On Tuesday evening, West Hartford’s Beachland Park pool welcomed dogs for the annual ‘Pooch Plunge.’ 

By Bridget Bronsdon. Photos by Bridget Bronsdon and Ronni Newton

The annual “Pooch Plunge” tradition at the Beachland Park pool did not disappoint as dozens of pups ran, swam, and enjoyed life off the leash for one final time this summer. 

The tradition, sponsored by the Town of West Hartford, the town’s Dog Park Coalition, Daleypawz, Camp Bow Wow, and Zoomin Groomin Mobile Pet Spa, is a fundraiser to support the West Hartford Dog Park Coalition’s efforts to establish a permanent dog park. 

The current dog park located on the former St. Brigid School property will be forced to close – at least temporarily – once the new Elmwood Community and Cultural Center opens its doors. With the help of the pooch plunge, the group is raising funds to establish a permanent park. 

Luckily for now the temporary area has a little more time left in West Hartford. “The latest that we’ve heard is that it’s still going to be a while before the school gets knocked down … that might be late fall, early winter and until then we’re great, we’ve got the temporary dog park. This fall it will have been two years already,” said Co-Chair of the WHDPC, David Coleman. 

Once the school is knocked down, the dog park might have to be vacated for a month or so, “and then we can come back,” Coleman said. 

“I’m hearing maybe a year, 18 months before they break ground on the new Elmwood Community Center, and it’s even possible, there’s been some talk, that we may be able to stay [after the new Elmwood Community Center is built] just moving down so that we’re still in the same location. But we have our eye on some other locations because we don’t know if that’s going to happen,” he said. 

Other possible locations that the WHDPC would like to consider include the former UConn campus, as well as some other spots in town. “The good news is we’re here for another year, maybe longer and then long-term we have to think about other locations, possibly,” Coleman said. 

Thanks to the plunge, the pool was transformed into a tennis ball wonderland and welcomed canines of all shapes and sizes to soak in the final days of summer. Since humans weren’t permitted to swim, the pups dove into the deep end, some even sporting canine life jackets, and enjoyed enough treats and belly rubs to last a lifetime. 

“It’s been great, we had a huge turnout. Last year we had over 200 dogs. I’m thinking we might have come close to that this year,” Coleman said. The event even featured raffle prizes for attendees. 

Coleman also thanked the corporate sponsors and the town for staffing the event with lifeguards. 

Courtney Daley, owner of Daleypawz and one of the event’s main sponsors, has been attending for years now. “We’ve supported it the last three or four years. We’re local from West Hartford, grew up in West Hartford, and want to support the hopefully future dog park and anything dog-related in town,” she said. 

“I came to support because lots of dogs jumping in the pool – why not?” said Shaelah Butler, a Daleypawz employee. 

Daley and Butler said they know many of the event attendees through their business. “It was very nice to see everyone come together, playing together, very happy,” said Daley. 

Although the town pools have closed for the year, the pups enjoyed a private evening of swimming, chasing tennis balls, socializing, and spending time with their cherished owners. 

While owners donated to the WHDPC’s mission, took photos, and threw tennis ball after tennis ball, the pups were busy wagging their tails to their hearts’ content. 

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