FIDO Supporter Update: The Journey to Bring an Off-Leash Dog Park to Vashon Island
Dear FIDO Supporters,
Welcome to our most recent update! As we move forward with our mission to establish a safe, fenced, off-leash dog park on Vashon Island, we wanted to take this opportunity to share some background on our organization and update you on our exciting recent progress.
A Brief History of FIDO
Since 2015, advocates have been working diligently with the Park District and King County officials to create a safe, fenced, off-leash dog park on Vashon. In January 2022, we formalized these efforts by incorporating FIDO as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization to lead this initiative.
From the beginning, our goal has been modest but meaningful: we've sought just 3-5 acres of space for a fenced dog area, parking, and required setbacks—a small request considering King County owns or controls over 500 acres of land on Vashon.
Over the years, we've explored numerous potential locations, including:
Frog Holler
Sunrise Ridge
Island Center Forest
Agren Park
Paradise Ridge
Marine Park
Wingehaven
Inspiration Point
Lisabuela
Unfortunately, each location was dismissed for various reasons. When the County purchased the 110-acre Wax Orchard property, we were hopeful that a site would finally be designated for our dog park. However, we faced the same disappointing result.
A significant setback was revealed in 2024 when we learned that Title 7 of the King County Code did not permit additional dog parks in King County. This required us to pivot our strategy, leading to a Vashon-specific petition campaign to change Title 7. We're pleased to report that this change has now been made, allowing us to redouble our efforts with renewed determination.
Exciting Recent Progress
We're thrilled to share some significant breakthroughs in our journey:
At our most recent County meeting, we received the most positive response to date
The 188th property—currently under consideration—is a county-owned site being evaluated for potential use
The County has expressed willingness to apply for a grant to support our project
Most importantly, a Vashon dog park has been officially designated as a priority
We've secured verbal backing from Councilmember Mosqueda, representing important political support
These developments represent tremendous momentum after years of persistent advocacy!
How You Can Help
As we continue this journey, we need your support more than ever:
Property Search: FIDO is actively looking for a minimum 3-acre property that is ineligible for residential development as a possible location for the off-leash park. If you own or know of someone with an unused parcel that might be suitable, FIDO can provide compensation and/or a tax write-off to the owner. Your help in this area would be an invaluable contribution to our community.
Join Our Board: We're seeking additional board members to help guide and support our efforts. If you're passionate about creating this community resource, please consider volunteering your time and talents.
Spread the Word: Share our mission with fellow dog lovers and community members. The more support we gather, the stronger our voice becomes.
Looking Forward
Future updates will focus primarily on current developments and opportunities, but we felt it important to share this history to highlight both the challenges we've faced and the persistence that has brought us to this promising juncture.
Thank you for your continued support of our mission to create a space where our four-legged friends can safely run, play, and socialize on Vashon Island.
Wagging tails and warm regards,
The FIDO Board