly. I would also suggest you carry a small “foghorn” in your pocket. Any incident will be quickly solved by the one “beep” on the horn.
This is abGreat article and the author is right about measures to modernize the dog park.
First the Dog warden should have been called to have the aggressive dog removed and the owner forced to provide proof that their dog was licensed and had all required vaccinations. Second I agree that there should be some area where dogs can be contained to avoid such runaways and provide an area where puppies and others who aren’t trained not to escape can enjoy a safe area. As I agree with the suggestions made I have little confidence that our town leader will act on this. They are too busy trying to confuse and keep residents in the dark as to the Long Lots, Barons South, the Sailing School, Hook’d and the plans for the Longshore area reconstruction. The lack of transparency with these important issues is unacceptable! What is your end game Ms Tooker?
I agree! I often bring my dog to Winslow park but we have to keep him leashed because he will range into the street. I wish there were an area where he could have enclosed play. Furthermore, I feel that the park could benefit from areas that could be leashed dog only so that children with bikes or other toys could safely play without the disturbance of a dog. Winslow park, as is, seems to be only used by dog owners. This seems a little too single use for our diverse town.
The unofficial conversion of Winslow Park to “unfenced town dog park” coincided with the loss of unleashed winter dog areas at Longshore – a misguided Town decision driven by one ranter who had the ear of the first selectperson at that time.
Town has never shown any interest in the quality of Winslow Park for dog owners – it was about, well, throwing them a bone, to shut them up (akin to the unserious proposal to rebuild a community gardens on Baron’s.)
Hopes to improve the Winslow Park experience for dogs and their owners presumes a level of sincerity from Town and from Parks & Rec that is simply non-existent.
As a thirty year resident who has always had dogs, I took my first to Winslow one time and said, “never again.” There are far better places in adjacent towns to go with ones dog for leashed and off-leash activities – which is a shame, for tax paying dog owners in Westport.
I’m also interested in a fenced area for dogs off-leash at Winslow Park, and I exchanged emails on the subject last year with the Chair of the Parks & Recreation Commission. He responded that it had been proposed before and the town had added some fencing on Compo Road North, but that there was “little appetite for fully fenced dog runs” in Westport. The phrase “little appetite” surprised me. How did they conclude that? A focus group with Border Collies?
I know people whose dogs have run into the Playhouse Square parking lot, and one got all the way to Town Hall. Did those pet owners say they had “little appetite for fully fenced dog runs” because their dogs weren’t injured?
Last year I drove Maisie, my rescue Corgi mix, to fenced dog parks in Easton, Milford, New Canaan, Shelton, Stratford, Rowayton, and Ridgefield. Those towns have well-maintained fenced dog parks with separate areas for small and large dogs and a supply of water. It’s notable that those communities have created safe places for dogs off-leash, and Westport doesn’t want to do it. Maybe it’s time to start a petition.
Katerina: I don’t walk our pup there and personally would never let our 2+ yr old doodle off leash at Winslow. As you noted, there are no barriers and busy roads are nearby. Have you considered Sherwood Island? It’s open to leashed dogs until April 1, and in the event of snow, the paved areas are often plowed. It is 238 acres, so plenty of space. Also, the Haskins nature preserve on Green Acre Lane, which is part of Aspetuck Land Trust is lovely. Norwalk River Valley Trail in Wilton is another. Again, dogs must be leashed and dog do must be picked up. Both of these venues are gorgeous and wonderful places to walk. I consider my pup my “fitness partner” and our long walks together in these beautiful parks keep us both in shape 🙂
I’m sorry this happened to your beautiful German Shepherd. I had a similar incident when my shepherd was attacked at Winslow when she was less than a year old. The guy and his dogs just walked away. I tend to avoid the park now too. I agree with Jo Ann Miller that Wakeman is a nice place to walk but it’s off limits when school is in session. My favorite walks at this time of year are Jennings Beach in Fairfield and Lake Mohegan during the week. I think my sweet shepherd would love your Mishka. Maybe we will see you at Jennings!
Wakeman is not off limits during school hours.
While I agree that a large fenced in area in the park would be helpful, I still worry that people with aggressive dogs will still show up and not care if their dogs bite or “bully” another dog that is just trying to play and be friendly. How can we manage that issue? I doubt there is a solution to banning or controlling the owners of proven aggressive dogs. At all dog parks there is always the potential because people are on the “honor” system.
