Last modified: Sunday, June 24, 2007 12:13 AM EDT Bandit and Sadie have a tug-o-war over a stick at Foxboro's Cocasset River Dog Park. (Staff photo by MARTIN GAVIN) Going to the dogs BY GEORGE W. RHODES SUN CHRONICLE STAFF FOXBORO - When Drew Platt of Attleboro heard his city was considering setting up a dog park, his reaction was enthusiastic. "That would be great if they were to do that," Platt said as he played with his dog Cassidy, a Labrador-collie mix, at Foxboro's Cocasset River Dog Park. "There aren't too many dog-friendly places where we live," he said. Platt lives on Olive Street near the Olive Street bridge, which spans Amtrak railroad tracks. It runs through a densely packed, mixed-use neighborhood of stores, homes, industrial buildings and cars. Lots of cars, because Olive Street is a main link to Route 123. Platt's situation is not unlike a lot of inner-city dog owners yearning for a place to let their pooches run leash-free, socialize with other dogs and use up seemingly boundless amounts of energy by bounding around. The desire is so great, some dog owners will gladly drive 20 minutes up Interstate 95 to Foxboro or head to places as far away as Sharon, Medway and Warwick, R.I., to use parks in those towns. Platt has tried to let Cassidy run at places like Capron Park in Attleboro, which has a leash law, but has run into problems with the authorities. "I've let her off-leash, but I've been warned about that by the police a couple of times, so I don't do that any more," Platt said. So, he makes the drive instead. Platt has been to Warwick, but Foxboro is closer and it even has a place for Cassidy to swim. "Cassidy only has a little postage stamp of a back yard, so this is great," he said of the Foxboro facility. Cassidy didn't swim, but did go wading up to her chest, Platt said. Dog parks give Cassidy a chance to learn how to interact with other dogs, and humans as well. As a result, her manners are much better, Platt said. "When we first got her, she used to jump up on people a lot," he said. "Now she doesn't do that as much anymore." Roberta Collins of Charles Street in Attleboro is the foremost proponent of an Attleboro dog park. She has suggested a 5-acre wooded parcel off Route 123 near the water treatment plant as a site. Like Platt, she lives in a densely populated downtown neighborhood, and drives to Sharon or Medway to let her golden retriever, Spencer, go for an unleashed run. Collins presented her plan to councilors last week, and it got support from Vice President Robert Schoch and Councilor George Ross. "I think it might be the time for this to happen," Ross said. The proposal is in the human services committee headed by John Davis, who said it may take as long as a year to establish a park. Meanwhile, the Foxboro park, which opened in April is gaining popularity. On Thursday, there were at least two visitors there for the first time. Ed Roderick of Foxboro brought his dog, Lincoln, a shepherd-mix, over for a run. Roderick said he just found out about the park and plans to bring Lincoln every day. "He'll come over and run around, and I'll sit and get a tan," Roderick said. "He'll go home happy." Like other dog owners, Roderick said Lincoln has few opportunities to socialize with other dogs. Socialization makes them happier, he said. "Dogs are pack animals, and they need to be in packs," he said. "It calms them down." Amy DeLuca of North Attleboro brought her two boxers, Lilly and Guenther, to Foxboro for some canine fun. It was their first time there, too. Armed with a water bottle and keeping a close eye on the pooches to make sure they behaved, she said the park is fairly close to her home, but playtime for her pets is important enough that she has traveled much farther to let them run. "I think this park is great," DeLuca said. "It's the biggest one we've found in the area so far. This isn't far, but I'd drive, to be honest with you," she said. "It's nice to be able to take them to a space big enough to let them run around." The goal is simple, DeLuca said. "This is just to let them have fun and be able to roam around on their own and play with other dogs," she said. "The only place we have is the high school, but I have to keep them on the leash there." Judy Wood of Foxboro brings her greyhound, Scooter, to the park frequently. It's a "chore," she said, but well worth it for the dog, who had to work for a living as racer in her early years. "She's happier and healthier because she gets to run around," Wood said. While Roderick, DeLuca and Wood live nearby, the park attracts people from as far away as Stoughton. Donna Zeolla from that town brings her dogs, Sadie and Bandit, over for some frolicking. But it's not just the dogs that benefit, she said. "The dogs get to socialize, but so do the people," Zeolla said. And the topic is not politics. "We all love the dogs," she said. GEORGE W. RHODES can be reached at 508-236-0432 or at grhodes@thesunchronicle.com.