Carroll Gardens DOG

Love and Pitties in the City

2012-02-14T17:42:00.000-05:00

A lovely story for Valentine's Day.

http://pittiesincity.blogspot.com/2012/02/pooches-on-finding-one.html

How has your dog brought love into your life?

I have more than a few close friends who I would never have met if I wasn't out walking Steve in the neighborhood. He has brought more love and joy than I could have predicted.

NYTimes Reports on Connecticut Off-Leash Battle

2012-02-12T22:28:00.000-05:00

NYCdog, the umbrella group for NYC dog owners groups, was mentioned in this Feb 12, 2012 New York Times article. Parks Commissioner also makes a strong statement of support for dog parks and off-leash.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/nyregion/at-connecticut-preserve-a-battle-over-leashing-dogs.html?_r=1

In New York City, years of restive debate were mostly quieted in 2007, when the Parks and Recreation Department announced that dogs would be allowed off leash in many large parks 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., making official what had been an accepted practice. Adrian Benepe, the parks commissioner, said that dog owners made parks safer by their presence “day in and day out, despite the weather.”

...

In New York City, Mr. Benepe subscribes to the theory that dogs are less aggressive when they are allowed to socialize and exercise. Indeed, the number of dog bites reported in the city has plummeted in recent years, as the parks department has built dozens of dog runs and allowed dogs off leash. Still, he said, “the right to have your dog off leash doesn’t confer the right to inconvenience and injure other people.”

Bob Marino, president of the New York Council of Dog Owner Groups, an umbrella organization, praised the city’s decision to formalize the off-leash hours. “Under this administration, the whole idea is ‘Let’s work together and talk,’ ” he said. “Is it perfect? No. But it allows a city with limited land and a lot of people and a lot of dogs to coexist.”

Renovation Reported in Carroll Gardens Patch

2012-02-01T14:47:00.000-05:00

More coverage of our renovation on Carroll Gardens Patch today!

Our Renovation in the Brooklyn Paper

2012-01-31T14:11:00.000-05:00

Nice writeup of our planned renovation in the Brooklyn Paper today. I'm glad the good news is getting out more broadly!

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/35/5/dtg_dogruncarrollgardens_2012_01_27_bk.html

Brownstoner Post About DiMattina Dog Park Renovation

2012-01-20T12:22:00.000-05:00

Brownstoner posted about the renovation presentation: http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2012/01/plans-surface-for-carroll-gardens-dog-run-upgrades/

You'll see some heated comments regarding the cost and the proposed new surface. Perhaps some of us who use this dog park should chime in.

We have looked at the experiences of other dog parks nationwide and learned that no surface is perfect. Decomposed Granite, though controversial, has been recommended to us by other dog park volunteer groups. We are told it is a sterile surface that allows the rain to pass through if drainage is installed properly. Underneath it is fabric membrane separating it from a layer of gravel. There are many kinds of Decomposed Granite, and Parks has asked Carroll Gardens DOG to choose between the type used in Tompkins Square Park dog park and the Washington Square Park dog runs. We are investigating this week to determine which is the least dusty. Watering regularly with a sprinkler keeps the dust down.

Regarding the cost, a couple of years ago I was told by someone in Parks that $450,000 is not much considering Parks spends a million on a comfort station. It's insane but it's how the city works.
Overall we are pleased with the plan, which is close to our original proposal sent years ago. A separate small dog run will be added to the vacant land adjacent to the current space. We're getting new lighting, benches, and drinking fountains.

We will share more news as we have it!

Review of the Plans for Our Renovation

2012-01-17T23:16:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the late notice folks. Tomorrow evening the Parks Department will present their plans for our renovation at a Community Board 6 Parks Committee meeting.

Wednesday, January 18
6:30pm
Cobble Hill Community Meeting Room
250 Baltic Street (Clinton/Court)
http://www.brooklyncb6.org/calendar/#18

The public is invited to comment. We will report on the details after the meeting!

A New Dog Park on Columbia Street?

2012-01-17T22:40:00.000-05:00

Nearly a year ago the Regional Plan Association and Brooklyn Greenway Initiative held a visioning meeting to collect suggestions from the community for a new park on Columbia Street between Kane and Degraw. A small dog park was suggested at the meeting. Tomorrow night Brooklyn Greenway Initiative has scheduled a report-back meeting for the planned park. Preliminary renderings will be presented and the community will be invited to comment. Visit the BGI website regarding the meeting here and RSVP.

Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Time: 6:30p - 8:30p
Location: Union Street Star Theater, 101 Union Street

Thanks to the Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association blog for the news!

Free vaccinations and spay/neuter procedures from ASPCA

2011-12-27T13:07:00.001-05:00

The ASPCA is providing free spay/neuter along with vaccines from December 19th until December 31. This is a gift to their customers to show their appreciation.

DECEMBER 19th – 31st (clinics are closed on Christmas day)

• First Come, First Served
• Clinics arrive at 7:30am, get there early to get a spot!
• Animals 8 weeks and older are eligible

For more information call: 877-SPAY-NYC or visit aspca.org/877spaynyc

Author of Love at First Bark Speaking This Week

2011-12-05T15:27:00.000-05:00

Julie Klam, the best-selling author of You Had Me at Woof, will read from her new canine-inspired chronicles, Love at First Bark: How Saving a Dog Can Sometimes Help You Save Yourself on Wednesday, December 7th, 7:00pm at Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Library, Dweck Center. This is a free event! More info on the library's website at: http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/events/culture-arts

Time to Schedule a Visit with Santa

2011-11-18T17:53:00.000-05:00

Getting a photo with Santa at Love Thy Pet has become a tradition in my little family. Thankfully Chris (oops, I meant, Santa Claus) tolerates my Steve's exuberance. We always look forward to getting an email with all the photos afterwards.

