Our procedure only allows for registered members to enter NoMa Bark Park. This policy is for the health and safety of all who visit the park, and requires all dogs’ owners to submit required documentation before membership tags are issued. The regulation is in keeping with the requirements of the City of Columbia, which owns the land used by NoMa Bark Park as an off-leash area. Please try contacting one of the several other dog parks in the Columbia area. It’s possible one of those facilities does allow for day passes.

NoMa Bark Park is a non-profit organization dedicated solely to operating and maintaining the off-leash dog park within Earlewood Park. Membership fees are set at a rate to simply cover the costs of keeping the Bark Park running. The price for membership is $40 annually. If you have more than one dog, each additional membership is $20.

Submitting the required documentation with your application helps ensure that all dogs entering the Bark Park are healthy and up-to-date on shots. In the rare event that an aggressive incident were to occur, it’s important that there be records indicating all dogs involved have received necessary vaccinations. This policy is in keeping with the requirements of the City of Columbia, which owns the land used by NoMa Bark Park as an off-leash dog park.

As the Bark Park was being established, this policy was a primary concern of the City of Columbia when discussing the use of their land in Earlewood Park as a dog park. The Bark Park Board understands that many dogs are great with children and many children are wonderful with dogs, but having young kids in an enclosure with dogs off-leash could pose a safety risk. Founding members of the NoMa Bark Park Committee agreed to the Minimum Age Regulation required by the City of Columbia – and current Board members enforce this policy – so many dogs and their people can enjoy this wonderful space.

NoMa Bark Park Board encourages owners to resolve issues that arise at the Park amongst themselves. If you see someone who forgets the rules (i.e., forgets to pick up poop) politely introduce yourself, remind them of the rule, and thank them when they comply with the rule. If a dialogue between owners is unsuccessful or if a person or dog is injured at the Park, the owners involved should submit a complaint to the Bark Park Board by emailing the Board Chair at nomabarkpark@gmail.com.

File an Incident Report located on our Grievance page. Please use this form to record and report any aggressive activity by a canine member that could endanger the health and/or safety of any dog or person entering the dog park. Responses will be forwarded to the Board Chair and Membership Coordinator.

The Bark Park Board, the group in charge of keeping NoMa Bark Park running, is comprised of several dedicated, dog-loving volunteers. The board meets often throughout the year to discuss Bark Park matters and is open to hearing from all Bark Park members. Ideas and concerns can be submitted via email to the Board Chair at nomabarkpark@gmail.com. Questions include if you are interested in volunteering or joining the Board, to request items or supplies for the park, or to report a needed repair.

Intact males have a different smell than other dogs. Indeed " intact males retain the ability to mate and give of the scent of male, which can be considered a threat to neutered males" explains trainer and behavior consultant Karen Fazio. The hormone testosterone is what gives a dog his "maleness" scent. Interestingly, when dogs reach 10 months, there's a peak in this smell as testosterone levels in the adolescent male dog may be five to seven times greater than the levels of an adult!

This "male" scent may cause neutered dogs to react negatively towards them causing tension and even aggressive displays. (Read more from Pethelpful.com...Why Is My Dog Aggressive Towards Intact Males?)

Unneutered dogs should never be taken to a dog park. Since we can't predict the types of dogs that other people bring into the park, it's important that you take responsibility for your own pet. If your dog keeps attempting to mount another dog, you should remove your dog from the situation and take him elsewhere to play in a different area of the park. (Read more from Cesar Milan... Dog Park Problems Solved)

These are dividers that are meant for herding livestock. They are there at the park to help break up dog aggression or dog fights. They also help to redirect dogs who fixate on another dog.