This is a great post. I agree with all. I stopped going there years ago, I’ve always had 12 pound dogs. The people who have aggressive animals (this really means the dogs are not trained for behavior) have the attitude that they are never in the wrong. If their dog attacks you or your dog and you call them out, they laugh and tell you to go elsewhere. So those dogs mimic owner behavior. No surprise. Its the entitlement thing. As far as getting the dog warden there, the offenders are long gone by then.. I’ve been through this too many times. Its a no- win unless changes are made and rules instituted. Take videos, pictures and follow them and get a pic of their license plate and call animal control to report. What a drag. The few spoil for the many. Far as enclosed area, that has been brought up in Westport Front Porch many times, but nothing changes
I have lived in Westport for years and stopped taking our dogs to Winslow ages ago. I too have driven to other towns to let our pups romp in fenced in dog parks. It amazes me the town doesn’t have a fenced in dog park at Winslow. It’s a huge area that could easily accommodate one.
Totally agree. I have always been shocked that there is no barrier between the off-leash areas and the heavily trafficked roads on both sides of the park. Even well trained dogs can be intimating when they rush towards a new potential friend, and canine aggression can sometimes be hard to predict.
100% agree with the serious concerns and opportunity to improve the safety and peace of mind for pups and pup owners alike. We stopped taking our pup to WP for the same reasons and every time I drive by I find myself on the look out for running dogs on the road for fear of a bad outcome.
As a long time Westport resident, I would like to offer some historical perspective. The reason I believe that Winslow doesn’t have fencing is that it was never intended to be “a dog park”. It was acquired by town referendum to be “passive open space” instead of being sold to a developer. It became a dog park de facto since no other people activities were encouraged or offered. At the time roller blading was popular and I thought it would be nice to have some safe paved paths for that or a miniature golf course or even to have located the beach playground (which was being proposed) there. Even though I had a dog at the time and have one now I never go there. I would prefer my tax dollars to be used to providing people activities too and constraining the dogs many of which are out of towners.
Sign the petition! The signatures will help gauge the start of looking at Winslow park to review potential areas where a small fenced in stress can go!
https://chng.it/YK8fC8XTBJ
I have long thought that the proceeds from the Westport Dog Festival should go toward building two enclosed areas for off-leash dog play, one for small dogs and one for larger dogs. Another possibility is to allocate some of the ARPA funds that are still unused. Either way, it is time. I too drive to other towns to enjoy such amenities, and it is absurd that Westport has not stepped up and created a safe playspace for our dogs.
Pet protection. Human protection
You have to respect those two rules.
Even at Compo people don’t control their dogs.
There is an area for free running. There is an area for leashed walking. 95% of people allow their dogs run free in the LEASHED area
Not everybody wants your sweet 15 lb or 150lb pound dog
Running at them
I have had 4 Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
Respect the animal Respect the people
I fullly agree with this article. As a member of the Westport community and the Winslow Park community, I feel as if I have had similar experience. It is too much of the wild wild west out there at the park and too unpredictable as far as how all dogs will react. They are animals after all. I think the park provides a potentially beautiful space for us to walk our dogs, but after having dogs that were bit, I’ve stopped going.
I agree with a redesign of the park!
Great piece. Completely agree. If folks would only have a bit of common sense about their unpredictable pets, we wouldn’t have to visit Winslow in fear, or not at all. My Shepherd pup was also attacked at Winslow Park last year. And the dog who bit him belonged to my VET… who KNEW her dog had control and aggression issues. What kind of responsible dog owner, let alone vet would allow this? What is wrong with these owners? We’re not asking for your dogs to be perfect, but don’t put us in dangerous situations.
Wow, I have been taking my dogs to Winslow Park for many years, nearly every day. While I will agree with some of what people have been talking about such as a fence along the road, for dogs protection, I think it’s a great place, and we should be thankful we have it. It sounds like to me, people haven’t seen what dog parks look like in other places. Maybe you should investigate some. I for one think the idea of paving more places in Winslow would be taking the charm away from what little green spaces we have left in Westport. I see dogs playing on the grass (sometimes dirt or mud) running through the trees, chasing squirrels and whatever else is there. As dogs love to do.
