Parker Colorado Community & Business Directory
Things to Do, Events, Volunteer, Neighborhood and supporting local business
The Parker Recreation team feels fortunate to have been able to offer the Barker Days event for so many years. With the recent renovation to H2O’Brien Pool, the Town of Parker can no longer hold this type of event in the pool facility because of the risk of damage to our new amenities and pump/filtration system. Please continue to enjoy the USMC CPL David M. Sonka Dog Park with your puppy pals!
We have an amazing community of pet lovers in Parker and by following these guidelines you have an EXCELLENT chance of getting your furry family member back home safe & sound. Call the Parker PD non-emergency number 303-841-9800 to report either a lost or found pet. The Parker police will hold pets for a short time, post them on their social media and if they aren’t picked up by the end of the day take them to the Buddy Center in Castle Rock, part of the Denver Dumb Friends League. Next tag the Missing Mutt Detectives on Facebook. This team of ladies is expertly equipped to help you find your pet.
Have you lost a pet? Found a Pet?
Don’t know where to start? Head to this Facebook page that’s open to everyone and will provide a free and powerful way to locate your lost family pet.
Join the Lost & Found Pets in Colorado Page on Facebook here.
Act fast! Colorado shelters are, by law, only required to keep lost pets for 5 days. (If overcrowded.. some keep them for less)
SIX WAYS TO HELP YOU GET YOUR PET HOME IN COLORADO!: Whether you have lost a pet or found one, there are high tech & low tech tasks you should do right away
Other Colorado Rescues by City
City and State Roads (deceased animals): This will vary by city and county. Check with your shelter for how your area handles deceased pets.
2. ONLINE! On Facebook, watch for your post yourself in your Colorado Lost & Found Pets Album post. Use that SAME file every time you share all over Facebook! This is SO IMPORTANT! The more that one image gets “liked and shared” the more powerful it is. Put that poster on YOUR Facebook page.. Your friends might not know you are missing your dog.. Change your top banner and profile photo to your LOST PET Photo!! Have more photos? add them in the comments of your pet post. RESPOND to people’s questions and follow up on ALL leads ASAP
Check & register with www.fidofinder.com – www.petharbor.com & PetFBI (If you didn’t do this in step 1)
Fido Finder has a $5 fee to upload a photo of your pet which makes your ad much more effective.
ADD YOURSELF TO THE PETHARBOR EMAIL LIST: CHECK AREA SHELTER by going to Petharbor.com Pet harbor will allow you to search at shelters within a 200-mile radius of your zip code. You can request to get a notification on new pets coming in.
(They also offer a service to send out postcard flyers to a certain zip code for a fee)
3. CRAIGSLIST! This is a place a lot of people go to when a pet is lost/found.
Craigslist can be tricky when looking for or post a lost or found pet
WHEN POSTING: Be clear if you have FOUND a dog. Post in Lost and Found OR in Pets, or both. Include a picture. We know there is concern about someone claiming a dog that is not theirs but leaving a picture out makes it tough for the people who are sincerely trying to find their pet. There are other ways to confirm ownership.
WHEN SEARCHING: Some people will post “LOST DOG” when they FOUND a lost dog. The breeds can be wrong — we have seen a cattle dog listed as an American Bulldog before. They can also leave very vague posts– e.g. “ I found a dog-call to describe” Same with cats.. you might not even know what “kind” of alley cat you own which is why I wrote this post: Guide to Alley Cats / Mixed Breeds by Color
NOTE: There have been some cases where dogs have been found being rehomed on Craigslist, so please keep an eye on all areas of Craigslist.
4. MICROCHIP! If you have found a pet…Has it Scanned for a Microchip at the local vet, shelter or Petsmart? If you have lost your pet, contact the chip company as they can often send out the alert (there might be a fee).