This year two Santas are coming to town!

Sunday Dec: 4 from 11am to 3pm

Saturday Dec: 10 from 11am to 3pm

Make your appointment for your free photo session before they fill up! 718-596-2399

Love Thy Pet's brand biscuits adorned with the photos of 13 different local canine customers have arrived, in 13 different flavors! R.C. Coats and chilly dog wool sweaters are also in stock so make a visit to Love Thy Pet this holiday season!

Are you and your pup interested in becoming a therapy dog team?

2011-11-18T13:22:00.000-05:00

The ASPCA is hosting a "meet n greet" info session in Cobble Hill on December 5th to try to get the word out about their therapy dog program and training classes. Anyone interested in animal assisted therapy is welcome to attend. There will be free food, free ASPCA stuff, a raffle, and Pet Partner teams.

These are great folks to work with and should be a fun and informative event.

It's happening at ArtsCetera, 212 Smith St. between Baltic and Butler at 7 p.m.

More information about the ASPCA's animal assisted therapy program at: http://www.aspca.org/aspca-nyc/animal-assisted-therapy.aspx.

Love Thy Pet Halloween Party this Sunday!

2011-10-18T23:35:00.000-04:00

Sunday October 23

1pm to 3pm

Fun for all

First, Second and Third costume prizes

Coffee, Human Cake, Canine Cake, Pictures!

Love Thy Pet

164 Union Street

Between Hicks and Henry

718-596-2399

http://www.lovethypetbklyn.com/

Dog Show in Brooklyn Heights on Sunday

2011-09-15T23:37:00.002-04:00

Brooklyn Heights dogs will compete in a dog show as part of Montague Street's "Summer Space" this Sunday afternoon. The categories for entries are: Best Smile, Best Trick, Cutest Small Dog (under 25 lbs), Cutest Big Dog, Best Hairdo, Best Tail Wagger, Most Affectionate. The Brooklyn Heights Association’s Best In Show will be chosen by the audience.

Only Brooklyn Heights dogs can enter but it may be fun to watch and help choose the winner.

http://www.montaguebid.com/summerspace/index.html

1-3pm in front of Key Food and Pet's Emporium at 105 Montague Street.

Make Your Dog a Star

2011-09-07T20:25:00.000-04:00

Our favorite pet store, Love Thy Pet is holding a contest to choose a cover star for their own brand of Love Thy Pet dog treats. Here are the details:

Email up to four pictures of your best friend to lovethypetbklyn@yahoo.com

A panel of judges will select four small breed, four medium breed, and four large breed dogs. Winners will be printed on a special run of Love Thy Pet Treats, which are especially made for Love Thy Pet using only natural ingredients. Contest ends 9/30/11.

Good Luck!

My Dog Loves Central Park County Fair September 24

2011-08-29T22:45:00.001-04:00

Image Source

Central Park PAWS is planning their 9th annual My Dog Loves Central Park Country Fair on September 24th in Central Park. Sounds worth it to take a dog-friendly cab into Manhattan!

Featuring:
Best in Park Dog Show Agility A-Mazing Maze
Canine Good Citizen Testing Live Entertainment
Giveaways Dog Tales Oral History Project
Microchipping . . . and much more!

Saturday, September 24, 2011 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Central Park | NYC Naumburg Bandshell (Mid-Park at 72nd Street)
Free ADmiss ion Sponsored by
Central Park Conservancy
14 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022
www.centralparkpaws.org
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=188061061254414

Help fix the AC&C

2011-08-19T23:58:00.000-04:00

The Manhattan Borough President is proposing a smart restructuring of NYC's Animal Care & Control. You can sign his petition here.

Protecting New York's Animals

www.huffingtonpost.com

"A key measure of any city's humanity is how it treats its animals, and unfortunately New York falls short compared to the rest of the country. It is time for this to change."

Bark in the Park with the Brooklyn Cyclones

2011-08-18T19:36:00.004-04:00

Bark in the Park

Monday, August 22, 2011
MCU Park, 1904 Surf Avenue, Coney Island, Brooklyn

Bring your dog to a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game! Or come and adopt a new best friend!

The Brooklyn Cyclones invite fans to bring their dogs to the annual Bark in the Park night at MCU Park. Fans and their canine friends can share an exciting evening of fun as the Cyclones take on the Tri-City Valley Cats.

The stadium's bleacher section — renamed "The BOW-WOW Zone" for the night — will be reserved for those who bring their pooches to the game.

More details here:

http://www.animalalliancenyc.org/events/featured/barkinthepark/index.htm

Photo by lhunt314 on FLickr

A message from my neighbor...

2011-07-25T10:42:00.005-04:00

Dear family, friends, and neighbors,

We are moving to Europe and have come to the sad conclusion that we will not be able to take our dog with us. With a heavy heart, we are looking for a home that would welcome a 10-year old lady (in perfect health) on either a short-term or long-term basis. She is half Chow-chow and half Pyrenean shepherd - please see the attached photo, if you have not already met her in the past. She is well behaved in the house, and will be an infallible guardian. On the downside, she does have a tendency to bark when people come to the door, but is a lovely companion otherwise.

