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uesday evening, January 24, a small dog was mauled by a larger dog at the Oriental Dog Park on Straight Road. The Dog Park was opened in 2018, on unused land at the Recreation Park. Owners must register their dog with Town Hall and purchase an annual license to use the park.

The dog park is divided into two areas: one for larger dogs and one for smaller dogs. The fence between them has a gate where the town tractors move between to mow the grounds.

To access the park with your dogs, you first enter through a small gate into an enclosed area. There are additional gates, to the left and right, allowing access to either the large dog or small dog parks.

TownDock archive photo from 2018 showing the dog park entrance.

Commissioner Charlie Overcash was at the park at the time of the incident. He said one owner, on the side for larger dogs, opened the large gate (normally used for mowing) to let her dog into the small dog section to play with a puppy there.

As she did, a large, unneutered male dog (not belonging to her) rushed past her and attacked the puppy. Several bystanders rushed to get the larger dog off the puppy.

Oriental Police and Animal Control responded immediately to the scene. The puppy was rushed to the veterinary office where it died from its injuries.

Oriental Town Hall has issued a statement:

An incident occurred at Oriental’s Dog Park January 24, 2023, resulting in the death of a dog due to improper access between parks, which allowed larger dogs to enter the smaller dog area.

Oriental Police and Pamlico County Animal Control both responded immediately and took statements from witnesses and the owner of the attacking dog and the dog that succumbed to its injuries.  Investigation is ongoing.

We hate that this happened at our park for all concerned and implore users to simply follow the rules, posted at the park, which are there to keep your dog and everyone else’s dogs safe.

• Dog Park Registration and Liability Waiver