Fowl Play: Dog-Duck conflict shuts down Willow Creek pond

Willow Creek pond is currently closed to park users. Photo: Meredith Kluever // TownLift

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City pet owners have been put in the dog house after a slew of complaints and incidents of bad behavior resulted in the closure of the Willow Creek pond.

On a busy Saturday, hundreds of dogs wade into the pond’s cool waters, but this summer the canines have been sharing the water with a momma mallard and her four ducklings.

It’s uncommon for ducks to frequent the pond because of the vast amount of dogs, according to Jody Giddings, Wasatch Wildlife Founder and CEO. “She probably ended up there out of need because she couldn’t find another safe spot,” said Giddings. But now the family isn’t able to leave for safer waters until the ducklings can fly.

Giddings got involved after her office received multiple complaints. Park users reported dog owners who encouraged their pets to chase the ducks, ignored agressive behavior, or even threw toys near the duck family. After witnessing the behavior herself, Giddings started working with Summit County Animal Control, Utah Department of Wildlife Resources, and Basin Recreation to find a solution.

The ducks’ presence has spotlighted a larger issue at the off-leash dog pond: owners who are unwilling or unable to call their dogs off when they pursue wildlife.

“Even within an off leash area, you have to have verbal control over your dog, regardless of the distractions or circumstances,” said Aaron Williams, Chief Ranger at Basin Recreation. “That means that if your dog starts chasing wildlife, you have to have the ability to call them off verbally, and that was just not the case here.”

Initially, officials considered relocating the ducks, but that plan was quickly scrapped as Utah DWR informed them that it’s illegal under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Meanwhile, tensions at the park escalated. Giddings and Williams both recounted incidents where efforts to educate dog owners led to heated confrontations.

Eventually, Basin Recreation decided to close the pond. Williams said the decision was based more on the unsafe behavior of some dogs and owners than solely on the ducks’ safety. “The behavior that we saw, and I witnessed it myself, was dogs without recall,” he said. “The last thing we want to do is take this away from anybody that’s using it responsibly, but the way things have been going, unfortunately, we had to make this broad stroke and make the tough decision to close it.”

“I knew whatever we did wasn’t going to make everybody happy,” said Williams. “We knew that we were going to get backlash, and we certainly have. But I think for safety of all, at this point, not just the wildlife, but for everybody, it was best to make this decision.”

Although the closure has been met with pushback, Basin Recreation cites safety and legal concerns to support their decision. According to Summit County Code, it is unlawful for pet owners to allow their dogs to “charge, chase, or otherwise display aggression toward any person or animal.”

Repeated violations of this code were a key factor in the closure.

“The problem is, we can’t sit there all day long and educate people,” said Williams. “Us as rangers with Basin Recreation, we’re got 200 miles of trails, we’ve got 2,500 acres of open space. We just can’t sit there and make sure that everybody’s behaving.”

The Willow Creek Pond closure serves as a reminder that off-leash privileges come with responsibilities. As officials work to balance recreation with wildlife protection and community safety, they’re asking all users to do their part by respecting park rules, controlling their pets, and treating others with courtesy.