Management of the Dogxilliary’s off-leash dog park on the Sierra 2 Green is changing hands — or leashes. Jenn Garrison, who has managed the Dogxilliary since 2013, has accepted a job transfer to the Department of Fish & Game’s Fort Bragg office, beginning in July. She and her two Labradors will seek a new dog park on the North Coast. Portola Way neighbor Mike Abbott will assume the manager position.
A Dogxilliary member for 13 years, Jenn has participated in the group’s charitable contributions. Members gathered food and supplies for the Loaves and Fishes animal program and the Front Street animal shelter. Jenn also joined other neighbors to help organize donated sack lunches to Loaves and Fishes’ Mustard Seed school and food to the nonprofit’s holiday time food and toy drives (for humans and animals).
“It is my hope the Dogxilliary will continue to be a civic-minded group that champions giving back to our community,” Jenn said.
Jenn’s three Labradors were popular visitors during dog park hours. Siddhartha, who passed last year, was much beloved by Dogxilliary members. Jenn’s two other Labs are Ursa Sky Harbor (12) and Scout (8 months). Jenn recalls the Dogxilliary’s supportive community when Sky needed two surgeries; about 60 percent of the surgery costs were donated by Dogxilliary members and Curtis Park friends. Nearly all the donations came with a refusal to receive a thank you gift because of Jenn’s many contributions to the neighborhood.
“I’m going to miss the people who’ve welcomed me, made me a part of their daily lives, and made Curtis Park home for me and the Labs,” said Jenn. “I’m going miss nightly walks at Sierra 2 Green, where I catch up on neighborhood news and walk my pups with friends.”
From the Fort Bragg office, Jenn, a senior environmental scientist, will work on coastal conservation planning with a focus on developing advance mitigation and installing wildlife corridors and fish passage barrier removals. She plans to rent her 25th Street bungalow, keeping ties to Curtis Park.