BEMIDJI — Dogs seem to have it pretty easy in family life, but for those still seeking their forever homes, things can get kind of rough.
Great River Rescue Executive Director Marina Lovell saw the need for a project right around the time she started working at the no-kill shelter in Bemidji during December 2023.
She said she was inspired by a deaf dog at the shelter, who arrived the same day she started.
“I watched and observed and I felt for a while, and then I figured it out: that we needed an area for them,” Lovell said. “Stormfly was never going to be able to be off leash, because she couldn't hear. It's why she became a stray twice.”
Construction on the 6-foot-tall chain-link fence, dug 2 feet deep into the ground, wrapped up in September. Lovell said that without adequate exercise and stimulation, large dogs especially are prone to undesirable behaviors.
“As much as we would like our dogs to be, and our cats, to be adopted within a week or two, if they're here for months at a time, that kennel stress is real,” Lovell said.
Kennel stress can present a variety of symptoms, according to Lovell, such as depression, aggression and resource-guarding — all behaviors that can make dogs less likely to be adopted. With a 2-acre fenced in lot, there is now plenty of room for dogs to roam.
While the space is fairly new for the shelter dogs, it is already bringing signs of relief among the larger breeds, Lovell said.
“Bringing [them] out here was so good for them to have a change of space, a change of area, different trees to be able to smell,” Lovell said. “You could see that it made an improvement for them.”
Lovell hopes to make the park available to the public on a reservation basis soon. The public is invited to Great River Rescue’s “Howl-o-Ween" Walk, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Oct. 25.
People and dogs can explore the new play area and the trails, and dogs can bob for apples. With a costume contest, photo opportunities and prizes on the line, costumes are strongly encouraged.
The cost is $5 per person and dogs are free, with proceeds going to support Great River Rescue.
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Larissa Donovan/KAXEBemidji Area Reporter Larissa Donovan reflects on her work covering stories in northwestern Minnesota and beyond in her ninth year as a journalist. -
Bemidji Area Reporter Larissa Donovan looks back on her work reporting for northwestern Minnesota in 2025 during her ninth year as a journalist. -
Lorie ShaullKAXE reporter Megan Buffington foregoes naming a favorite story and instead examines a favorite beat — and how she answers the oft-asked, "Why did you become a journalist?" -
KAXE reporter Megan Buffington foregoes naming a favorite story and instead examines a favorite beat — and how it answers the oft-asked, "Why did you become a journalist?"
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Our No. 1 and No. 2 stories of year follow the wide-ranging local impacts of sometimes swift and surprising decisions in Washington, D.C., and a severe natural disaster changes the landscape in the Bemidji area.
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Our No. 3 and No. 4 stories of year examine the state's wild rice sulfate standard as U.S. Steel seeks a variance from the MPCA, and the arrest and subsequent resignation of former state Sen. Justin Eichorn.
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Our No. 5 and No. 6 stories of year break down what it means for local sheriffs to help enforce immigration laws, and the impact of budget cuts to library systems across the region.
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Our No. 7 and No. 8 stories of year cover the proliferation of automatic license plate readers as a law enforcement tool in Northern MN, and spring wildfires that destroyed thousands of acres and hundreds of structures.
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KAXE covered natural disasters, federal funding chaos, Eichorn's arrest and resignation, mining permits and wild rice, library budget cuts, sheriffs teaming with ICE and more. -
Our No. 9 and No. 10 stories of year include an unusual strike over whether a wide range of Essentia Health providers can form a union and the controversial sale of an MN utility company.