We are either looking for a short-term or long-term home, as there is potential that we could ship her over in a few months. It really depends on who we find that is willing to take her and what their interest and commitment would be.

On a related note, we do need a dog sitter this weekend (from 7/29 - 7/31). If someone is interested, this could be a good chance for a test run. We are, of course, willing to accept dog-sitters that aren't interested in adopting her as well!

If you or anyone you know is interested in adopting a dog, helping a dog (and her family) on a short-term basis, or dog sitting, please get in touch with me as soon as possible. Also, please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Thank you,

Chris Barker

516-428-8293 (cell)

cbarker1 [at] gmail [dot] com

Brooklyn Bridge Park Dog Parks

2011-05-28T03:18:00.005-04:00

Did you know that there are two dog parks in Brooklyn Bridge Park? There is a nice one in the new Pier 6 park at the end of Atlantic Avenue, and there is a smaller one in DUMBO in the Main Street section. The Pier 6 dog park is a medium-size round park with a red gravel surface and water fountain.

This weekend Pier 6's expansion will open and they will have some new local food concessions: Milk Truck, Bark Hot Dogs, Blue Marble ice cream and Uncle Louie G's!

Sean Casey Adoption Event

2011-05-28T01:44:00.008-04:00

Sean Casey Animal Rescue are bringing adoptable dogs and cats to Love Thy Pet on Union St! Their website says: "All pets are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and receive one free exam at a participating vet and an offer for a free month of pet health insurance. Adoption fees are payable in cash or by check...cats/kittens: $100.00 and dogs//puppies: $200.00 (plus an additional $8.50 if you live in NYC for a dog license)."

We know that a lot of our dog park regulars were rescued from Sean Casey. Come down to say hello!

Saturday May 28

12:00 noon until 6:00 pm
Love Thy Pet
164 Union Street (between Hicks And Henry)
718-596-2399

(Photo by North Shore Animal League America)
More info about the mobile adoption vans from North Shore Animal League:
http://www.animalalliancenyc.org/newsletter/2010-05/nsalavans.htm

Sara and Daisy

2011-05-13T22:30:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we met Sara (say the first syllable like "far") and her five month old Boxer, Daisy. It was nice to meet you guys!

And there's Pirate in the background, getting some love from Pepe, as usual. Sigh...

Paul and Jessica

2011-04-30T09:20:00.001-04:00

Jessica and Paul the Dog enjoying a warm spring afternoon at the park.

Mugsy and Steve

2011-04-24T11:44:00.003-04:00

Steve was keeping cool this morning under the bench while Mugsy kept a lookout.

Pics from today's cleanup!

2011-04-16T15:57:00.004-04:00

We had a productive morning at the park today, finishing just before the rain started. We weeded and cleaned out the tree guard sections, removed many of the pieces of broken surface, and put up a new extra layer of fencing along the front fence to prevent little dogs from getting through.

Thanks to Parks and Rec for the equipment, James for the cookies and table, Jackie for the new fencing, and everybody for your time and hard work. The park looks great!

Spring Cleanup this Saturday!

2011-04-10T11:43:00.000-04:00

Join your neighbors in weeding, sweeping, and clearing our park of garbage and debris. We'll supply tools, work gloves, and cool drinks. Just bring yourself!

DiMattina Dog Park Spring Cleanup
Sat April 16
10:30am to 12:30pm

See you there!
Andrea, Jackie, Kim, James, and Shelly
Coordinators, Carroll Gardens DOG

Dog-friendly Films in Red Hook in 2011

2011-03-13T19:16:00.005-04:00

We had a great time with the dog at last summer's Red Hook film series in Valentino Park Pier. Check back soon on their blog for the 2011 schedule.

The State of Pet Policies in Coops and Condos

2011-02-28T17:41:00.002-05:00

The COOPERATOR, a monthly journal about co-ops and condos, has an article on Pets and Housing in NYC. It has an interview with Bob Marino of NYCdog:

http://cooperator.com/articles/2207/1/Pets-Allowed/Page1.html

DiMattina Dog Park in the News

2011-01-28T23:40:00.001-05:00

The new local news site Patch has written a nice article about the renovation.

http://carrollgardens.patch.com/articles/community-dog-park-to-receive-a-much-needed-facelift

January at DiMattina Dog Park

2011-01-23T12:45:00.003-05:00

There's been a nice crowd at the dog park these past few weekend mornings. Today we saw Henry, Reese's, Iris, Dos, Shayna, Diamond and few other pups I haven't met yet. They love running on the packed snow surface!

How to avoid stray voltage on the sidewalks of NYC

2011-01-13T18:21:00.003-05:00

Thank you to Blair Sorrel, founder of StreetZaps.com for alerting us to the dangers of stray voltage on city sidewalks. You may remember the most well-known fatality from stray voltage when in 2004, East Village resident Jodie Lane and her two dogs were electrocuted by voltage from a decaying service box under the street.

Remember to always avoid metal plates, manhole covers, and street lamps. Construction sites can also cause stray voltage. If your dog yelps, cries, or jumps suddenly, or avoids walking on a section of sidewalk, it may be getting a shock. See more info below from Blair Sorrel and look at her site for maps of reported hot spots and how you can keep yourself and your dogs safe.

