Dog Park Closure: Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the dog park closed?

The dog park was originally closed in early February for routine maintenance and cleaning, with a planned reopening of June 1. During our insurance carrier's annual renewal review in April, we were notified that the carrier would no longer offer liability coverage for the dog park. Without liability coverage, CAS cannot reopen the park to the public. The closure is currently indefinite.

Was the park closed specifically because of maintenance issues?

No. The maintenance closure was always intended to be temporary, with a June 1 reopening date. The indefinite closure is the result of a separate and unrelated issue: our insurance carrier's decision to exclude the dog park from our liability coverage. Maintenance is not the reason the park remains closed.

Other communities have public dog parks — why doesn't Cheyenne?

Many communities have dog parks operated by a city or county parks department, where liability is handled differently than it is for a nonprofit animal shelter. Privately or nonprofit-operated dog parks like ours are becoming increasingly rare nationwide, largely due to the same liability concerns we've encountered. After our carrier declined to renew coverage, we conducted a nationwide search for an insurance provider willing to cover the park, and we were unable to find a single company willing to offer that coverage. This is a reflection of a broader, industry-wide shift in how this type of risk is underwritten — not a reflection of changes to the park itself.

Why doesn't posted signage (like a liability waiver sign) solve this problem?

Posted signage can reduce risk in some circumstances, but it does not eliminate liability exposure, and it does not change how our insurance carrier underwrites the risk of an off-leash, multi-dog public space. Courts in many cases have still held property owners responsible for injuries that occur on their premises, signage notwithstanding, especially when the owner could reasonably foresee that injuries are common in this type of unsupervised, off-leash setting. Our carrier's decision was based on the underlying risk of the activity itself, not on whether warning signs were present.

Why can't the dog park shift to a private membership model to cover insurance costs?

We looked at this option. A membership model would require CAS to independently administer memberships, billing, access control, and its own separate liability coverage for the park — all at a cost that would far exceed any revenue we could reasonably expect to collect from members. Given the park's size and the typical participation we'd expect, a membership fee structure isn't financially sustainable as a way to fund the insurance and upkeep the park needs.

There used to be a donation link for the dog park on-site. Why can't that funding be used to insure and maintain the park?

We appreciate that some visitors have wanted to support the park directly. However, donations through that link were minimal: in the prior fiscal year, the link was used twice, collecting a total of $35. That amount is far short of what would be needed to cover even a fraction of the cost of independent liability coverage for the park, let alone ongoing maintenance. The core issue isn't a lack of funding for upkeep — it's that no insurance carrier has been willing to underwrite the park at any price.

What will happen to the Rainbow Bridge pet memorial in the park?

The Rainbow Bridge memorial has been relocated to another location on CAS property next to the main parking lot. We understand how meaningful this memorial is to the families who have used it to honor a pet, and we are committed to making sure it remains accessible and treated with care during the move.

What is CAS doing to try to reopen the park?

CAS is pursuing a legislative solution. We plan to support the introduction of a bill in the Wyoming Legislature in 2027 that, if passed, would allow shelters and similar organizations to operate dog parks without traditional liability insurance coverage, while still managing risk responsibly. This is not a guaranteed outcome, and any legislative change would take time, but it represents our most concrete path toward reopening the park. We will provide updates on this effort as it progresses.