SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash.– The future of Spokane County’s first ever dog park is up in the air.
The Patricia Simonet Laughing Dog Park opened in 2006 inside the Gateway Regional Park near the Idaho state line.
The land is owned by the Washington Department of Transportation. Spokane County leases the land at a cost of $32,000 a year. Dealing with budget shortfalls, County Commissioners decided to close the park on April 21st when the current lease expires.
When word of the closure reached the ears of dog lovers, the county began to hear about.
Now, county commissioners are looking at options to keep the park open. They are having conversations with the Department of Transportation along with asking if SCRAPS would be able to cover some of the operating costs such as mowing and keeping a garbage dumpster available.
If the dog park closes, the next closest dog park is Valley Mission Dog Park and Mission and Bowdish in Spokane Valley.
© 2026 KAYU FOX 28. All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted without written permission.