HOW TO SLAY AN INVISIBLE DANGER.

Blair Sorrel, Founder
http://www.StreetZaps.com

Contact voltage is a chronic hidden hazard that can readily victimize an unsuspecting dog, walker, or both. No dog lover could possibly observe a more horrifying scene than witnessing his beloved pet instantaneously maimed or tragically electrocuted. When you exercise your pooch, please exercise greater prudence. Common outdoor electrical and metal fixtures may shock or even kill your vulnerable dog. And depending upon the current, the walker will be bitten and like poor Aric Roman, suffer permanently. But you can, indeed, self-protect.

Just start to adopt this simple strategy — EYEBALL THE BLOCK, AND AVOID A SHOCK. Take a few seconds and make your trajectory toward generally safer, free standing, non-conductive surfaces, ie., plastic, wood, cardboard. Intuit your dog’s cues and if it’s resistant, change directions. Work site perimeters may be live so try to elude them. If necessary, switch sides of the street or your hands when leading to skirt hazards. If you traverse the same route, you may memorize locations of potential dangers. Carry your pooch when in doubt. Consider indoor restroom products like PottyPark when external conditions are chancy or RopeNGo’s hardware-free leash and harness. And don’t rely on dog booties as a palliative as they will actually put your pet at even greater risk since the dog can’t tell you they’re leaking! To learn to more, please see StreetZaps. A safer walk is yours year round if you are willing to open to your eyes and mind to it.

Renovation Update!

2010-11-21T17:49:00.001-05:00

Folks, we are one step closer to a renovation for the dog park. See notes below on our Scope Meeting with Parks, Community Board 6 members, and reps from the offices of City Council Member Brad Lander and Borough President Marty Markowitz. You'll see a list of planned features and estimated time line.

Carroll Gardens Dog Run
Scope Meeting
11.17.10

PARTICIPANTS:
Martin Maher, chief of staff, parks
Elizabeth Ernish, Sr. Planner, Brooklyn BP Office
Michael Kurtin, Councilmember Brad Lander’s Office
Craig Hammerman, Chairman, CPD 6
Nica Lalli, Chairperson Parks Committee, CPD 6
Patricia Clark, Project Manager, Capital Projects, Parks
Michael Lavery, Deputy Director Capital Projects, Parks
Jamey Hewitt, Director of Forestry, Parks
Neil, Park Manager, Parks
Jackie Godleski, Carroll Gardens Dog Run
James Aridas, Carroll Gardens Dog Run

SUMMARY:
> Resurface entire run with crushed granite and slotted polyethylene drainage system
> Remove tree-less cage in right rear of park
> Explore development of run for small dogs adjacent to
existing run with separate entry and water supply
> Relocate bushes in rear to perimeter or small run
> New water/shower system installed on concrete
> Install additional lighting in both runs
> Install concrete seating around trees

Parks will present a drawing in 6-10 months for approval
Administrative approvals required (2-3 months)
Bids to be let (1-2 months)
Construction estimated to be 9 months
Estimated time to completion 18-24 months

We will keep you posted on new developments as they happen, and look for more dog park events in 2011.

Pet Adoption Event!

2010-09-12T20:55:00.001-04:00

Sean Casey's Animal Rescue will bring dogs and cats looking for homes to Love Thy Pet, 164 Union Street (between Hicks and Henry) Saturday September 18 from 12:30 to 6 pm!

Dog-friendly Movies in Red Hook

2010-07-21T22:47:00.003-04:00

Valentino Park in Red Hook is showing movies on Tuesday nights this summer, and well-behaved dogs are welcome, according to the website. I haven't checked it out yet but will soon, maybe for Splash or Jaws next month.

Each week also features an exciting local food vendor! Next Tuesday, July 27 they are showing Big Wednesday, a so-bad-it's-good surfer movie.

Funding for Renovation!!

2010-07-03T11:54:00.002-04:00

We have fantastic news! The city has agreed to fund a renovation of our dog park. All your calls and letters have made a difference! Here is the statement from Councilmember Lander:

Borough President Marty Markowitz and City Councilmember Brad Lander were able to provide for the allocation of $450,000 in funding to the Parks Department to make improvements to DiMattina Dog Park at Hicks Street and Woodhull Street in Carroll Gardens .

The Parks department will begin the scoping process to determine the nature of these improvements later this summer and will make those meetings open to interested stakeholders. The Borough President and the Councilmember look forward to working with the Parks Department, the neighbors and the members of the Carroll Gardens Dog Owners Group to ensure a successful project that the whole neighborhood will benefit from.

At these meetings we will discuss the following improvements:
- resurfacing the dog park
- installation or repair of the drainage system
- additional lighting in the rear of the park
- removal of dead trees
- replacing broken fountain
- possibility of expanding the park area and including a small dog area

We would have not gotten this funding without the persistent advocacy of James Aridas, who was part of the original group that established the DiMattina dog park. We are grateful to Brad Lander and Marty Markowitz for making this project possible and to our State Assembly Member Joan Millman and Brooklyn Parks Borough Commissioner Julius Spiegel for their support.

Now the real work begins! We will keep you informed as this project develops.

Dog-friendly Bars

2010-06-18T22:20:00.003-04:00

This week's issue of Time Out NY is all about outdoor bar spaces and one spread is dedicated to dog-friendly spaces. Whatever these bars are doing to avoid Health Dept violations I hope they keep it up. A dog-friendly bar is sometimes the only way I can see my friends without feeling guilty about leaving the puppers at home.

