Kevin Malloy and DiSandro & Malloy, P.C. are proud to have represented Don Feliciano who turned a tragedy into something positive to help his community. Don Feliciano sustained life-changing injuries after being struck by a truck while walking his dog, Bailey. A loyal companion, Bailey remained by his side following the accident until police and EMTs arrived.
To honor Bailey’s legacy, Don Feliciano used part of the proceeds from his settlement to fund the first dog park in Page County Virginia which is named Bailey’s Legacy Dog Park. Don wrote the following letter to the editor explaining why he made such a generous donation:
After 20 years of being rejected by one local town, I am happy to announce that local dog owners in Page County are finally getting a long-awaited dog park, to be entitled “Bailey’s Legacy Dog Park,” which I will be donating to the Town of Stanley. It will be built soon on 3 acres next to the town’s Hawksbill Park Pool on Hawksbill Road. The County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the dog park on June 6th, and I am grateful. The only nearby dog parks currently in Page County are Front Royal, Elkton, and Woodstock.
I want to thank the Town of Stanley for jumping on my offer to build the dog park (especially town manager Terry Pettitt and recreation director Teri Beers), as well as for the assistance from County staffers Tracy Clatterbuck and Nina Long Fox, who made it easy for this amateur to move the project along. Thanks to the cooperation and interest of all parties, this project went from concept last October to approval this month. We’ve already contracted with local fencing guru Clyde Freeze to start building the necessary fence for the park.
Tell all your friends who own dogs to get ready for the dog park’s opening, hopefully in a few months provided that the current economy cooperates. I also want to point out that dog parks are not just for dogs–they are significant community gathering spots. From my past experiences at dog parks in other states, I’ve been to some packed with over a hundred people and their dogs on a Sunday morning, with the owners chatting with neighbors and friends, reading the Sunday newspapers, sharing coffee, or simply working on their tans. Dog parks are excellent for elderly, handicapped, and disabled folk (like me) who can’t play with their dogs but can appreciate letting their unleashed pets play with other dogs…
You can read Don’s entire letter here. You can also see the local news coverage of the dog park opening here.
Don’s act of kindness and generosity also inspired Kevin Malloy and his wife Kathy, to become certified Therapy Dog handlers through Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs, as well as having their dog, Cadie, certified as a Therapy Dog. Kevin and his wife volunteer their services by bringing their dog to various places in need of companionships such as nursing homes, schools, and library reading programs for children. The following photograph of Cadie was taken at a recent dog parade held for the residents of a local nursing home:
Those interested in donating to help support the maintenance and upkeep of Bailey’s Legacy Dog Park can donate here. Those interested in donating to help support Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs can donate here.
