1 of 4

Dogwood Park - Permanently Closed

Dogwood Park is permanently closed. Visit Website

Or call (813) 274-8230 for more information.

Reviews

BringFido Guest Rating

Dogwood Park - Permanently Closed has received a rating of 3.1 out of 5 bones by 9 canine critics on BringFido.

  • Debra
    Jul 29, 2021
    Closed

    Permanently closed

  • Marcelle
    Mar 25, 2021
    Animal cruelty at Must Love Dogs (old Dogwood Park)

    On February 2021, our dog was brutally mistreated at this place. Our dog is a 1-year old, lab-pitbull mix, who is the sweetest and most loving dog we’ve ever had. He is amazing with my kids and with other kids and dogs in our neighborhood, and he has never been aggressive towards anyone or other pets. Short after dropping our dog off at MLD for a play day, a family member witnessed our dog getting aggressively grabbed by his chest, pushed to the ground, and finally kicked by a staff member. I have tried to get law enforcement involved. However, the deputy was presented with a paused and manipulated surveillance video of very low quality. The video had the wrong timestamp and only showed what was convenient - a very small part of the entire scene. There were consecutive requests from law enforcement to obtain the entire morning video, which was never released by the MLD owner. In the incident report, the staff member alleged that our dog was attacking another dog, and she said “I did what I was trained to do here”. Have I ever been notified prior to this day that our dog was aggressive towards other dogs there? No, never. Have I ever agreed with the use of such brutal actions to put my dog “in time out”? Absolutely not. Three weeks later, I was finally able to watch a video at the MLD owner’s attorney office. The short video showed the first brutal tossing of (what appears to be) our dog on the ground, and the video is paused soon after that. The video DOES NOT show our dog attacking to another dog, or any reason for such violence. The MDL owner has objected to the release of the entire morning video. In other occasions, our dog has returned home with bloodshot eyes after spending time at MDL. The answer I got when questioning their staff was “it must be the outside sand getting on his eyes”. Coincidently or not, bloodshot eyes is one of the signs of animal abuse. Regrettably, I never took the time to read the previous reviews of several unsatisfied customers with similar complaints about this place and their customer services. As said by the MLD owner that day “I have been sued a couple of times here and that is why I have an attorney on retainer”. I sincerely hope no other family will ever experience such cruelty to their pets - there or any place else - because unfortunately there is no law protecting animals in cases like ours.

  • Megan
    May 23, 2020
    Dogwood (Now Must Love Dogs)

    I was a member here for a long time, but stopped after noticing a definite decline in the facilities. Original buildings & gazebo literally falling apart with unsafe steps and flooring. I used the wash tubs & my foot almost went thru the floors. Ice cold water indoors because the heaters weren’t working, after I paid $12/dog for a bath indoors in the cold weather so my dogs wouldn’t freeze. In the end, I could have gotten it for free outside. The ponds are not as well maintained, nor are the grounds, although since new ownership, it’s gotten slightly better.
    I gave it 2 bones because it’s location is great, the size of the park is fantastic & it is slightly nicer then the public parks. That being said, I don’t know If the cost of admission for what I get is worth it.

  • Amanda
    More than a year ago
    incompetent staff, unsafe conditions

    We were monthly members for a few months. When we signed up, they told us the weekend rate covers Fri-Sun. But a couple months later we were told we could not use the park on Fridays. When we attempted to close our membership, we had to follow up several times to get them to do it. We had already turned in our key and could not access the park, yet we’re still charged for another month. They refused to refund the charge. Finally, the one time we boarded our puppy there, he came home with severely scraped knees and had lost a few pounds. They will not let owners see the boarding area. They told us our four month old whippet jumped the enclosure. He wouldn’t even jump in the car at that age. In the end, we found the staff way too incompetent and the facilities too unsafe for our dog. Too bad, it could be a nice place if the owners invested in maintenance and training their staff.

  • Hailey
    More than a year ago
    Friendly Staff and Spacious

    I was passing through on New Years Eve and just missed their opening hours, however the staff was still there and let me in for the day! They were very accommodating and helpful. I wish I lived in the area because the dog park itself is a great space. Has a swimming area and a bathing station when finished. The staff will even provide towels. Very happy.

  • Current member
    More than a year ago
    Park declining!

    What could be a great place is plagued with ineffectual owner/management oversight, longtime entitled members who ignore their dogs' poor behavior, and lack of well established and posted dog and owner behavior rules. Grounds are filled with downed trees and branches. Ponds are not well maintained, coated with slime and surrounded by deteriorating materials from original installation. Better public parks available!

  • Nancy
    More than a year ago
    Plenty of space to run

    Stopped by the Dogwood Park after two full days on the road from Wisconsin. My two Brittanies were in desperate need of a run, and boy did they get one here. There's a charge to use the park (covers all day - you can leave and return if you like) but it was worth every penny. This park is about 15 acres with two well maintained ponds. They even provided tower to help dry my swimmer dog before we left. I will definitely stop back here when I pass through Gainesville on my way back north in the spring.

  • Betty
    More than a year ago
    Great Dog Park

    Park was huge, with 2 ponds for swimming, an agility area, and plenty of trees!! Staff was very friendly & helpful!!

  • Loralyn
    More than a year ago
    Owner of many dogs

    This is a great fun place to take your dog(s)! At least 10+ acres of open park land with huge shade trees, ponds and squirrels for the dogs to chase!! There is a convenient self service bath for after playing. Highly recommend

Post a Review

Location

Traveler Photos

We dug up 3 pictures of dogs at Dogwood Park - Permanently Closed.

Want to feature your creature? Upload a photo of your pet at Dogwood Park - Permanently Closed! You can also share by using the hashtag #bringfido on FacebookTwitter or Instagram.

Add a Photo
Dogwood Park - Permanently Closed