Highlighted are two places nearby: Great Bar Harry on Smith Street and that pretty Brooklyn Botanica in Red Hook (but only when the kitchen is closed). Steve and I have partied down in GBH before but didn't know I could bring him along to Brooklyn Botanica. Classy.

http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/restaurants-bars/86534/dog-friendly-bars-in-nyc

New Dog Park on Pier 6!

2010-06-18T22:09:00.005-04:00

Steve and I checked out the new park at Pier 6 opening weekend. Along with lots of cool playgrounds and a ferry to Governor's Island, it includes a dog park! It's small but in good shape and has a nice water fountain. The surface is some kind of red gravel that leaves red stains. Could it be Red Sandstone?

Pier 6 is located at the end of Atlantic Avenue. The dog park is near the tall condo building.

It's great to have another place for him to run around in that's not far from home.

Here's more info on Brooklyn Bridge Park:
http://www.brooklynbridgeparknyc.org/

Adoption Event Cancelled

2010-06-18T22:08:00.001-04:00

Update:
We regret to inform you that the adoption event has been canceled for Sunday June 20. North Shore Animal League has pulled the adoption truck from Sean Casey Animal Rescue. It seems their driver is ill.
We will be rescheduling as soon as possible. They promised us the next available date. Sorry for any inconvenience. We will keep you posted. Chris

Adoption Event at Love Thy Pet this Sunday

2010-06-15T22:48:00.003-04:00

Our favorite local pet store Love Thy Pet is hosting another adoption event this Sunday. Sean Casey's Animal Rescue will bring cats and dogs, including some kittens and puppies. This rescue group does great work so we hope lots of animals will find forever homes at this event.

Here are the details:

Location:
Love Thy Pet
164 Union Street (between Hicks and Henry)
718-596-2399

Date:
Sunday June 20

Hours:
12:30 to 6pm

Meeting at the Dog Park Tomorrow!

2010-05-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

Dog Park Friends,

We are having a meeting Saturday, May 15 to discuss the future of the dog park. Here are the details:

Morning Mixer

9:30am - 11am

Refreshments provided

please join us for a short meeting to kick-off the summer season!

no tools or muscle necessary – this will be an informal discussion on the past, present and hopeful future of dimattina dog park and how you can help this ‘diamond in the rough’ reach its true potential.

if you are unable to join but have questions, suggestions or comments please email them to: cgdogrun@gmail.com

Thank you,
James, Jackie, Kim, and Andrea

Smith St. “Pup” Crawl

2010-02-13T22:09:00.000-05:00

Support a great cause, Brooklyn's Sean Casey Animal Rescue at the Smith St. “Pup” Crawl

Saturday February 20th

2-7 PM

To Benefit Sean Casey Animal Rescue

Get out of the cold and beat the winter blues while getting to know your neighbors and fellow animal lovers!

Pay $20 to get a bracelet (all proceeds go to the shelter) which will get you drink specials at participating bars—

Angry Wade’s
Zombie Hut
Camp
Bar Great Harry
Ceol

Purchase your Bracelet at Camp 179 Smith St. between Warren St and Wyckoff St starting at 2:00. Donations of blankets, towels, newspapers and paper towels are greatly appreciated!

To RSVP or if you have any questions, please contact Jessica at jessmeyer216@yahoo.com

Sean Casey Animal Rescue-- http://scarnyc.org/

Doggies Gettin' Married

2009-09-02T23:39:00.003-04:00

Love Thy Pet is having its first annual Forever Friends Commitment Ceremony.

Date: 9/12/09
Time: 4pm
Place: Love Thy Pet,164 Union Street, (between Hicks and Henry)718-596-2399
Presiding Minister: Rev: Chris Love

This is for real, people! Chris, co-owner of Love Thy Pet, got himself ordained and he will do commitment ceremonies for pairs of doggies who are ready to take the next step. They're even selling tux and wedding dress costumes.

"There has been quite a buzz surrounding the Affair, so please if you can call and let us know if you would like to come so that we may save you a spot. There will be a photographer to take pictures of this special event. Affirmation of Love Certificate's, Wedding Cake, refreshments, Bride and groom Treat box's. Lots of fun for all. Thank you, Chris"

Adopt a Pet at Love Thy Pet!

2009-08-26T13:20:00.002-04:00

Sunday, August 30th 12:30 till 6pm

Sean Casey's Animal Rescue will be adopting out dogs and cats at our favorite local pet store, Love Thy Pet at 164 Union Street between Hicks and Henry.

Sean will have a full truck of cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies looking for their forever homes.

For more information call Love Thy Pet at 718-596-2399. Friendly owners Chris or Stephanie can tell you more about it.