My biggest complaint is about the people who don’t pick up after their dogs or stand by and watch them dig holes.
Westport would do well to look into the kind of divided dog park Wethersfield provides its canine companions. One side for larger/more assertive dogs, one for smaller and younger ones. It’s pretty amazing. https://wethersfieldct.gov/content/398/422/5195.aspx
I am all for fencing in part of Winslow Park.
We need safe options for our dogs.
I literally spend more time in the summer by our other house because of our fenced in dog parks , which, due to owners and board of directors diligence runs exceptionally well. We have fundraisers and have turned it into something special.
Dogs are divided by size and or temperament.
I have long wanted to see this happen.
We could create that here and still have plenty of land for folks that want to have their dogs run free
Let’s do this.
Karen Kramer
D5
203-858-2049
Your observations are very thoughtfully expressed, along with the multiple suggestions of how this area could be even better for all.
Dog owner here. My dog is very social yet not aggressive. I take him to Winslow from time to time but watch him vigilantly given the lack of fences and other dogs (and their owners) who are less careful about interactions, etc. I view Winslow as a park that allows dogs, not a specific “dog park” as so many incorrectly use to reference that area. Similar to caveat emptor, Winslow has many plusses but some known negatives and poor dog behavior is impossible to “police”. So go if you want, or don’t. But let’s not pretend Westport will be able to divvy up dogs by temperament. Comes down to the owners – not the dogs – and people should simply be more thoughtful. Not a government intervention event!
Our daughter, like a lot of Fairfield Co. young adults, lives in Brooklyn. She lives near a park called, “Maria Hernandez.” They have a reasonably sized pen, I don’t know the size, (maybe 20’ by 100’?) with low chain link fencing, divided between clearly marked areas for large dogs, another for small dogs. You can let your dog off leash knowing he/she won’t run away or get hit. You can be confident that small dogs won’t get chomped by big ones, and if same size dogs were to have a bad interaction, all owners are right there in the area, and I am sure there is a shame factor if your dog is undertrained and aggressive. I have never seen a bad interaction there.
If Dan and readers want, next time I visit her I will happily take pictures and measure. I know “chain link” sounds ugly (we could always tap into local talent to find a more attractive fencing material, though it adds cost), but the fence is just high enough to be a barrier to jumping dogs, it’s kind of unobtrusive.
I would imagine sinking a bunch of fence poles, hanging the fence, they have turn style gates but self closing might be ok- it would be pretty inexpensive, and it could even be located within sight of the Winslow parking area to make break-ins there less attractive (or wherever in the park). The rest of the park could be on leash only.
Is this of any interest? If so I am happy to have an excuse to visit my daughter with our dog, Scout, and take pictures!
As a longtime dog owner, I’ve found one of the joys of living in Westport is the free and open aspect of Winslow Park. If you have a dog that roams, use a leash. if you have an anti-social dog don’t bring it to a social place. In my opinion, carving up territory with do’s and don’ts would most likely bring up more unintended consequences – that really come down to the people not the pooches.
Oh good another funewgy heard from. The town purchased that property as open space. It has somehow morphed into a “dog park”. Perhaps it’s time to ban dogs altogether and let folks enjoy the property as was intended. And yes I’m also a dog lover, but I would never own a dog and count on others to supply running space..
I love Winslow Park and so do the five dogs that we have owned over the 40 plus years we have lived in Westport. No question incidents occur and if a special fenced in area would provide comfort to those who have bad experiences or simply them, that should be done. It would be no big deal and cost very little. In the meantime, Winslow Park is a wonderful spot for me and our Golden Retriever, Maizie.
Oh, yes, I think the appearance of Winslow Park has improved dramatically under the efforts of Michael West. Michael arrived as a Town employee a fee years ago and his presence and his park workers have made a positive difference.
