Chris Hinnard plays frisbee with his dog, Riley, right, while Lamb Chop, center, and Dragon, stand next to eachother at the Chattanooga Chew Chew Canine Park on Carter Street. Staff File Photo.

Maggie, a 2-year-old black Great Dane, goes to the park to socialize.

"This is a community," said Maggie's owner, Cameron Kuhlman, a Chattanooga resident. "Everyone remembers if there is a fight. Everyone talks about it."

Almost every evening, Kuhlman said he takes Maggie to the Chattanooga Chew-Chew Canine Park behind the Tennessee Pavilion so she can play with her friends.

"Having a safe place to take an animal is important," said Bob Saylors, Chattanooga director of recreation.

Chattanooga is trying to accommodate the numerous pet owners in the area by opening more leash-free dog parks, Saylors said. Currently, Chattanooga has three leash-free dog parks. At each park owners are required to clean up after their pets.

When the Walnut Street Bridge was opened to pets in August, dog owners responded positively by using the bridge often, he said.

Most residents have been respectful of city rules that require owners to clean up after their dogs, Saylors said.

Will Feldman said he was excited when the Red Bank Dog Park opened near his house at the White Oak Park in September 2010. Now he said he has somewhere close by to take Nova, his 1-year-old pit bull.

Chattanooga officials would like to have as many options as possible for dog owners to take their pets, Saylors said.

"We would like to see more dog parks," he said. "We've almost gotten to the point that we need as many dog parks as neighborhood parks."