Dogs in McGrath
We love dogs in McGrath! Well, most of us do. Former Mayor, Dustin Parker, said, "McGrath is the kind of town where we not only know everyones' kids names, we know their dogs' names too!" In fact, we are known to celebrate our canine friend's birthdays. Our canine celebration culminates during the Iditarod sled dog race when over 700 world-class canine athletes check-in every March.
With this much powerful puppy love comes much responsibility. McGrath has a leash law. It is a dog owner's responsibility to keep their dog at home or on a leash.
The leash law exists to protect the public from potential danger, damage and nuisance from a free-roaming dog. The leash law protects the dog from entering private property or getting into trouble. Loose dogs have been reported attacking and biting other dogs and people, knocking people down who are out for a walk, damaging private property, attacking moose and breeding with secured dogs creating unwanted puppies. We do love dogs, but not the damage they can do when unsupervised.
There is no veterinarian in McGrath. Hurt or sick animals have few choices. A plane ride to Anchorage is costly but air carriers will usually work with dog owners, especially those in financial hardship. The City posts a
list of contacts for pet owners who need to rehome animals, find a vet, or transport them to Anchorage.
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