“Students Speak” offers Westport teenagers a chance to share their thoughts and insights with the broader “06880” community.
Emme Dorfman is a junior at Staples High School. She is a member of the varsity soccer, ski and lacrosse teams. While working on a speech for her Rhetoric and Persuasion class, she realized she could actually make this idea happen.
She’s launched a survey (link at the bottom of this story). Emme writes:
I technically only have one sibling. But in my heart, I have three.
One is a freshman. The other two have 4 legs. They spend their days chasing tennis balls and begging for food. Their names are Bode and Ozzie.
Emme Dorfman, and “siblings.”
As much as I love my dog Bode, if he sees a squirrel, I’m done for. In fact, I almost broke my arm while chasing after him at Winslow Park because there was no fence to stop him.
While I did get some good cardio in, it was one of the scariest days of my life. Ever since, I’ve been very distrustful of letting Bode off leash anywhere in Westport.
According to the Animal Humane Society, about 10 million pets run away from their owners each year. That’s millions of families facing horrible moments that could be prevented.
If there were more places for dogs to safely run around and play, this number would drop drastically. For a town that prides itself on being safe, family friendly and community-oriented, it’s bizarre that Westport doesn’t have a single fenced-in dog park.
Although we have public areas for dogs to run around, like Winslow Park, Sherwood Island and Compo Beach, there isn’t one secure, fenced-in dog park, which almost every town around us has.
Dogs love Compo Beach. But they can’t be fenced in there. (Photo/JC Martin)
Weston has one, New Canaan has one, Trumbull has one. It’s time Westport has one too.
Just like humans, dogs love their social time. They need to be able to run around freely to get the mental and physical stimulation they need to stay happy.
Without it they can develop bad behavioral patterns like barking, leash-pulling or anxiety. Not only would this space be amazing for dogs, but it would also be creating a place for residents to connect and bond with one another.
So today, I’m asking that our town representatives consider my proposal to build a fenced-in dog park in Westport.
The average size for a fenced-in dog park is about ¼ of an acre. Winslow Park is 29 acres. With all that space, doesn’t it make sense to dedicate just a small portion to something that would bring so much value to our community?
Winslow Park has fences. But not the kind that keep dogs from running wherever they want. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
To see how a project like this would move forward, I talked to Planning & Zoning commissioner Michael Cammeyer, who expressed his full support for the idea.
While you might argue that constructing it would cost the town a lot of money, the reality is that a dog park doesn’t have to be a financial burden on the town. With all the money our residents spend on dog walkers, doggy care, let alone just toys, we would be able to come up with the funds through a combination of grants from the town and community donations.
This proposal is very realistic, and it fits directly into Westport’s community goals. Two primary objectives of our town’s Plan of Conservation and Development are to enhance the development of our town, while also encouraging sustainable patterns of land use.
To add to that, part of the Parks & Recreation mission statement is to achieve the standards that Westport residents expect of parks. By building a fenced-in dog-park, Westport would be fulfilling both of these missions and prioritizing the desires of its residents.
I understand the feeling of having to stare down your dog anytime you let them off leash, and that’s why I know how relieved dog-owners would be to have a place their dogs can socialize safely.
I’m hopeful we can build Dog-Port, a place where dogs can finally play freely and owners can actually relax. It’s time that Westport takes this idea off-leash, and makes it a reality for our four-legged siblings!
What do you think? To respond to Emme’s survey, click here.
(To submit a “Student Speaks” — or for questions about this feature — email 06880blog@gmail.com. We will work with students — at Staples, private schools or home-schooled — to help craft their story. Anonymity, if requested, is assured.)
An idea whose time has come. Thanks Emme!
Thanks for your support!
Columbia, Maryland has a dog park called Columbia DogPark. It has two parts, one for small dogs and one for large dogs. I know there’s water fountains, but one can google it for more details and information.
Thank you – Emme will look into it.
Love this, Emme! You have my support. (Also, I do a lot of donating to CT Dog Gone Recovery. You should get involved.)
Thanks so much Gerry – Emme will reach out to you this week.
Poop cameras 💩🎥
this is your contribution to a Staples student who shared a suggestion ?
It’s on brand.
We are so grateful for Dan’s continued support of the Westport community. Thanks to his spotlight on this issue, Emme is now looking forward to meeting with members of P&Z, Parks and Rec, the RTM, Board of Finance, and others.
Haha!
We would be backers. Our dog Chloe is a real squirrel hound.
Thanks for your support and we know all too well about the squirrels!
I would be a supporter
Thanks so much!
your very welcome. I would like to help I appreciate your thoughtfulness
I think this is a realistic and highly desirable objective. As an RTM member I would be eager to lend a hand and to advocate for this to occur.
Thanks so much – Emme will reach out to you and share her ideas on how to make this idea a reality.
Beautifully presented and thoroughly thought through, Emme! I totally support this endeavor. I love Winslow Park. Way back when, I was part of a committee urging the Town to designate Winslow Park as dedicated open space. I also love my dog… but we rarely go to Winslow these days as I lack the physical wherewithal to chase my dog down if she for some reason were to run towards the road. A fenced dog park at Winslow is a no-brainer and a long time coming. I’ll be happy to help you in any way that I can!
Thank you so much – Emme will definitely reach out and grateful for your support.