My favorite service is Petlink. They email me every quarter to remind me to update my information and it was a small one-time fee. www.petlink.net Not sure if your pet’s chip is registered? Enter the number here to check: http://www.petmicrochiplookup.org/
Some good insight from someone who lost their pet: “One problem we had that we didn’t know we had: Home Again never put our contact information in their system. When I called to alert them that we had a missing dog, they couldn’t help. I didn’t have the ID number. Check to see that the chip is registered! And make certain the second point of contact has the ID number.” Your Vet can check your chip for you to make sure it’s got the correct information on it.
5. FLYER FLYERS AND MORE FLYERS!!!!! OLD SCHOOL!
MOST Important!!! Post Flyers. Big Flyers. Let people know you are missing your pet. Unfortunately, some people will not call the Humane Society, and may not actively look for you, but if they see a flyer they may think twice about keeping your pet. Additionally, if one person in the family has decided to keep your pet, but someone else sees the sign they might act on getting your pet back. ( Remember, you got flyers in step #1)
Print Color Flyers with LARGE Letters a great Photo and your phone number. Make them easy to read! People will be driving by so if they can’t tell what it is then it’s not going to help you. Put the flyers in a sheet protector upside down and tape the bottom shut with duct tape. That way if Colorado weather happens, your posters won’t be soaked.
6. Register your pet with the Denver Dumb Friends League here
We all know how nutty about Dogs Denver folks are. You really can’t walk in any park in town without seeing dozens of dogs and having a dog park nearby is at the top of the list for people moving to a new town in Colorado.
We have searched out some doggie friendly bars throughout Denver for you to explore.
Southeast | 5411 Leetsdale Dr, Denver, CO 80246
When you’re on the Southeast side, you and your pup should head to the Watering Bowl to meet some new friends. This dog-friendly restaurant with vaulted ceilings has both a great beer selection and yummy, affordable appetizers. Because you’ve got your dog by your side, you might just want to hang out for hours. And so will your pup, thanks to the large outdoor area where he can do a bit of socializing of his own.
Speer | 98 S Pennsylvania St, Denver, CO 80209
Locals come to Spot Bar & Grill in Speer for the delicious smoked wings and stay for the awesome outdoor seating area, perfect for hanging out with four-legged companions. Bonus: Vintage photos of dogs hung all over the walls!
Central | 1345 Cortez St, Denver, CO 80221 (303) 428-3600
All-purpose bar with pool, karaoke, wings, burgers & other pub grub plus outdoor space for pooches.
Highland | 1695 Platte St, Denver CO 80202
Dog-friendly brewery with a beautiful outdoor beer garden. Pooches are allowed on leash in the building and can even sample a “Dog Beerscuit” made from the spent grain from the brewing process. It is the place to head to if you love house-brewed premium ales and lagers made with fresh, local ingredients. Grab a pint and head out onto the dog-friendly beer garden where you can sip and socialize with fellow dog-lovers.
Five Points | 2625 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80220
This neighborhood watering hole in Five Points serves up great drinks with a side of Bocce ball. When it’s nice out, head out onto Matchbox’s large patio with your pup and challenge someone to a game. Inside, you’ll find a great jukebox and out front, rotating food trucks perfect for a post-drink snack.
RiNo – 3800 Walnut Street, Denver
Every community needs a friendly neighborhood tavern that delivers great meals, cheap drinks and a place to hang out with neighbors and friends. Prior to 2010, the historic Five Points communities of Cole, RiNo (River North), Whittier and Curtis Park had no such place to congregate, so being residents of Five Points ourselves we opened Jake’s Food & Spirits to accommodate the increased number of families, young couples and businesses moving into the area.
Located just a mile and a half from Coors Field in the heart of RiNo, Jake’s is open for lunch, happy hour, dinner, late-night dining and weekend brunch both inside and outside on our 100-seat, dog-friendly patio. Visit us to lounge on the patio, watch your favorite team on one of our 10 HDTVs
75 Santa Fe Drive
Great gay, dog-friendly bar! Amazing back patio. Dogs welcome inside and out. Darts, pool table, super friendly service.
