meet us

The Manager

Joanne Turner has an MBA and management experience as well as an in-depth animal background: 17 years of teaching dog training classes, vet tech experience, and work at the Smithsonian National Zoo in animal enrichment (primates and pinnipeds) and as a keeper in the Reptile House. While at the Reptile House she worked with Komodo Dragons. Joanne has spoken at schools in Virginia and most recently in Florida on conservation efforts and public awareness of exotic species, as well showcasing her dog, Bentley (see photo at right), in proper canine handling. Joanne lives in Ponte Vedra Beach with her dogs Bentley and Max and with her husband Mark.

The Assistant Manager

Cheryl Plantz has has spent the past ten years working with animals in several capacities, including showing, training and rescue.  She currently works as a veterinary technician with a special emphasis on behavior modification while pursuing her degree in Veterinary Technology.  Cheryl and her husband Anthony share their home in Middleburg with a menagerie of animals including six dogs:  Max and Symphony, both Rottweilers, Kylie and Kadenz, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Knight Owl the Greyhound and Kira, a West Highland Terrier.  In her free time she enjoys competing in agility and participating in pet therapy and humane education programs for the Clay County Humane Society with Kira and Knight, both certified therapy dogs through Therapy Dogs Incorporated. 

The Owner

In 1997, after attending a dog swimming party, Lynn Badger, animal lover from birth and entrepreneur, came up with the idea for a private multi-acre country club for dogs. On Halloween of 1998 Lynn opened Gainesville's Dog Wood Park, the country's first private multi-acre dog park (under new ownership as of May, 2006). Then on Halloween of 2003 she opened her second and even larger park, Dog Wood Park of Jacksonville. She is now at work on her next project, a resort for dog lovers called White Dog Plantation. She lives on the resort property just north of Tallahassee with her 6 rescued American Eskimo dogs.

Since 2001 Lynn has been doing consulting for those interested in starting their own private dog parks.

Please note that Lynn has a new email address: whitedogs@bellsouth.net .