New York ranked among America's top 10 pet-friendly cities - especially for dogs

2009-08-06T12:14:00.002-04:00

New York ranked among America's top 10 pet-friendly cities - especially for dogs
BY Tracy Miller Thursday, August 6th 2009, 10:20 AM
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

This town has gone to the dogs - in a good way!
New York was ranked as one of America's top 10 pet-friendly cities of 2009 by msnbc.com in an annual assessment that identifies cities with the cushiest amenities, friendliest spaces and coolest perks for our four-legged pals, with an emphasis on canines.
That should come as no surprise to New Yorkers accustomed to dining with their dogs on outdoor patios, going on long rambles through Central Park and letting Fido socialize at the Madison Square Park dog run while munching on a treat from nearby Shake Shack -- all mentioned by msnbc.com as reasons why New York is tops for dogs.
San Diego, with its off-leash beaches, also made the list, as did Chicago, where the posh pet boutiques draw shoppers such as Oprah Winfrey.
Smaller cities rated highly, too -- like Alexandria, Va., with its regular Yappy Hours (which also welcome cats), and the snowy mecca of South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Rounding out the top 10 are Boston; Los Angeles; Portland, Ore.; San Francisco and Seattle.

Original Story: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/travel/2009/08/06/2009-08-06_new_york_ranked_among_americas_top_10_petfriendly_cities__especially_for_dogs.html#ixzz0NPzAz6F2

TAKE A DAILY NEWS POLL ON DOGS IN PARKS, TRANSIT, HOUSING AND
Read more: http://tinyurl.com/lwztmj

Dog Owners, Keep Rabies Shots Up to Date

2009-07-22T13:39:00.001-04:00

Rabid Raccoons In New York City

Updated: Wednesday, 22 Jul 2009, 12:10 AM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 21 Jul 2009, 8:19 PM EDT

MYFOXNY.COM - Several rabid raccoons have been found in Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx in recent weeks. That is prompting the New York City Health Department to issue a warning.
Pet owners should make sure their animals are vaccinated agaisnt rabies.
The health department says people should avoid contact will any raccoons, skunks, bats, stray dogs and cats and other wild animals that can carry rabies.
Six rabid animals - all raccoons - have been identified in New York City this year. Four were found in the Bronx, one in Manhattan (near Inwood Hill Park), and one in Queens (Long Island City).
Raccoons are the most commonly reported rabid animals in New York City. Rabid raccoons are a relatively common occurrence in Staten Island and the Bronx, but rare in Queens and Manhattan. Bats with rabies have also been found in all five boroughs.

People and unvaccinated animals can get rabies, most often through a bite from an infected animal. Infection leads to a severe brain disease that causes death unless the person is treated promptly after being bitten.
People who see wild animals, as well as any animal that seems sick, disoriented or unusually placid or aggressive should be reported by calling 311.

Summer Cleanup - Sunday, July 19

2009-07-04T00:18:00.002-04:00

Our next dog run cleanup will be Sunday, July 19 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon.

Join us! We'll mostly be weeding and sweeping up junk on the surface.

The Parks Dept is loaning us two wheelbarrows for hauling out those bits of concrete, rakes, push brooms, dustpans, shovels, workgloves, pruners and garbage bags. You only need to bring yourself. Come for a little while or the whole morning.

Springtime at the Dog Run

2009-05-26T12:44:00.002-04:00

After taking a break over the winter, Friends of Miro's Run is gearing up again.

We are planning a cleanup day, more fun events at the run, a fundraiser at a local venue, and more. Watch this space for news and updates.

Get involved! Write me at cgdogrun@gmail.com to give a little of your time or expertise.

Best,
Andrea

Dog Run Cleanup and Howl-o-ween Fundraiser

2008-10-21T09:11:00.000-04:00

Friends,

We have two events coming up at the dog run this weekend and next!

Dog Run Fall Cleanup
Saturday, October 25th from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon
This Saturday is It's My Park Day, citywide. It's a time for volunteers to show how much we care about our local park. The Parks Department is bringing all the tools we need, and we're bringing cool drinks. You just bring yourself to help with weeding, cleaning and sweeping. Pitch in for a few minutes or a few hours. We're going to make the dog run look beautiful for our biggest party of the year...

The Annual Miro's Run Howl-o-ween Fundraiser
Sunday, November 2nd from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m.
Join us at the dog run for cider and donuts, a dog costume contest, dog games, and raffle. Costumes are optional but if you dress up your doggie you may win a prize for Best Costume, Best Handmade Costume, Cutest Costume or Scariest Costume. $10 suggested donation, all proceeds go towards improving and promoting the dog run. Sponsored by Monster Mutt, Mobile Mutts, Walk This Way and Hope Vet.

We hope you join us!

Summer Fun at the Run

2008-08-24T14:26:00.002-04:00

It's been good times at the dog run this summer! The dogs have been enjoying splashing in the kiddie pool and jumping into the spray from the hose. Thank you to Jackie (and Coco) for donating the pool.

Have you taken photos at the run this summer? Check out the doggie pics on our Flickr account at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mirosdogrun/. Thanks to Kim (and Nico) for setting up our account! There are lots of photos of our dogs living it up at the run, and in costume at our Howl-o-ween fundraiser in October. If you have photos or videos from the run, email them to us and we'll upload them to the account.

And as always, there are opportunities to get involved if you'd like to help. Drop us a line!

Raffle Fundraiser at Love Thy Pet

2008-07-03T00:30:00.002-04:00

This month our local pet supply store, Love Thy Pet, is holding a raffle for tickets to a Cyclones game in Coney Island. All proceeds benefit Friends of Miro's Run!

Please support the run by buying raffle tickets and telling your friends.

Love Thy Pet is located on Union Street between Henry and Hicks Streets. Say hello and thanks to Chris and Stephanie for their support.