I am the current Chair of Parks & Rec Commission. This suggestion was brought to me (& others, I’m sure) in earnest by 3 RTM members earlier this year. Since we were in the midst of the Parks Master Plan, I made the request for evaluation to the consultant & suggested those RTM members also bring it up to him during stakeholder reviews. I expect this will be addressed in the draft report which will presented to the PRC and the public. I believe it was also mentioned several times during the PMP public forums.
So glad you are open to hearing more. Emme will reach out and she would love to present to Parks and Rec.
This is a GREAT idea. I have two large Labradors who love to be off leash and, frankly, dog owners who take their dogs to social environments tend to be friendly themselves, so it’s a pleasure being in those places . . . when it feels safe. Winslow Park, in particular, does NOT feel safe. No fence AND it’s 30 seconds sprint (for a dog) from Post Road East which is a death sentence. I’ve also noticed that the people who bring their dogs there seem quite different from those that go to Compo Beach (the only place I feel reasonably safe letting our dogs off the leash because it’s far from busy roads and the Sound is a huge and welcome distraction that keeps them focused on a certain geography). The Winslow dog “parents” are less friendly (by far) and, I suspect, may not be from Westport in many cases (otherwise, I’d probably see them at Compo, too). Regardless, this idea is long overdue and I’d happily support it financially (both through private donations and my tax dollars). I would suggest two locations – Winslow Park and Compo Beach, with separate areas for small and large dogs so owners of the former don’t have to feel intimidated by the latter (I have large dogs, but I can imagine). Thanks for starting this conversation!
Thanks for your support and love the idea of separate areas for smaller dogs and larger dogs. Emme will reach out to you!
Emma, I am so happy to see what you have written above. I think it’s extremely important that students be heard but more importantly… Physically involved in the future of Town planning. This is something that I’ve been working on with youth commission since 2016 along with many other projects.
I am hoping that you will pass along this link that I will list below. This started when myself, Karen Kramer, And a new resident named Mimi Sajda sat down with David Floyd as well as Erik Barbieri along with Mike West When Mike was still an employee of the town.
The schematic designs that I created were positioned on three areas of interest within Winslow Park. I am also happy to send those to you for transparency and public involvement purposes. This was suggested and implemented in the parks Master plan that the Parks and Recreation commission as well as the Parks advisory committee are heading right now. Two meetings have already occurred, data has been collected and there’s one more public meeting.
I would love it if you came to youth commission meetings at Toquet Hall! This is the best place for students to get involved in town government as well as town planning.
https://c.org/YK8fC8XTBJ
Please sign and share!!!
My email is Acolabella@westportct.gov EMAIL ME ANYTIME!
Thanks so much! Emme will definitely email you to learn more!
Yes!! Great minds think alike, Emme. Something we have been working on for a few years now. Hoping we will finally see our plan implemented this Spring when the new leadership is settled in.
YES!!!!
This idea keeps coming up regularly, and I say this every time: fenced in dog parks are horrible for your dog. Anyone who has experience with dogs knows this. Ask your vet! I’ve spent many, many hours in fenced in dog parks, and I absolutely hate them. There are much better solutions, like training your dog with an e-collar.
Not only are dog parks inherently bad, but Winslow is actually a terrible location for a fenced dog park. Building a fenced park next to an off-leash dog park is going to create all kinds of problems. Dogs will run up to the fence and get aggressive. The only way to do it is to build a whole buffer zone. Plus, you’ll have people walking their dogs on leashes through the off-leash park, which can also cause problems. Or you have to build an independent parking area.
I also don’t think people are being realistic about what it costs to build and maintain these parks. It’s not cheap if you’re going to do it properly. This park would need water lines put in, parking, a buffer zone, etc. etc.
I’m very happy with Winslow as it is. If inexperienced owners really feel the need to take their untrained dogs to a fenced in area so they can roll around in urine and get in fights with other random dogs, go for it, but putting one of these awful things at Winslow would be really unfortunate.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and we welcome all opinions. We are grateful for everyone filling out the survey and reaching out to us about this initiative.
As a neighbor of Winslow Park, I would be relieved to see a fence between my neighborhood and the OFF LEASH area. Most dog owners are responsible, caring people who, consistent with our ordinance, have their dogs trained to be under voice command if not leashed. But then there are the other clueless/lazy/irresponsible dog owners – who come crashing thru the woods yelling after their dog who is by now either chasing a fawn, going after waterfowl in Deadmans Brook, dodging traffic on Myrtle Avenue – or is halfway to Norwalk. It’s been my observation that these people are genuinely stupid – and proof that there ought to be license for dog owners – not just the poor dogs who are simply doing what is in their nature. But nothing in the way of a simple fence or buffer will be erected. I’ve lived here long enough to be quite sure of that.
You’re absolutely right, there are a ton of clueless dog owners these days. I hate fenced dog parks, but maybe it is a good idea for them to have someplace to go.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Hopefully we can work together and make this happen SOON!
Fantastic presentation Emme!! And long overdue!! Thank you for your efforts! I have been saying this for a long time now! I’m in full support for the health and safety of our beloved dogs!
Thanks Wendy. Hopefully in 2026 we can make Dog-Port a reality!
Thanks so much to everyone who is commenting, filling out the survey, and sending Emme emails and texts. She is at the library studying today (hello junior in high school!) but she will respond to everyone later and she will keep everyone posted on Instagram @project.dogport