Uptown | 538 E. 17th Ave, Denver, CO 80203
The Tavern Uptown is known for its bottomless Bloody Mary bar, and weekly trivia nights, and massive TV’s perfect for catching the big game with friends. On warmer days, patrons flock to the dog-friendly outdoor seating area to enjoy libations. They’ll even bring your pup a water bowl so he can quench his thirst while you quench yours.
Dougherty’s Neighborhood Pub
Speer | 5 E Ellsworth Ave, Denver, CO 80209
Dougherty’s in Speer is everything you want in a neighborhood Irish pub: good food, drinks, and vibes. Stop in for mouth-watering Shepherd’s Pie and scrumptious Guinness Mac and Cheese. The dog-friendly outdoor patio is a great place to sip on some Irish whiskey while hanging out with your furry friend.
Stella’s Coffee House provides free Wi-Fi, offers complimentary dog bones to its puppy customers and has a roomy front patio.
Oblio’s Pizzeria is dog-friendly and offers tasty pizzas, subs, and salads that are reasonably priced.
Homegrown ingredients and creative cuisine equal a must for Denver diners! Bringing Fido? Ask for a water bowl!
“Squeaky Bean is a great restaurant, really top notch and you get to bring your dog. Not a greasy spoon, but real food with heart and soul. My pup had a great time visiting with all the cool people walking by. Very pleasant dinner with my best friend.” 4 bones on Bring Fido .
Bonnie Brae Ice Cream serves some of the best ice cream in Denver and offers pet-friendly patio seating.
Cafe Europa serves up tasty java in a relaxed atmosphere and has seating outside that’s dog-friendly. on Bring Fido.
Racine’s diverse menu offers everything from burgers to Southwestern to hot turkey dinners. Dogs are welcome at umbrella tables.
“When you dine on Racine’s lovely patio, your dog is welcome. They even bring a water bowl! Lots of people bring pets and they try to seat near the sidewalk so that you can dash out if need be. Enjoy a cocktail under the Colorado stars and bring your dog. It’s great!”
1201 E. Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO, US 80218
303-839-1394In the mood for a taste of the Emerald Isle, swing on by The Irish Snug. Corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, Guinness ice cream, you name it, they got it. Dogs are allowed on the Marion St. patio every day after 5 pm.
A beautiful coffee house/wine bar with a spacious dog-friendly patio. Water bowls and treats will be provided.
Dogs are welcome inside this new microbrewery in South Parker, they even have several dog events scheduled throughout the year including a couple of painting classes geared towards dog lovers.
Listed below are all of the pet rescue and shelter organizations in Colorado listed by city. If we have left one of the lists please let us know and we’ll get it added.
* Do Home Checks -Recommended
Colorado Pet Rescue in Aurora
The rescues above have been verified by Deb Nabb – The Mutt Master.
Deb talks about the importance of doing home checks when adopting out dogs. She also talks with Ty S Warrick from Painted Paws For Veterans about home checks and adopting dogs.
This does not mean that other listed rescue organizations don’t do home checks.. it is simply the one’s we have verified so far. We will be updating the list as the team investigates further.
If you know of a great rescue or adoption resource that we have missed, please let us know here.
Douglas County offers several off-leash areas for your canine companions, including Bayou Gulch Regional Park, Fairgrounds Regional Park, Glendale Farm Open Space Trail and Greenland Open Space – Devon’s Dog Park. Please be respectful of all dog park users by adhering to the posted rules and cleaning up after your dog. This helps to ensure these areas remain open. Pet waste removal bags are provided at each location. Dogs are allowed off-leash ONLY in designated areas. Dog parks are open one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset. For more information or questions, please call 303-660-7495 or view the Dog Off-Leash Brochure.
Other dog-off leash areas in the County that are maintained by other entities are the Chatfield State Park’s Dog Off-Leash Area, David A. Lorenz Regional Park Bark Park, and four off-leash areas in Highlands Ranch.
