By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Monsoon is pushing desert wildlife into Tucson neighborhoods, and some pet owners say finding a safe place to walk after dark is harder than it sounds.
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Ashwin Raj, a Catalina Foothills resident, said the challenge became more pressing after he started a new job that now requires some dog walks to happen at night.
“The problem is I’m trying to find a place where I can walk without worrying about wildlife or being hit by a car or something, especially in these low-light situations,” Raj said.
Dark-sky ordinances limit options
Tucson’s strict lighting ordinances, designed to limit light pollution for the region’s observatories, reduce the number of well-lit walking routes available to residents.
Raj said he turned to Reddit after struggling to find a solution, posting a question about the safest options. Many users responded with the same practical suggestion: wear a headlamp.
But Raj said that does not fully address his concern, particularly given the wildlife common to the area.
“There’s so many rattlesnakes, coyotes and javelina that roam the streets at night, so even with a headlamp it’s a little bit nerve-wracking to walk,” Raj said. “Especially with my dog, she’s 10 pounds, she’s tiny, it’s not something that I want to do, put her or myself at risk.”
County parks, malls offer alternatives
Pima County Parks and Recreation pointed to several parks as options, including those with ballfields, where lights often stay on later for nighttime games.
In a statement to 13 News, Anissa Ramirez, Community Engagement Coordinator for Pima County Parks and Rec said:
“For residents looking for well-lit areas to walk their dogs after dark, Pima County offers several dog parks with lighting, including Brandi Fenton Memorial Park, McDonald Park, Ann Day Community Park, and Arthur Pack Regional Park.
In addition, some park ballfields may provide residual lighting during evening reservations and league activities. However, schedules for those activities vary, so lighting availability may not be consistent.
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Residents may also wish to explore dog parks operated by the City of Tucson, as some locations, such as Udall Park and Palo Verde Park, have lighted dog park facilities.
As always, we encourage park users to remain aware of their surroundings, particularly in areas where wildlife may be present.”
For a cooler alternative, Park Place Mall and Tucson Mall allow pets inside during mall hours. Dogs must be kept on a leash, and owners are required to clean up after their pets.
Megan Vercoe, marketing and business developer for Park Place Mall, said the foot traffic from pet owners is already significant.
“You can see anywhere from 30 to 60 mall walkers in general and just this morning alone, there was 10 to 15 pets and it fluctuates,” Vercoe said. “People want to get their air conditioning and they want to protect their little pets feet.”
PACC coming to Park Place Mall in August
Vercoe said the Pima Animal Care Center is also set to begin a presence at Park Place Mall next month.
“In August, PACC is going to be one of our vendors here at the mall,” Vercoe said. “They’re going to be doing some advertising here and some walking of the dogs who are adoptable.”
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