Dog Days of Summer are all washed up at the Humane Society

Maera, a shelter dog, plays on the new splash pad, as Stephanie Roberts, the shelter operations manager, right, gives her an ice cream treat on the opening day of Petunia Park, the new splash pad for dogs, at the Humane Society of Marion County on Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021. A donor, who wanted to remain anonymous, donated $50,000 to the Humane Society for the 20 x 20 foot splash pad. Petunia Park also includes an agility area for dogs in addition to a doggie pool and a doggie sandbox. Petunia Park will be used for shelter dogs to give them the chance to get outside, cool off and have some fun. The park will not be open to the public to use as a splash pad for dogs. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

Home » Community

Posted November 12, 2021 | By Rosemarie Dowell
Ocala Gazette Correspondent

The unbearable Dog Days of Summer are all washed up at the Humane Society of Marion County, thanks to an anonymous benefactor.

Come hot weather time, the society’s pooches will have a state-of-the-art splash pad to play and cool off in, complete with fountains, fire hydrants, and dog bone-shaped water features.

Dubbed Petunia Park in memory of a beloved dog the donor adopted from the non-profit, no-kill organization years ago, the play area had a soft opening Wednesday (Nov.10) with plans to host a grand opening sometime in April when warm weather returns.

“Petunia passed away and she wanted to do something in memory of her as well as her two other dogs,” said Mary Rutt, the society’s director of finance and human resources.

“We have a play area, but she wanted someplace nicer for them to enjoy,” Rutt, who is also a friend of the benefactor, added.

The longtime donor gave $100,000 to the society earlier this year to cover the cost of the splash pad and other improvements at the shelter, she said.

Besides the 20-foot by 20-foot water feature, there’s more tail-wagging fun for the pampered pooches, including a ballpark area, obstacle course, tunnel, and even a chew zone. A portable pool for wading in will be nearby.

“They’ll be entertained and get cooled off at the same time”, said Rutt. “It’ll be a great place for volunteers to interact with our dogs too.”

Rutt said roughly $50,000 was used to construct the splash pad, while the rest purchased x-ray and dental machines and covered some needed enhancements. The donor has also supported upgrades at the facility in the past, including its original surgical suite as well as kennels, she said.

“She’s been an amazing friend to our organization,” Rutt said of the donor, a former Dunnellon resident who now lives in New England. “She never wants her name used and just wants to help our dogs and enrich their lives.”

Constructed by My Splash Pad (cq), an Ohio-based contractor, the splash pad went from a planned-to-completed project in record time, thanks to a last-minute cancellation the company had in late summer, she said.

“We’re so lucky to have it done so quickly; usually, there’s an 18-month waiting list,” Rutt said, “but they called me up and said they could start in August. We jumped on the opportunity and said we’ll take it.” However, the project did have some doggone hurdles.

“We had problems with permitting and had to compromise on the design because some of the things we wanted were just too costly,” said Rutt.

Still, the organization is thankful its dogs will have an escape from the heat when Florida’s temperatures start to climb again and are grateful to the donor who made it happen, she said.

“She’s been an angel: all she wants is to make sure they have everything she can give them,” said Rutt.

Meanwhile, the benefactor is planning to attend the splash pad’s official grand opening in the spring, she said.

“She just wants to sit down on the ground and say, “‘Let the games begin,’” said Rutt.