Dog Off-Leash Brochure with Map
Douglas County is pleased to offer several off-leash areas for your canine companions. Dog park users must adhere to all posted rules. Pet waste removal bags are provided at each location. Please help keep these areas open by cleaning up after your dog. Remember, dogs are allowed off-leash ONLY in the designated areas. For more information or questions regarding Douglas County dog parks, call 303-660-7495.
Devon’s Dog Park, a 17-acre dog park, is located on the east side of the Greenland Open Space trailhead. Devon’s Dog Park is open one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset.
Douglas County expresses appreciation to Devon Theune for spearheading the creation of this dog off-leash area in 2008 as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award.
Provides 2+ acres of off-leash fun for man’s best friend on the east side of Fox Sparrow Road. The dog park area is adjacent to 2.5 miles of soft-surface trails that require dogs to be on a leash as a courtesy to other trail users and wildlife. The dog park is open one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset.
Located in downtown Castle Rock, has 2+ acres in the eastern corner of the park for an off-leash doggone good time! The dog park is open one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset.
Glendale Farm has a 17-acre off-leash dog park that is perfect for burning some of Fido’s energy. The dog park is adjacent to 1.6 miles of Glendale Trail, where dogs are required to be on a leash to protect the sensitive habitat of the area. The dog park is open one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset.
The Highlands Ranch Metro District offers four off-leash areas around their community. For more information or questions regarding the Metro District’s dog parks, call 303-791-2710.
Hound Hill at Highland Heritage Regional Park
South of the Quebec/University/Lincoln intersection behind the Highlands Ranch Post Office. Hound Hill users may park in the Highland Heritage Regional Park parking lot at 9651 S. Quebec Street to access the off-leash park.
Digger’s at Dad Clark Park
3385 Asterbrook Circle, west of Fairview Parkway and Summit View Parkway. Parking is available at Dad Clark Park.
Fido’s Field at Foothills Park
1042 Riddlewood Drive. To get to Foothills Park from Lucent Boulevard, turn south on Timbervale Trail to Riddlewood. It can also be accessed from Winterthur Way, west of Broadway. Parking is available at Foothills Park off Winterthur Way.
Rover’s Run at Redstone Park
East of 3280 East Redstone Park, near the intersection of Town Center Drive and Foothills Canyon Boulevard. Parking is available at the Redstone Park Tennis Center.
Managed by South Suburban Parks and Recreation (www.ssprd.org) at 8560 S. Colorado Boulevard. Park access is from the south side of County Line Road at the intersection of Big Dry Creek Road. For more information on this dog off-leash area call 303-798-5131.
11500 N. Roxborough Park Road, Littleton, CO
The park has miles of paved and unpaved hiking trails, 69 acres set aside as a dog off-leash area and two ponds within this acreage for your dog to cool off and play with friends. Access the dog park from the Stevens Grove parking lot, downstream from the dam. Chatfield State Park requires a daily entrance fee of $8 or an annual pass to all Colorado State Parks, $70.00 (prices as of 2015). There is an additional daily entrance fee of $2.00 per day for the dog off-leash area, or $20 for an annual dog off-leash pass. For more information please call Chatfield State Park at 303-791-7275.
Source: Douglas County
One of the most attractive thing about living in Douglas County is the abundant wildlife and open space but that very close to nature feel can also be very challenging to newcomers to the area.
This is the first in a two-part series about how to live with wildlife in the Town of Parker.
In most situations, people and wildlife can coexist. The key is to respect the wildness of wildlife.
• Do NOT feed wildlife! Feeding songbirds is okay, but be aware it may attract other animals.
• Don’t give wildlife the opportunity to get into your garbage. Store it in metal of plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. Keep the cans in a garage or shed and put trash out only when it’s scheduled to be picked up.
• Keep pet food inside.
• Fence gardens and cover fruit trees with commercially available netting to protect your harvest.
• Leave wildlife alone! Wildlife should not be harassed, captured, domesticated or fed.
In Colorado, nearly all species of snakes are not only harmless but beneficial to humans because of their appetites for insects and rodents. However, if you prefer to keep them from moving into your yard or home, follow these four tips:
1. Eliminate cool, damp areas where snakes hide. Remove brush and rock piles, keep shrubbery away from foundations and cut tall grass.
