The chains on the gate to a dog park in Santa Clara were removed Monday after 10 months of closure following reports of dogs falling ill after visiting the park.
Nuevo Dog Park, located at Ryder Street and La Rambla Avenue, is about 9,000 square feet and includes artificial turf and some landscaped green space. It’s in a residential area dotted with stations to get bags for dog waste.
The city said they had complaints of five dogs getting sick last summer, one of which died in late July 2025 after visiting Nuevo Dog Park. It closed shortly afterward.
The city had a third-party consultant, Essel Environmental, test the park for anything that might harm visiting dogs.
“The specific areas tested focused on items a dog is likely to touch, sniff, or taste: artificial turf, fallen leaves, plant debris, common plants in the park landscaping, soil, and drinking water,” said the reopening announcement.
Essel’s report, published alongside the announcement, found no harmful substances and no evidence that the park’s environment was the cause of the reported illnesses. Essel also noted that the symptoms reported by owners varied enough that they didn’t show a clear pattern or point to a specific toxin.
“The city understands the public’s concern about animals visiting Nuevo Dog Park, and based on the results of the investigation, we are confident the park is safe to reopen,” said Santa Clara’s news release.
The city took the opportunity while the park was closed to improve its fencing and signage. Monday morning, one of the gates was stuck closed, so the Parks Department sent someone to service it with a grinder later that day.
The dog park remained empty of four-legged visitors that afternoon. It is open from sunrise to half an hour after sunset.
