The northwest corner of the St. Regis 4-way stop has undergone quite the transformation in the past year. With tree removal, ground leveling, new fencing, landscaping and a pavilion, the St. Regis Travel Center has officially opened its brand-new dog park.

Owner Muffy Bullock said, “We have done some research and also have first-hand observation that the number of people traveling with their pets is increasing. Certainly, the pandemic added to this as people turned towards family-friendly outdoor recreation vacations."

Bullock noted that a Google search on "number of travelers with pets”, she found out that 53% of travelers take holidays with their pets, so pet-friendly accommodation is a growing industry trend.

It's estimated that two million domestic animals travel on commercial flights every year. Fifty-two percent of surveyed owners said that they only stay at pet-friendly properties. Traveling with pets has become notably popular.

“We’ve had this idea for years, but were prompted to move forward based on the changes we've seen with our customers due to the pandemic,” stated Bullock. The Travel Center has always allowed pets in the facility in non-food service areas, because it’s understandable that travelers don’t want to leave their pets in vehicle on hot summer days.

She added, “We felt our visitors needed a safe spot to let their dogs out for relief and some play time. We also think it adds to the list of great reasons to stop in the community of St. Regis.”

Work on the St. Regis dog park began last fall but early snow pushed building plans out to this spring. This new animal area is open to the general public, including in town folks.

So, if a resident or a tourist happens to be out walking their dog they're welcome to enter the fenced in yards to let the dog go to the bathroom and continue on their way.

The space is not intended for gatherings per say, considering just down the street is the big and beautiful St. Regis Community Park. Bullock hopes that this dog park will be a blessing to travelers and locals alike needing to care for the pets.

Standard dog park rules will apply such as cleaning up after your pet, monitoring your pet at all times, respect for other animals and people, and separating aggressive dogs from other pets.

Bullock said, “The dog park has a small picnic area so people can relax and enjoy a meal while letting their dog out. There will be two sections in the park, with a double gated entry to allow a space to safely leash your pet. The two sections are to allow visitors to self-sort their dogs based on size and disposition.”

For many years the spacious lot had two residences and a shop on it, but the dog park area has always been a bit of a green space. Bullock shared, “We are glad to be keeping it like that to add a nice welcoming approach for our visitors and locals alike.”

Architect, Paul Bishop and engineer Jason Delaney, both from Polson worked on the project the past several months. St. Regis native Travis Simons was the builder on the job.

The park officially opened for dogs to do their business last month, even as construction wraps up. Bullock said the finishing touches are, “Installing a sprinkler system, finishing the picnic pavilion and adding fun dog obstacles and selfie locations.”