Love Thy Pet's website: http://www.lovethypetbklyn.com/

Parks Meeting Wednesday

2008-05-18T11:43:00.003-04:00

THANK YOU to everyone who came to the Spring Cleanup yesterday, and for the snacks and drinks! The park is looking gooood.

I am going to speak at a Parks meeting this Wednesday evening in Coffey Park. There will be a lot of dog people there, as the main purpose of the meeting is to consider Coffey Park off-leash hours. I will be spreading the word about our run and the work we are doing. Here are the details:

May 21 Parks Committee

Presentation and discussion on a proposal from the Department of Park and Recreation to consider the establishment of off-leash hours for Coffey Park and to consider changing Coffey Park closure hours from 10pm to 11pm.

Presentation and discussion by representatives for Friends of Douglass/Greene Park Inc. on initiatives and/ or conceptual plans being developed by the organization.

Coffey Park Park House (Between Richard St. and Dwight St)
6:30 PM

Spring Cleanup

2008-05-14T20:53:00.002-04:00

Our Spring Cleanup is Saturday, May 17 from 9:00 am to 12 noon. Come down at any point to pitch in with weeding, raking, and picking up trash. The Parks Department is providing all the supplies. And we're bringing cold drinks!

Let's make our run beautiful!

2008-04-07T23:06:00.003-04:00

Hello, all! I attended the Spring Check-In Meeting with Eric Greene, Park Manager of our district, and Mike Lavery, our helpful contact at Partnership for Parks. Here are a few things I learned:

- Eric Greene suggested, as an interim solution, that we could work with Parks to "break up the surface" and add gravel, as a temporary improvement until we get the resurfacing project we want. It would be an improvement, but only if this interim fix will not hurt our chances at getting a real resurfacing job.

- Mike talked with me more about a meeting with Bill de Blasio. Two or three of us are going to set up a meeting to discuss funding and support for our project.

- I asked Mike Lavery if getting in touch with Marty Markiowitz's office was a good idea and he said yes, so I am going to try to get support from him.

- He also gave me advice about how to formally approach Community Board 6, so I will work on that as well.

- Parks wants to see more volunteers recruited; they will be contacting groups to get our membership numbers and talk about that.

- Not related to the dog run, but I learned that citizens can fill out a request for a tree planting on the Parks website. The city is having a big campaign to plant a million trees in the city. http://www.milliontreesnyc.org/

The other attendees were the Gowanus Dredgers, Sunset Park, Carroll Park, Butterfly Park, Greenwood Playground, Cobble Hill Park, Old Stone House, and Coffey Park, which is just over the expressway in Red Hook. Molly from Friends of Coffey Park was very nice and there might be ways we can work with them in the future.

If you are interested in getting more involved, please write me at andiattack at gmail dot com.

Spring Check-In Meeting with Parks Dept

2008-04-02T18:53:00.004-04:00

Some of us will be attending a "spring check-in" for park community groups on Monday, April 7th at 6:30 pm. Park Manager Eric Greene and Brooklyn Outreach Coordinator Mike Lavery will be there to talk about our work and to address any concerns we may have.

Here are the details if anyone would like to join us:

Monday, April 7th at 6:30 pm
Conference Room, Litchfield Villa
95 Prospect Park West

Renovation Update

2008-03-03T10:04:00.003-05:00

Hi, everybody. This past month we have been talking to Joan Millman's office (State Assembly) and Bill De Blasio's office (City Council), and also our contact at Parks. It is critical we get our project approved this month, because March is when projects are funded. This will be a very busy month for us. We will be posting updates as we have them.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of you all at the run in this milder weather!

The big push for our dog run.

2008-01-06T22:00:00.000-05:00

Hi, all! Because budget decisions are made in March, now is the time to follow up with the decision-makers at the Parks Department, the Community Board and the City Council about our renovation proposal. That is exactly what we are doing! Our proposal asks for a new surface, a small dog area, a new water fountain, as well as other improvements. This proposal was passed from the Community Board to the Parks Department last year and we have been waiting many months for a reply from Parks. If you have experience with local politics and would like to help, please email me at andiattack at gmail dot com.

We will not give up until our dog run is repaired.

Howl-O-Ween Fundraiser

2007-12-01T17:44:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone - Tons of people have been asking for pictures of the
Howl-O-Ween event, and they are indeed long overdue. You can see them
at the following link: http://flickr.com/mirosdogrun

Thanks to everyone who came and supported the dog run! We raised some money for the run and had a great time!

Howl-O-Ween Fundraiser

2007-10-04T13:04:00.000-04:00

The official Howl-O-Ween Fundraiser to support our dog run is on October 21st, 12-3 PM, at the DiMattina Dog Park. Please email cgdogrun@gmail.com if you would like to help out in any way! Suggested donation is $10. There will be a dog costume contest, a raffle with great prizes, and other exciting events!

Please come and spread the word!

Flyering this weekend!

2007-09-25T00:56:00.000-04:00

I will be flyering and collecting signatures with my dog at Atlantic Antic this Sunday. If any of you are interested in joining me, drop me a line! (andiattack at gmail.com)

Dog Park Manners

2007-09-14T13:27:00.000-04:00

Dog Park Manners

An expert says at a minimum dog park users should pick up dog waste, "have a reasonable recall on [their] dog, and be respectful of people's feelings." If your dog tends to display dog-dog aggression or plays more roughly than other owners like, closely monitor your dog and keep him under control.

"Additional dog-park etiquette rules include:

• "Unleash your dog. A leashed dog may feel threatened by others moving freely.

