Kennedy Pool Goes to the Dogs

Monday afternoon's late summer weather was perfect for a swim, and although pool officially closed for the season on Sunday, many of West Hartford's furriest residents celebrated the waning dog days in their own special way.

Tennis balls and fur flew, as canines of all shapes and sizes showed off their dog paddling and retrieving skills, waded in the shallow water, or chased each other around the deck of Kennedy Park pool at the .

Dog Park Coalition President Lauren Palmisano said that for the first few years they would just run one long session, but it would get very crowded. Monday's plunge was divided into two sessions of approximately two hours each, with a 15-minute pool cleaning scheduled in between.

At 4 p.m., there were about 25 dogs in and around the pool, and other than one Australian Shepherd who barked as it tried to herd the other dogs, the humans were noisier than their furry charges.

"Dogs generally come and stay for a half hour, get their swim, and go home," said Palmisano. Humans are not supposed to go into the water, and probably would not want to since it is no longer being properly filtered or sanitized, Palmisano said.

"It's a dog swim; people have had the pool all summer," she said.

Town lifeguards, along with Dog Park Coalition members and employees of , were on hand to ensure that the event went smoothly and to prevent injuries.

A pug, Yorkie, and Silky Terrier were among the smaller dogs in attendance, while a Newfoundland and several hefty labs were among the larger dogs participating.

All dogs attending the plunge were required to have an up-to-date license for 2012, and Town Clerk Essie Labrot and Assistant Town Clerk Madonna King were on hand to take care of those who still needed license renewals. "In the past we've had to turn dogs away," said Palmisano.

Labrot said that 2,668 West Hartford dogs have been licensed so far this year. "We typically get 3,200," said Labrot, who believes there are more than 5,000 dogs actually living in town.

Some people who have more dogs than they are supposed to (zoning limits residents to two dogs) may be reluctant to register them, but Labrot said that the Town Clerk's office encourages licensing all dogs. The dog warden regulates the number of allowable dogs, not the Town Clerk's office, she said.

The Pooch Plunge is a fundraiser for the Dog Park Coalition, which would like to build a dog park in West Hartford. Last year the group raised approximately $800. Their fell through, but several other sites are still under consideration.

An area along Trout Brook, across from Whole Foods, is being considered, but awaiting feedback from the DEEP which owns some of the land. "We're very hopeful that the state will see that this will be fantastic for the community and it will be ultimately successful," said Palmisano.

The Trout Brook parcel is not the same , she said.

Also under consideration is property at the MDC's Farmington Ave. reservoir. "The challenges there are more robust land use issues," said Palmisano, who said that the MDC has nevertheless been very responsive.

On Monday, the dogs were unaware of land use issues and politics, enjoying their day in the sun and water.

Resident Chris Chase threw tennis balls to 7-year-old Scooter, a black lab, who continuously dove into the pool and retrieved them. "This is awesome. It's our first time, and this is great," Chase said.