Responsibility the key: (From left) Jamie Williams, Bianca Long, Belinda Smith and Jean Smith. Picture: Carlos Furtado
IN THEORY, Glenwood's dog park seems like a good idea.
In practice, some humans seem to consider it a cross between a canine version of Fight Club and a doggy daycare centre.
Belinda Smith was staying at her mother's house opposite the new Glenwood dog park, when she heard the sound of a dog "screaming" two weeks ago.
"There was a big dog attacking a little dog, which was screaming and trying to get away, so I went over," she said.
"There were five teenage girls and the two bigger girls pulled the big dog away.
"The big dog could have killed the little dog.
"One of the girls told me to p--- off and that it had nothing to do with me."
Ms Smith said the older girls continued to swear at her when she told them that they should remove their dog from the park because it was dangerous.
"They continued to swear at me and said the little dog was a 'wuss' and that it should 'toughen up'.
She called Blacktown pound and an officer arrived at the park and told the older girls that there were rules associated with using the park.
Ms Smith said no signs had been erected. "It's not about the dogs; it's about the owners being irresponsible," she said.
"My mother watches a man drop off his dog then go for a run."
A spokesman for Blacktown Council said owners should ensure they were in full control of their dogs even when they were off leash; know how their dogs would react in the company of other animals; and understand that fenced off-leash areas were not a minding centre while people did other things.