If you've got a four-legged friend, chances are you've scoped out dog-friendly greenspace in your neighborhood. The Trust for Public Land just ranked the 100 largest U.S. cities, according to dog parks. At No. 40, Irving was the only North Texas town to crack the top 50.
Katherine Galindo and her pug Gorda consider the special enclosure for small dogs at White Rock Lake in Dallas a favorite spot. Though she'd love a few more options.
"I mean who doesn't really love dogs? They're so pure, so I mean there's not really enough dog parks," she said.
Therankingsby the Trust for Public Land confirm that:
- Dallas ranks rather low; it's 85th for dog parks on the list of 100 biggest cities.
- Fort Worth and Plano are tied at 92nd.
The rankings measure population against number of dog parks. Dallas has just .4 parks per 100,000 residents.
Dog-owner Alan Rios says the good news is, the parks Dallas does have are spacious and clean.
"They're all really nice, and you can tell that the environment is taken care of well. And the dogs always have fun, and that's what it's all about," he said.
Dixie Malloy thinks so too. She loves bringing her dog to White Rock. She says it helps him socialize, and the bonds she makes with other owners are precious to her.
"I don't ever think you could have enough dog parks," she laughs.
So even if Dallas was ranked first, Malloy jokes there would still be room to improve.
