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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Church leaders and a group of local dog owners are teaming up in Jamaica Plain to make some space for our furry friends to play.
A new pilot program is bringing a private, fenced-in dog park inside First Church's historic cemetery.
Minister Elizabeth Bukey said the dog park fits in with the church's mission.
"To be a source of sanctuary and foster creativity, this is a creative solution to an unmet need in the neighborhood," she said. "We see it as part of our calling to foster and encourage community building."
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Some had concerns about dogs being able to play in the 18th-century graveyard. The church agreed to keep the dog park area 10 feet away from marked tombstones.
Photo: WBZ NewsRadio \ Kim Tunnicliffe
Dennis O'Brien, co-chair of the First Church governing board, said some dog owners have offered to help with maintenance around the cemetery.
"They offered to do a lot of the weeding, cutting that we find it difficult to do with the size of our congregation," he said.
Pet owners in the area have been complaining about the lack of dog parks for several years and believe this can be the solution.
WBZ's Kim Tunnicliffe has more:
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