The effort to ban certain dogs from the Brutus Dog Park in Big Rapids died quietly during Thursday's Parks and Recreation Board meeting. The Board voted to keep the park's rules as is after a push by some citizens to restrict use by only neutered or spayed dogs. It was noted that there are no other public dog parks in the state with such a rule and City Attorney Eric Williams says the city is not legally liable for any problems with dogs at the park.

“The fact that people can do things in parks that cause injury to other people or property doesn't make the government or municipality that owns the park liable for that behavior.”

It was also noted that there has never been a police report involving problem dogs at the park and the Board agreed that the current rules against aggressive dogs is sufficient.