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'Unleashed' indoor dog park in Dallas bans pit bulls in play areas

04:42 PM CDT on Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By LIZ FORD / The Dallas Morning News

A doggie dream park is opening up in Dallas, but not all tails are wagging.

Unleashed, a 50,000-square-foot indoor dog park that will offer a café and grooming services, is opening its facilities to all breeds but one: pit bulls.

The reason? Insurance, said co-owner Cody Acree.

Insurance companies are leery of pit bulls because of their reputation, Acree said, and asked "Unleashed" to exclude them at its park at 5151 Samuell Blvd.

“It’s not our call,” he said. “I’d much rather take every animal and customer.”

Pit bulls were banned after an owner was bitten by his own dog during the park’s first day of operation, Acree said.

John Boeglin, 49, went to Unleashed with his three rescue dogs -- a pit bull mix, a golden Shepherd and a Shar-Pei. Boeglin says his dogs are in training, and wanted to keep them on their leashes.

“Once we were inside they insisted leashes and collars come off,” Boeglin said. “We had a problem with the policy.”

When his pit bull mix, Pinta, met a pit bull, the dogs began to fight.

“You get one pit bull facing another pit bull and they will not back down,” he said. When Boeglin tried to pry apart the two dogs, Pinta bit him in the hand.

The incident has led to more restrictions at the park. Dogs are now checked in and have their temperament observed, Acree said. The business also requires proof of vaccination and veterinary records to verify the breed.

“Its unfortunate, but we’d much rather the remaining customers have an experience that’s pleasant,” he said.

Laura Dapkus, an official at the Lone Star State American Pit Bull Terrier Club, does not blame Unleashed for their pit bull ban.

“I’m not surprised the insurance carrier did that,” Dapkus said. “As a business owner myself, I wouldn’t appreciate someone on the outside telling me what to do with my business.”

Dapkus owns three purebred rescue pit bulls, one pit bull mix, and had a chow that recently died. She said she has to be careful where she takes her dogs camping, an activity they love.

“We can’t take out pit bulls or our chows to private parks in Texas anywhere,” Dapkus said. “You get used to the discrimination. It doesn’t mean its OK, but we’re trying to change that.”

Acree said that pit bulls are still welcomed in the supply and grooming centers at the facility -- just not the park area.

Pit bulls will also miss out on March 28 the park's official grand opening, which will feature canine celebrities such as the world’s tallest Great Dane.

Boeglin does not have any hard feelings towards Unleashed.

“I know the company is doing the best they can and has the best intentions. We all have the best intentions. We just did the wrong things,” he said.

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