Sounds like the author is a first time dog owner (or first as an adult in charge of their own animal). Our family is, too. It’s a steep learning curve. The first thing you’ll learn is, regardless of enclosures or leashing or whatever, people who really know dogs (like many of the great trainers around Fairfield County) don’t ever take their animals to dog parks, and will readily advise you to do the same. More directly, they HATE dog parks. There are many reasons, but essentially dog parks encourage aggressive pack behavior, are unpredictable and uncontrolled, and overstimulate dogs with peers rather than keeping their focus on their owner (which makes them easier to train). Not to mention disease spread…
As for Winslow – I take my dog there sometimes, mostly because it is convenient, but I know it’s a risk. My dog is always on leash, for two reasons. One, he has lousy recall, made worse by his extreme pack instincts and prey drive. One time I let him drag a 20ft leash and had the bad fortune of coming across a deer that had wandered into the park. He chased it across N Compo before I could grab the leash – and that was the end of the leash dragging experiment. Second, on leash I have some control over his interactions, especially when he encounters a group of dogs all at once, which can be pretty stressful for any dog. I have to be careful to keep the leash slack and untangled during these interactions, and I watch the proceedings like a hawk while trying to convey relaxed and happy feelings. If I’m not in the mood for all that, I just take him somewhere else.
My perception is that the town is not interested in investing in Winslow which, as I understand it by popular town rumor (maybe someone can fact check) was donated to the town with a restriction that it be used as a dog park. The inadequate parking, the sole garbage cans at the back of the Playhouse lot, the crumbling pathways, the dirt track, the erosion, the lack of a barrier at North Compo, all point to almost aggressive neglect. I, too, wish it were different. I’m a little more pessimistic than you, though, that an enclosed space would prevent negative interactions, which can sometimes be exacerbated by a defined territory.
The good news is there are many great places to walk your dog around town, places that are better for both your dog and for your sanity.
Dog parks are horrible, you’re exactly right Richard. I get that these folks mean well but they don’t understand that enclosed dog parks are hugely problematic. They also don’t understand the maintenance and cleaning and the infrastructure they require.
Winslow Park was purchased by the town, not donated. The purchase was subjected to a town voter referendum. I know. I voted for it. I forget the year, but I think in the late 80’s. It was never designated as a “dog park”. It was designated as passive open space.
I think it would be wonderful to have a fenced in area at Winslow for dogs. It’s been brought up in the past.
There are places for kids to play sports & playgrounds. We don’t have children, our kids are our dogs. I would love to have a safe place to play off leash with them.
We’d need enough people to petition the Park & Rec commission to consider a proposal. It needs to then go through town approvals. I’m sure we would need to raise money for the project.
Turn the whole thing into affordable housing. Solves the 8-30g head ache, and people who buy dogs can deal with them on their own terms – not a civic issue,
Leadership is meant to look forward to the future while accommodating all in the best way possible, with the least amount of negative consequences, while making everyone’s visit pleasant.
In the past, there have a been a number of incidents where dogs have entered the main road and were killed.
There was discussion of adding a crosswalk/sidewalks on Compo Road North. Another ball drop by the CDOT.
However, investing in donated open space is the best investment in this town, given the overreaching and destructive 8-30g unintended consequences from 1989 that burden many towns and lead to overdevelopment as well as increased barrier to entry thresholds for rent., As salaries increase, those prices do so too, with a scarcity of units in town.
Therefore…we need to invest to protect all open spaces in town. Westport should be buying up others to control. Westport in control prevents developers from destroying open space.
The current construction staging area in Winslow, off Compo Road North—after construction, would be an ideal awesome place to have an enclosure, where dogs can run off leash, with self policing from the public. The percentage of incidents are not as great as many would be alarmed to the “worst” in these projects. A split rail fence with darken chain link around it, enclosing would be amazing. It does not have to be an extremely large area.
Over a year ago, a resident approach PR to raise funds to improve fencing and perimeter border of Winslow. The department I believe ended up spending around $6k to enclose certain areas along the stone wall to Compo Road North. Dogs can still jump the wall, which they have.
This has been a long going effort and discussion and at some point, this Long Range Plan needs to come to life and be done.
Feel free to sign the petition, which I hope will get the discussion going.
https://chng.it/YK8fC8XTBJ
Winslow is also a pedestrian corridor- especially given there are no sidewalks on North Compo. Ideally there would be a leased dog only passage between the Deadman creek bridge and the playhouse entrances where people could walk or jog without being jumped on or bitten by unleashed dogs.
(Side note: the path from Evergreen to Winslow is very much in need of maintenance)
Fenced in dog parks are terrible. Any trainer will tell you that. You’ll only have more problems as novice owners with untrained and unsocialized dogs show up. This isn’t controversial, it’s very well known.
