The Zac Brown band could make a remake of their Toes in the Water Fanny in the Sand song if they met Gail Leibovich of Milton. The resident is hoping that she wins a national sweepstakes that would help build a $500,000 dog park where her dog could put his fanny in the sand. Leibovich entered the Dream Dog Park Contest through Beneful, a company that produces dog food. The competition allowed Leibovich to describe her idea of the perfect dog park. And for her, the perfect dog park would mean a little something different “Enter our dream by passing through a boardwalk area complete with shaded picnic tables, a snack and beverage hut with treats for dogs and humans alike, storage cubbies, and washing stations to clean up after play time,” Leibovich’s sweepstakes entry said. “Everyone who loves to run can trot on the boardwalk paths that encircle the fenced park. In the center is the main beach area with sand for digging or relaxing and a sloped pool so dogs could cool off by wading or venture deeper to swim.” Indie, her black lab loves to go to the beach whenever she is able to go, which is why Leibovich aimed for a beach getaway dog park. But instead of being in Navarre or Pensacola Beach, the resident wanted the getaway to be in a section of Russell Harber Landing in Milton. “My mother-in-law has a house down at the beach and that’s my dogs favorite place to go,” Leibovich said. “There is a dog beach park in Pensacola, but it’s too much of a drive. “I figured it would be fun to bring the beach home and have a place where everyone else can go, not just the dogs. Socialization is important for dogs.” Her entry entitled “Waders in the Lost Bark-Park” paints the perfect picture of what her dream dog park would be. “They’ve done this competition for a few years now,” Leibovich said. “And I’ve seen the results from those.” This was the first year the Milton resident decided to enter the contest. Before she knew it, she was one of 12 finalists for the competition. “I found out in September about being in the finals,” Leibovich said. “They gave us time to make a video before they submitted them to the public.” Leibovich can be seen in a video with Indie on the Beneful website. There she collects votes from the public and votes from judges in hopes to win the sweepstakes. Leibovich said that her dream dog park wouldn’t be all fun and games. She said that there would also be a place in the park that is shaded that would allow dogs and their owners to relax. “In Milton, there’s just not that many places to take a dog where they can run free without being on a leash,” Leibovich said. The sweepstakes finalists said that if she did win the contest, Beneful would work with the city to see about building the dog park. “The contest organizers actually have stipulations,” Leibovich said. “It might not be built where you propose it.” Milton mayor Guy Thompson said that he would be open to building a dog park at Russell Harber Landing. He said that there has been an area at that park that is open to dogs, but the city has struggled to maintain the property. “Maintenance has been a problem, and structuring it,” Thompson said. “We would be glad to work with them if they wanted a dog park here.” Leibovich said that she should know the results from the contest by November 7. “Part of what I was thinking was, I wanted it to be a place for dogs and humans,” Leibovich said. “Because people aren’t going to take their dogs to it if there’s no shading for them. “I hope it would inspire people to come together and let their dogs to have fun.” Leibovich is an instructor at Whiting Field. She trained in Whiting Field back in 2007.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Top dog