Kiwanis Park visitors reminded to not feed horses; keep dogs on leash

Published on September 23, 2025

Visitors to Kiwanis Community Park are reminded not to feed neighboring horses or any other wildlife while on the park property and that dogs must be leashed.

The City has received complaints about the issue and signs are posted at the park, which is located off East Pershing Boulevard.

The horses near the park are on private property and feeding neighboring horses can disrupt their diets and cause serious health issues.

“Horses can be irresistible and can do a great job of looking sad and hungry, but horses can’t always process the snacks you offer them,” said Jeanie Shrednik, the Parks and Greenway planner for the City. “Feeding someone else’s horses can lead to very serious health issues such as obesity, laminitis, colic, choke, and even poisoning.”

Horses may also injure park visitors.

“Horses have very big teeth,” Shrednik said. “They may not mean to hurt you, but they might accidentally bite your finger as you hold out that treat. Hand treats can even set off battles between groups of horses or individuals, leading to expensive vet bills.”

In addition, dogs must be on a leash at all city-owned parks including Kiwanis Community Park. Dogs should never be allowed to harass or chase other animals or wildlife.

“While you may be 100 percent convinced that your dog won’t do anything spontaneous or harmful, at the end of the day, your dog is an animal who may react instinctively, even if they’re super well-trained,” Shrednik said. “Other dogs enjoying the park may also react negatively to a strange dog that approaches.”