Though Austin’s new dog park has sections for both small and large dogs, it is still unclear how a pit bull was able to get to a Chihuahua and kill it on Sunday morning, said Austin Parks and Recreation Director Kim Underwood.

But Underwood wants to make one thing clear: “Owners are responsible for their dogs and the actions that their dogs take,” she said. “I can’t say that enough. It’s no different than watching your children at the park.”

Austin’s dog park has not officially opened, so rules have not been posted. Underwood said a temporary poster was placed at the park on Monday, and a permanent sign is on order. Rules are also posted on austinsdogpark.org.

One rule states, “Dogs showing aggression towards people or other animals will be not be tolerated and will be removed from the park. Animals who exhibit a history of aggressive behavior are not permitted,” according to the website.

“Aggressive dogs are not supposed to be there, and people know that,” Underwood said.

Other rules state that owners must watch their dogs at all times, carry a leash and open one gate at a time while entering the park. The gate rule refers to a double-gated area designated for entering and leaving the park. Underwood said the park does have some gates that are only used for lawn mowers to pass through, so Parks and Rec is going to install heavier latches and padlocks to prevent people from using those gates, as well.

In the meantime, Underwood is seeking the advice of the city attorney, city officials from other cities and organizers of other dog parks. While Minnesota state law says cities cannot ban specific breeds, Underwood said she has not found out if dog parks have that privilege. She is seeking advice from the city attorney, officials from other cities and other dog park organizers. She understands banning any specific breed can be a slippery slope and did not indicate if Parks and Rec would take such action.

“That’s exactly the thing,” she said. “Where do you draw the line? I don’t know that.”

Underwood said the Parks and Rec board will also bring up the issue at its July meeting.