KAILUA, Hawaii (KHON2) -- It's a law that has no wiggle room. Kaha Park - once the go-to spot for local dog owners - is now strictly off-limits to four-legged friends who like to run free. "It's where we come for solace and support. And taking it away has been a huge blow to our community, and wi thout being too dramatic, it's sort of ruined our lives," said Chad Daniels, who used to bring his great danes, Roger and Linus, daily to the park. Kakaako dog owners: Kolowalu Dog Park is opening! "It's a place of healing and the dogs have this understanding that passes right on to us. We all get along. The dogs get along. It's a very special place," said Kailua resident Don Thompson. Some said they didn't realize they were breaking the rules until the signs went up and last month citations were handed out. Johann Freeberg was one of those cited. "The cops are just doing their job, but we don't have infrastructure here for dogs to run and play, and that is the most frustrating part," said Freeberg. "The only places that dogs can run off leash is inside the caged dog parks that we have." Kailua residents said the Kaneohe off-leash park opened last December is too small and too far for their pooches - and now they're pushing for a compromise. "It was just the community that started this. They policed it, they took care of it and it's worked beautifully. Dog off-leash park, proof of concept right here, 20 years," said Scott Fleming, the unofficial "mayor" of Kaha Park, who said people have been coming to the park with their dogs for decades. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The City said Kaha Park, the official name Kawai Nui Neighborhood Park, has always been an on-leash park. They moved dog owners to the other side of the park to resolve conflicts with sports teams. Enforcement started following public complaints. Twelve citations have been handed out since March 25, according to Honolulu police. Residents who live next to the park said they don't think this resolves the problem. "I've seen things happen where, you know, hikers get chased by dogs. I've seen dogs go after each other. So if that can not happen, that's great. It's like I said, it takes one bad seed for it to be bad for everybody," said Terence Waclawik. Dog lovers said they aren't asking for the entire park - just a piece of it - and suggest specific hours of usage. Hawaii restaurants may allow pet dogs in outdoor spaces "In the time when the park is unused for sports, we should be able to take our dogs here to play with each other and enjoy the wide open space, enjoy the relationships they're building with each other," said Freeberg. Freeberg also suggested adopting programs from other cities in Oregon, Colorado and Washington that have specific hours for off-leash dog play and certain trails just for off-leash dogs. The City's Parks and Rec officials said they are trying to identify locations for more off-leash parks, but with limited land space, it's difficult. They plan to work with communities across Oahu to identify more parks that can be designated as on-leash areas. Meanwhile, City Council Member Esther Kia'aina said she's aware of the issue and plans to do a site visit. Kaha Park users are hoping a solution will be fetched soon. Check out more news from around Hawaii "As a kupuna, I just need a place to go with other like-minded people. And it's been such a blessing for us, mainly because my little dog is so active," said Caroline Parobek, with her terrier dog, Jackie. "Most importantly, I think just being around other dog people and enjoying just talking story at the end of the day makes such a big difference." ...read more read less