Dog park grand opening Saturday

The grand opening of the 4-H River Bend Bark Park will be held on Saturday, Oct. 10, in correlation with National 4-H Week.

The Mustang 4-H Club came up with the idea to build a dog park in town for both residents and tourists to Hot Springs State Park, creating a fenced in area that would allow dogs to run and have fun while allowing their owners to be worry-free.

From the park’s inception, members of the Mustang 4-H club have raised all of the necessary funds through fundraising, grants from the Wyoming 4-H Community Fund, Central Bank & Trust Community Fund and through presentations to other community groups in Thermopolis.

The idea for the park started out with 12 dedicated 4-H members and their parents, who organized and undertook almost all of the construction for the Bark Park.

The park has received an overwhelming amount of support from the community, including Hot Springs State Park, which dedicated the land and some equipment for the park, and former 4-H Dog Leader Gayla Mead, who helped pick out appropriate equipment for the park.

The dog park, which is located on the west bank of the Bighorn River near Hot Springs State Park, will be opened at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

Local veterinarian Dr. Kevin Dickey will attend the opening celebration to talk about dog obesity and the importance of up-to-date vaccination for pets. His son, Luke, will attend with his famous homemade dog biscuits that won purple ribbons at both the local and state fair. Dr. Kevin Dickey has also donated two $50 gift certificates for services at Owl Creek Veterinary Services.

There will be a drawing for a doggie gift basket and collapsible dog water bowls will be given to the first 25 dogs at Saturday’s grand opening. Snacks and refreshments will be available for dogs and humans alike.