Serious incidents at the city’s dog park could lead to some residents and pets being banned from the location on Main Street Extension.

Last week, Third Ward Councilman James Stoyle questioned the issue involving a black and white husky mix named Vader and a black lab mix named Corvus that happened a month ago. Some claim the husky was left at the park without supervision of the owners.

“I spoke with our dog control officer (Denise Zentz) … and we’re going to address it and see what we can do,” Police Chief Dave Ortolano said. “I know she’s talked to the city attorney (Richard Morrisroe) about some of these issues. If we have issues with someone my advice is they’re warned and if it continues then they are banned from the park and we would charge them with trespassing and we serve them with a notice that if they come back we would charge them with trespass if they don’t learn to control their animal.”

Fourth Ward Councilwoman Nancy Nichols responded that she had been in contact with Morrisroe to see if any resolutions would have to be passed so that the city is not liable for any incidents that may happen there.

“I think the issue there is that if we treat the dog park like the public parks,” Morrisroe stated. “When people go to use the public parks it’s kind of at your own risk and I think as Police Chief Ortolano mentioned the same rules would apply there. So if you have somebody that’s causing a nuisance, we have the right to ban them and essentially if they come back after they’ve been warned we have the right to charge them with trespassing and have them removed.”

Morrisroe noted that if the city were to do any kind of civil penalties they would need a resolution because that would have to be introduced into a local law specific to the dog park.

Nichols did point out that the park is always on camera and city officials would know if there are constant violators with their animals that they would be subject to the ban as well.