Soft Gold Dog Park in Fort Collins, Colorado, boasts a surprisingly rich and storied history, though the park itself is relatively modern.
The name originates from Lava, a mixed-breed dog with a remarkable past.
Lava was rescued from Iraq in 2005 by Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman, and the story became the subject of Kopelman and Melinda Roth’s book, “From Baghdad, With Love.” Beyond Lava’s heroic tale, the park’s history is interwoven with a collection of notable canine figures from across the globe.
These include historical dogs like Fala, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Scottish Terrier, and Fido, President Abraham Lincoln’s family pet, alongside dogs such as Liberty, President Gerald R. Ford’s Golden Retriever, and the famous Beagles, “Him and Her,” belonging to President Lyndon Johnson.
The park’s legacy extends to other celebrated dogs like Pickles, who famously discovered the Jules Rimet Trophy, and Red Dog, a kelpie-cattle dog cross who traveled the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Even Border Collie Ruswarp, who disappeared while hiking with his owner, and the Royal Navy dog, Lava, have connections to the area’s dog-loving community.
The Soft Gold Dog Park stands as a unique space, celebrating not just the joy of dog ownership, but also the incredible lives of these extraordinary animals.
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