They also need to be constantly cleaned, so you need to budget for that and for setting up the plumbing so you have water in the winter. It’s expensive and not just unnecessary, but bad for dogs. Setting up some fencing along the road would be fine, but the idea that you need to build an urban-style dog park is just wrong.
I’ve been going to Winslow almost every day for several years now with my older dogs and I really enjoy it. Train your dog to have reliable recall and get an ecollar if you need to. If you can’t let your dog off-leash without worrying it will run away, you need to get a trainer, not a fenced-in dog park.
As others have posted, our dog was also attacked at Winslow, puncture wounds to the abdomen requiring an emergency vet visit. We did not have the luxury of time to call and wait for the police, we did however report the incident to the Westport Dog Warden, as well as an incident we observed another time at Winslow involving an extremely aggressive, unleashed dog. The Dog Warden is very responsive, if he does not answer the phone, leave a message, he will respond. If possible provide the owner’s license plate, vehicle details, time of day the incident occurred and description of the dog and the owner. It was our experience that he is well aware of these issues and will make every effort, even if it takes multiple visits, to find and speak to the owners of dangerous off-leash dogs and require them to be leashed or leave the park. He is a valuable town resource.
I’m sorry y’all are having a hard time with awesome Winslow Park. I’ve been going there for decades with our various dogs. My Dad’s German Shepherd puppy got rolled by a pack of dogs running at hime to play with him. She got scared so we socialized her elsewhere but then brought her back. Same thing happened to our other dogs.
It’s the owners. Train your dogs if you want them off leash. It’s not the town’s job. The owner is accountable not the Government.
The area near People’s Bank I was told was for small dogs. Our friend’s dog, Pedro, only allowed our Standard Poodles in that area because they grew up together since they were 11 weeks old. Otherwise, I respected that area was for small dogs and stayed on the rest of the property. The dog poop pickup has gotten better but not the hole digging. I am grateful that Westport has this nice property to hike and play.
Our Poodles were rolled by bigger dogs and one Alpha dog bit my dog. I told the owner that he shouldn’t bring an Alpha mean dog to a public place until he’s trained him. I said it nicely.
However, if a smaller fenced in pen near People’s Bank parking area for small or elderly dogs would make those owners comfortable … I agree. We travel to many States on business and many have a separate pen for small or shy dogs. The rest of the park is for other dogs who don’t have issues. I meet the nicest people at Winslow and deal with problems as they arise. I think Nell said it beautifully.
owners have to be responsible. i had a k9 that was perfectly trained. my current k9 still could use improvement thus requires close monitoring, frequent voice command, and i know when its time to reprimand, or go. when im with him my full attention is on him. he is actually scared of other dogs and its been a lot of work getting him comfortable. dog parks are not the best place so we very rarely go and instead find group classes with other k9 to socialize. my prior dog even broke up a dog fight once it scared me to death watching him run a couple hundred feet and pushing the two dogs apart. we used to frequent dog parks together and there were a couple really bad owners/dogs, one in particular was awful. how we fixed it? documenting the incidents with authorities who didnt do anything. eventually a few of us banded together, took pictures of the owner and his dog, and posted his face and dog all over the neighborhood, park, and social media as a BOLO. he was a drunk with a pitbull that bit probably a dozen other dogs, two attacks that i personally witnessed (unprovoked), and he tried to leave the scene, a few of us removed our dogs, held the gate shut, until the police arrived. he had so many complaints on him they finally did something and IIRC the parks department issued him a restraining order baring him and his dog from all dog parks in the city. i never saw him or his dog again. one dog was so injured it was basically skinned. what i liked about this park in particular was it had two sections, when this crazy guy/dog came, everyone would move into the other section. it also served the purpose to allow dogs to acclimate with one another and owners to work on various training.
That’s intriguing.
This Monday, I observed a German Shepherd called “Mishka” displaying aggressive behavior towards at least three smaller dogs, while the owner seemed unable to manage him. “Mishka” wasn’t responsive to calls and needed to be put back on leash repeatedly.
Here’s a photo I took as a reminder to steer clear of this dog in the future: https://imgur.com/xg4hlgK