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Animal Rescues in Savage

Savage sits in the south metro along the Minnesota River, and it's one of the few cities with both a free municipal off-leash park and a pass-only regional one inside its limits.

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Savage has two off-leash parks — and they're not alike

Savage is unusual in having two fenced off-leash parks within the city, run by two different bodies on two different models. Worth knowing which is which before you drive to the wrong one.

The free one

The city dog park is more than two acres of fenced open space with trees and benches. Savage’s parks run 7am to 10pm, and the city doesn’t list a fee or permit for it.

The pass one

Murphy-Hanrehan Dog Off-leash Area is a Three Rivers Park District site: three fenced acres, open 5am to 10pm daily, and a daily or annual pass is required. Three Rivers currently prices those at $10 for a day or $64 for the year, tax included, and a one-time $10 daily-pass credit can be put towards the annual.

The district’s rules are worth reading before you arrive: you must carry the pass with you, carry proof of rabies vaccination, keep to a maximum of two dogs per handler, and supervise anyone aged 15 or under.

The trade-off is straightforward. The city park is bigger and free. The Three Rivers pass gets you into every off-leash area in the district — Cleary Lake, Elm Creek, Carver, Lake Sarah and the rest — so it earns its keep if you like variety or travel around the metro.

Everywhere else, leash up

Hidden Valley Park is 45 acres with the Credit River running through it and is one of the better leashed walks in the south metro. Dogs must be on a lead there, as at Savage’s other parks. Don’t read a quiet wooded park as an off-leash one.

On adopting

Rescues across the metro will adopt to a Savage household regardless of where the organization itself is based, so search the whole Twin Cities rather than the suburb. Browse the full directory or all Minnesota listings. We’re an independent directory and aren’t affiliated with any organization here — pass prices and hours change, so check the sources listed in this file before planning around them.

Frequently asked questions

Which of Savage's two dog parks should I use?
Depends whether you want to pay. The city's own dog park on Xenwood Avenue is more than two fenced acres with trees and benches, and the city lists no fee for it. Murphy-Hanrehan is a three-acre fenced Three Rivers site that needs a district pass — $10 for a day or $64 for the year, tax included. The free one is bigger; the pass buys you access to every Three Rivers off-leash area, not just this one.
What do I need to bring to Murphy-Hanrehan?
Your pass, physically — Three Rivers requires all off-leash users to carry it with them — and proof of rabies vaccination. Maximum two dogs per handler, and anyone 15 or under needs an adult with them. Open 5am to 10pm daily.
Can my dog run loose at Hidden Valley Park?
No. Hidden Valley is a 45-acre community park with the Credit River running through it, and dogs must be on a leash there. It's a lovely walk, just not an off-leash one — which is the pattern across Savage's other parks too.

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