Another park was claimed by the dogs today when the City of Knoxville and PetSafe representatives officially opened Charter Doyle PetSafe Dog Park in South Knoxville.

Members of the community (human and canine alike) celebrated at the ceremony for the 2-acre dog park, located within the existing 26-acre Charter Doyle Park, at 5100 W Martin Mill Pike.

"I know this dog park is going to bring a lot of joy to dog owners in South Knoxville and, really, across the city because I think pet owners in other parts of town will want to visit," said Mayor Daniel Brown. "It's a wonderful place for people to come and let their dogs run off the leash."

The new dog park features separate sections for large and small dogs, a dog water fountain, and park aesthetics with mature cedar trees and natural rocks decorating the landscape. It's also connected to a 0.4-mile greenway that encircles a soccer field, picnic shelter, tennis courts and playground in Charter Doyle Park. To go along with the new dog park project, the City had the greenway recently repaved and widened.

"Charter Doyle Park has always been a quaint community park," said Joe Walsh, Director of Knoxville Parks and Recreation. "With the dog park addition, however, it's truly made the park more active and attractive to visitors. Thanks to Randy Boyd's commitment through PetSafe, now people are getting outside for the sake of their dogs."

This marks the third off-leash dog park funded by PetSafe through their $500,000 commitment to build five dog parks in Knoxville. The previous two were in Knox County's Tommy Schumpert Park and in the City's PetSafe Downtown Dog Park.

Walsh said Boyd has held an ambition to make Knoxville the Most Pet Friendly City in the nation and has been quite successful by pushing for an ordinance to allow dogs on restaurant patios downtown, purchasing dog water fountains to go along heavily used greenways, and sponsoring the City's annual Mardi Growl dog parade to benefit the Young Williams Animal Center. His efforts were acknowledged in 2010, when Boyd was presented with the Tennessee Recreation and Park Association Volunteer of the Year award.

"Randy is helping us to offer the very best recreation for dogs and their owners," said Walsh. "Pay a visit to this new dog park, and you'll see what I mean."

Charter Doyle PetSafe Dog Park marks the third City of Knoxville dog park, the other two being PetSafe Downtown Dog Park and Dogwood Park in Victor Ashe Park.