Pastorius Park

Or call (215) 683-3600 or email parksandrecreation@phila.gov for more information.

• Frank
  Jun 17, 2022
  Prefer something more positive such as "Dog Delights"

  Pastorius Park is largely "carefree" and considerate. That's why I love it. I sincerely lament that other "dog lovers" don't find it so. I regret and apologize for any unpleasantness my free and carefree dog Leo may have caused. It's my fault, not his. He is faultless. I am not.

• Travis
  Apr 15, 2021
  A wonderful, beautiful place for dog lovers

  Pastorius Park is wonderful. It's a picturesque 30-ish acre park including lots of old growth trees, a meadow, and well-maintained pond.

  I was saddened to see how low the reviews are for here. It's actually a great place.

  Officially, like everywhere in Philadelphia, this is a park where leashes are required. This is a law that almost no one follows.

  99% of the time, this makes for a wonderful time. Most of the dogs here are well behaved, and a typical scene in the park is half a dozen or so dog owners gathered in friendly conversation while their dogs play nearby. My wife's and my golden retriever is not usually the most social, so we typically throw a ball for him off on our own. Occasionally, another dog visits and they briefly sniff butts, and then the dog goes back to playing with others.

  The 1% (on which the existing reviews are heavily focused) is that once in a rare while (about once every year or two) you hear about a dangerous or misbehaving dog that should have never been brought to the park or let off leash and attacked someone. When it happens, people are justifiably upset and the local police briefly come down hard on enforcing the leash law (driving their police cars into the park blaring on a megaphone to leash your dog, which typically has the effect of just chasing everyone away). But after a month or two of that, the enforcement lets up and people gradually get back to letting their dogs off leash again.

  To be clear, except for the once-in-a-blue-moon incidents described above, this place is great for anyone who loves dogs. Before my wife and I adopted our golden, we used to visit here all the time to read books and enjoy the occasional furry visitor looking for pets. It was always a great time.

  If you do not like dogs, or if you do not like people that let their dogs off leash, then yes, you will not like it here. But for people looking for a friendly place to give their dog some space to run around, I cannot recommend this place highly enough.

• Allison
  Aug 4, 2019
  Pups Loves The Water

  No, it is not technically a dog park. However, many people use it as a nice place to take their dog. I like it because it is not swarmed with dogs and nice place for humans as well. There’s a water fountain with dog bowls that seem to live there, a tiny shallow creek section and a pond.

• Joe
  More than a year ago
  They fine dogs off leash

  Don't bring your dog here unless you want a fine. It's not a dog park, it's clearly labelled. It's not dog friendly, in fact my dog was attacked by another off leash dog. After a few recent dog attacks, one on a child, they have clamped down on dogs in the park, ticketing any dog off leash.

  Unless you want a fight... with neighbors and with other dogs... don't bring your dog here.

• William Pastorius
  More than a year ago
  Not a dog park

  This is not a dog park

• Aracely
  More than a year ago
  Not A Dog Park!!!! Obey leash laws

  This is a lovely open public park who dog owners treat like a dog park and don't obey leash laws. Not every dog being walked on a leash wants to be ambushed by a dog off leash, my dog doesn't take kindly to that kind of greeting. So guess who has to stay away???

We dug up a dog picture at Pastorius Park.

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