It’s no secret that dogs love parks just as much as people do, but when we asked readers and fans to submit photos of their furry best friend enjoying a park for our Dogs in Parks photo contest, we had no idea just how popular the contest would be. The more than 500 photos we received exceeded expectations and demonstrated the treasured roles dogs play in local park and recreation agencies. There were small dogs, big dogs, dog mascots, dogs with kids, dogs with seniors and even zoo dogs. The stories provided with the entries were even better, such as the dog that befriended a lion cub that was separated from its mother. What stood out throughout the entries was how important parks are to dogs and their owners, because there’s nothing better for a dog than a trip to the park where they can splash around, catch a ball, drag a big stick or simply roll around in the grass.

Thank you to everyone who submitted photos to this year’s contest and congratulations to the winner and runners up!