Abilene is a great place to live, not just for its two legged residents, but their much furrier best friends as well. The Camp Barkeley Dog Park, named after the old Civil War fort located 11 miles southwest of Abilene (since renamed Dyess Air Force Base), and in homage to every dog’s favorite word, opened in late November, giving the city a new pet-friendly resource on top of its already very walkable cityscape.

When the original Camp Barkeley was built, it was only meant to be a temporary encampment, now not only does the original structure still function in a military capacity, but the name will live in four-legged lore. The new Camp Barkeley is located next to the Abilene Zoo, but don’t worry, your pet will be neither caged nor on display, rather privy plenty of controlled walking space and an acre of leash free land on which they can run wild wild within reason, of course. In order to ensure the safety of all dogs and their owners, there are rules in place regarding proper conduct and park use. Abiding by these simple sixteen do’s and don’ts will keep the city’s newest recreational resource fun for the whole family from the ground up:

The dog park is open dawn to dusk.
Dogs must be licensed and have current rabies vaccinations on their tags or the owner
must have a current rabies vaccination certificate in their possession while using the park.
Dogs belonging to City of Abilene residents must display city license tags.
Dogs must remain on leash while entering and exiting the park gates. Both the small dog
and large dog areas are double gated and the exterior gate must be closed before opening
the interior gate. Dogs should be unleashed while they are between the inner and outer
gates before they are allowed to enter the park.
Owners must remain inside the enclosures at all times while their dog is in the park
Any dog exhibiting aggressive behavior must be removed immediately.
Owners are responsible for damage or injury inflicted by their dogs.
Owners must have a visible leash with them at all times.
Owners are responsible for removal and proper disposal of feces of their pets.
All children must be under strict supervision and children under 12 must be accompanied
by an adult.
There is a limit of two dogs per person per visit.
Puppies under 4 months are not allowed.
Dogs in heat are not allowed.
The small dog area is for dogs less than thirty (30) pounds only.
Food is not allowed in the park area. Dog treats are not allowed in the park area.
Spiked collars are not allowed in the park.