Frankie Lemer could not find a safe park for her dog, Macy — so she created one.
Dogs of Tucson debuted as Tucson’s first indoor dog park in November 2023, and stands as a safe alternative to the blistering hot streets of Arizona.
Stepping in the six-month-old facility at 3805 W. River Road feels like an oasis after the overheated Tucson sidewalks. Dog owners and their pets are greeted with cool temperatures inside the well-equipped facility and warm greetings from the owners.
Lemer said she had a vision when she opened Dogs of Tucson: she wanted to create a safe indoor dog park where pets can find shelter from the heat and socialize in a safe environment.
“I wanted to give them a place where it’s safe, it’s clean, a place they can be all year round,” she said. “Our big thing here is just making sure that the dogs are safe, comfortable and happy.”
The 4.000-square-foot facility is equipped with dog-friendly flooring and furniture and multiple play areas.
“It was built in a way and kind of designed in a way that the dogs are top of mind,” said Lemer. “We have three play areas, an outdoor area and a timid room for dogs who need a little bit of quiet time.”
Fred, the owner’s doodle is not as social as other dogs so he requires some quiet time
The facility has three different temperature systems so each area’s temperature can be adjusted separately.
“Right now, it’s about 71 degrees inside, but it depends on the day. We’ll adjust it just based on members,” said Lemer.
The summertime routine for most Tucson pet owners is to walk their dogs early in the morning before the sun bakes the sidewalks and keep their dogs fur trimmed so they are cooler. With Arizona’s average high temperature in the summer topping 100 degrees, walking dogs on overheated concrete can cause serious injuries.
“There are some people who walk their dogs at 4 a.m., and this was pretty much the only option before,” Lemer said. “In the summer, their paws can easily be affected by pavements by the temperatures and the heat out there. So being able to bring them and let them run off some of the excess energy and play with other dogs is just a special treatment.”
Dogs of Tucson General Manager Marie Kettenring encourages pet owners to think beyond summer.
“We like the fact that our dogs are comfortable with each other, knowing how they play. The more consistent these dogs are, the happier our pack is,” she said. “So come for the summer, stay for the fall.”
At Dogs of Tucson, both big dogs and small dogs have the opportunity to play together
To provide the safest environment for the dogs, Dogs of Tucson is a membership-based social-club that requires proof of vaccinations and that each new dog goes through a 15-minute social evaluation.
“We look at how they do with us touching them, how they are reacting to the environment, whether they’re scared, excited or reactive, so that we can be aware of what each dog needs,” Lemer said. “If they’re happy and socially comfortable here, then we say you passed, and you can become a member.”
Dogs of Tucson is open year-round to members, with memberships starting at $60 a month. Members can come to the facility as often as they want with their dogs.
“If they come every day, that’s $2 per day, which is not bad at all,” Lemer said.
In the future, Lemer and Kettenring hope to open more indoor dog parks.
“We will still keep our dogs-to-human count small, and we are not going to change how we’re handling the dogs or how we’re approaching them,” Kettering said. “All dogs need love and joy and it just makes me so happy that we’re here.”
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
