Pet owners appeal for more dog parks

Pet owners and advocates in Shanghai have asked for more downtown parks to open their gates to dogs, local media reported Sunday.

There are few parks in Shanghai that allow dogs inside as many parks are afraid the animals will make a mess or otherwise disturb visitors, said Lai Xiaoyu, deputy head of the Shanghai branch of the China Small Animal Protection Association.

One of the few parks that welcomes dogs is Shanghai Sculpture Park in Songjiang district. The park allows dog owners to walk their dogs without a leash for a 30 yuan ($4.80) fee, though the park requires that all of the dogs are licensed, according to a report in the Youth Daily.

"On average, there are at least 20 dogs every day in our park, and the number rises during weekends. Many foreigners drive all the way here to play with their dogs in a free, natural environment," Yang Chen, manager of the park's communication and marketing department, told the Global Times.

Lai said it was reasonable for a park to charge fees for providing these facilities and maintaining a clean environment.

There are an estimated 600,000 dogs living in Shanghai, including both licensed and unlicensed animals, according to a previous report in the Global Times.

Lai suggested that downtown parks with ample space designate special areas for dogs to play in.

The areas would have to be fenced off to prevent dogs from running off and disturbing other visitors.　

"Dogs are very happy if their owners can take them out without a leash, so that they can run around and socialize with other dogs," Lai told the Global Times.