2. Control insect and rodent populations (the snakes’ primary food source) to force them to seek areas with a larger food supply. Put grains in tightly sealed containers and clean up residual pet food and debris.
3. In rattlesnake-infested areas, construct a snakeproof fence around the backyard or play area.
4. To prevent snakes from entering basements and crawl spaces, seal all openings ¼-inch or larger with mortar, caulking compound or 1/8-inch hardware cloth. Check for holes or cracks around doors, windows, water pipes, electrical lines, etc.
Snakes may seek shelter in basements, sheds, or crawl spaces in cold weather. If it becomes necessary to remove a snake, several humane methods are available.
1. A good way to remove a nonvenomous snake is to seek it into a large bucket with a broom and then release it outdoors.
2. Damp burlap sacks covered with dry sacks to retain moisture are attractive denning sites when placed along a wall in a basement or crawl space. Check the bags daily and remove snakes with a shovel.
In areas where deer are common, shrub and tree damage may be a problem. Commercial deer repellents or mixtures containing eggs have proven successful in warding off deer. You can also keep deer from eating flowers and shrubs by putting wire cylinders and fences around plants or by planting deer-resistant plants.
If you come across a fawn lying quietly by itself leave it alone. Even though the fawn appears to be orphaned, it is not alone; its mother is nearby, aware and attentive. If you are absolutely certain the parent animal has abandoned their young, mark the location on a map or measure the mileage from a landmark and report it to the Animal Services Officer.
For more information on living with wildlife, visit www.ParkerPolice.org/wildlife.
Local resident Garry Norman got a big surprise Saturday when fishing in the catch and release Bingham Lake in Parker.
Normally this lake has a few tadpoles, some small bass or trout but certainly not a flesh-eating South American species of Piranha.
It’s likely that someone bought the Pacu from a pet store and when it started outgrowing their fish tank and eating the other fish they decided to let it go in the pond.
“It was going to eat too much vegetation and kill everything else in the lake,” said Norman when Fox 31’s Mark Meredith interviewed him.
This is certainly true. Wikipedia says this species of Piranha grows much larger as big as 3 feet long and weighing 55 pounds. That would have been a big surprise for the happy labs that jump in to fetch a stick or two.
Garry Norman has him in isolation from the rest of the tropical fish he keeps at his home.
Source: Fox31 Denver
Coyote sightings occur on a frequent basis in Parker, as well as in our surrounding communities. Residents should expect to see coyotes in this area, but are encouraged to employ hazing tactics to deter them from becoming too comfortable around people. The goal of hazing is NOT to hurt or endanger animals, rather to help change behaviors and establish and maintain a healthy wariness of humans in local coyote populations.
The Colorado Department of Wildlife recommends the following hazing techniques:
Residents should not seek them out, but are encouraged to use these methods if they are approached by or come in close proximity to coyotes.
Residents are also encouraged to avoid walking between dusk and dawn – hours when coyotes are most active. Keep all pets on a leash when walking and avoid areas with a lot of vegetative cover for coyotes. Walk with a friend and/or carry a noisemaker, walking stick or similar deterrent with you. Also be vigilant about supervising your pet when they are outside, especially if your home backs to a trail or open space.
If a coyote approaches too closely or engages in aggressive behavior towards you or your pet, please contact Animal Services at 303.841.9800.
Douglas County firefighters and emergency crews from all over the metro area battled a blaze that started in the Burning Tree subdivision just south of Bayou Gulch, The Colorado Horsepark, Ponderosa High School and the heavily populated Pinery and Timbers area just south of Parker Colorado.
The emergency crews are to be applauded for seemingly escaping and containing this fire with no loss of property, lives or livestock.
We have pictures from all sides of the fire and all of the elements were quite strange. From high winds on Flintwood to snow and sleet on Hilltop and light rain on Parker Road, it seemed like God was trying to help the fire crews squelch the fire and push it away from the populated Parker area.
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