- March 8, 2025
Flagler County’s Wadsworth Park dog park will remain closed for the week.
After being informed that a dog that was infected with parvovirus had visited the park last week, Flagler County park officials closed the dog park until further notice out of an abundance of caution. There is no indication that the dog contracted the virus from the park, but may have contaminated the area.
Since then, park officials have cleaned the area removing any dog droppings and sprayed the area with a bleach product designed to remove the virus. The park will remain closed this week while county staff takes this opportunity to perform additional maintenance.
Dr. Cynda Crawford, from the University of Florida’s Center of Veterinary Medicine, said that testing the park grounds for the virus would be impractical, that the parvovirus is present in organic soil and particularly in areas frequented by dogs.
“Since the exposure risk is high in places commonly frequented by dogs, the best practice is to ensure that dogs are properly vaccinated against parvovirus,” Dr. Crawford wrote in an email to Flagler County’s Agricultural Extension Service. She also advised dog owners with puppies to avoid taking them to dog parks or areas frequented by other dogs until they are old enough to acquire immunity via vaccination.
Since the opening of the Wadsworth Park dog park, signage has been posted requiring dogs visiting the park be vaccinated. Patrons visiting the park should adhere to the posted sign. The park is set to reopen sometime next week.
