Despite the cold and gloomy weather, locals brought their adorable pups for an exciting day at the Kinsmen Water Park’s ‘Dog Swim’ event Monday morning.
The annual one-day program allows dogs and puppies to enjoy the water before the park closes for the season.
Emma Sarabin, a team lead at the Kinsmen Water Park, said the event is a good chance for dogs and dog lovers alike to meet one another.
“It’s just people being able to bring their dogs and let them go swimming in the water for a little bit, maybe even if they don’t have the chance to go to the lake a lot,” she said.
The waterpark was crawling with lively dogs as they chased one another, splashed in the pools, and even learned how to swim with their owners.
“We’ve been doing it the past couple years now, it was—I think—an idea that came up three or four years ago, and then we just kind of been doing it ever since,” said Sarabin. “We usually do it the last day or after the last day of our regular programming before we drain the pools and people really enjoy it.”
She added that, “it is very important to the community because they have an opportunity to bring their dogs somewhere else other than a dog park or walking around.”
As for Sarabin’s favourite memory of the event, she reminisced on the time she tried to help a very excited pup.
“We had a dog that was getting tired, and I was able to help him to the side and get him out. But then he just went back in the water,” she said. “He came running right by and jumped back into the shallow side, and I was like, ‘You’re having the best time of your life right now.’”
The Kinsmen Water Park annual ‘Dog Swim’ event was held on Monday from 9:00 a.m to 12 p.m with a $5 admission fee.
“I’m really hoping it happens for the next couple years. I love it. There’s lots of people that even look forward to coming at the end of summer and being able to let their dogs swim,” said Sarabin.