• "Keep moving. If you stand in one place, your dog may be more apt to become territorial.

• "Never leave your dog unattended, and don't use a dog park as a drop-off daycare...

• "Make sure your dog has updated vaccinations.

• "Leave your puppies at home until they're fully vaccinated and physically up to the sometimes rough-and-tumble play. Initial socialization for puppies is often better coming from a puppy training class.

• "Wait until your female dog is out of season...

• "Use caution with toys. Some dogs can be very possessive of their toys; others will want to steal everyone else's toys... it's usually a good idea to leave the toys at home...

• "Be careful with children. Not all dogs do well with children, and many dogs will bowl young kids over. If you take your children with you, supervise them closely.

• "[Do] not take more dogs with you than you can control; which for most people is a maximum of three [if they are] well-trained, responsive dogs.

• "Don't let your dog dig in the park. It can cause a hazard to other dogs.

• "Leave the wildlife alone... for both the wildlife's and your dog's safety.

"Relax. The dogs usually figure things out pretty quickly and have a good time. Be watchful and considerate, but stay positive -- your tension communicates itself to your dog"

From the Takeyourpet.com newsletter:

Fundraising meeting

2007-09-03T22:32:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone - we are having a fundraising meeting tomorrow, Tuesday the 4th, at 7 PM in the neighborhood. If you are interested in coming to plan the fundraiser, email me and I will give you the address.

Thanks!

Susie

Fundraiser

2007-08-23T12:45:00.001-04:00

I think it's time for a blog update:

As we speak our friend Mike at Partnership for Parks is reviewing and passing along our proposal to the Park's Department. We are just waiting on a quote. In the meantime, we will be having a fundraiser to raise some preliminary fund and spread the word.

We now have 6 volunteers to help plan fundraiser. We need this to be a collaborative effort! If anyone else is interested in helping to plan it, please let me or Andrea know via email.

Thanks again!

Susie

2007-08-11T12:01:00.001-04:00

Next Meeting! Tuesday, August 7th!

2007-08-06T22:21:00.000-04:00

DiMattina Dog Run Meeting
Brooklyn Social
335 Smith St., between President and Carroll Sts.
Tuesday, August 7th
7:30 to 8:30 PM

Please come! We need a much better turn out than last time!

Fundraiser

2007-08-02T12:51:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone. I am planning to do a fundraiser soon for the dog run. Please let me know if you would be interested in helping me with this by emailing me at susie.gersten@gmail.com. We will also discuss this at the meeting on Tuesday, August 7th at 7:30 at Brooklyn Social.

Thanks!

Pictures from Clean-up Day!

2007-07-31T14:32:00.000-04:00

Thanks again to everyone who came out, and a special thanks to Mimi for sending these pics along!

Reminder that our next meeting is Tuesday, August 7th at 7:30 at Brooklyn Social.

Thank you, Cleanup Crew!

2007-07-31T13:21:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all who came to the cleanup Sunday morning. Everyone worked really hard, even through the rain, and the run looks so much better. I hope this effort shows the Parks Department that we are serious about improvements. At the next meeting we will talk about how to put the pressure on.

Next meeting

2007-07-30T13:34:00.003-04:00

Our next meeting is Aug 7th 7:30-8:30 pm at Brooklyn Social

In case of rain...

2007-07-28T22:16:00.001-04:00

Hi Everyone -

In case of rain tomorrow, the clean up day will be rescheduled for next Sunday, August 5th, 10 AM to 1 PM.

If it's not raining, I will see you all tomorrow morning!

Thanks!

Susie

2007-07-21T19:18:00.001-04:00

Dog Run Cleanup Day!!

2007-07-18T12:59:00.000-04:00

Please join us for our very first Dog Run Cleanup Day! Sunday, July 29th from 10 AM - 1 PM in the DiMattina Dog Run. Feel free to brings your pups if you don't think they will get in the way. There is also the possibility that we will be painting the big wall under the baseball field fence!

Please email me with any questions and spread the word as much as possible. We are counting on a great turn out this time! Big thanks to Partnership for Parks for providing the cleaning tools.

Just a reminder that our next official meeting will be August 7th at Brooklyn Social from 7:30 to 8:30. Please try to be there and bring some friends! We need support if we want to get this resurfacing done.

Susie

2007-07-17T16:17:00.001-04:00

Last meeting Attendees

2007-07-14T13:53:00.000-04:00

June 26 Meeting

2007-07-07T01:27:00.000-04:00

Hello, all,

Here is a report on last week's meeting. First of all, we had a very small turnout. There were only five of us there. We know that a lot of you care very much about the dog run, so we need to see more of you at the meetings. This is especially important now as we need to vote on officers, bylaws and a mission statement at the next meeting. Which is...

Tuesday, August 7th from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Brooklyn Social. (335 Smith St)
Meet us for drinks, planning and voting! More details to come.

There has been no feedback from Craig Hammerman at Community Board 6 about our proposal. We will have to get noisier if we are to get our run fixed!

At this last meeting we decided to have a cleanup day very soon. We are planning it now and you'll be getting details in your inbox. We are also planning a fundraiser event for September. There will be free training demos, raffle prizes, maybe an agility course!

In order to get grants and such we need to formalize our structure. We have learned that one thing we must have is elected officers. We decided to follow the organization of Astro's Run in Hell's Kitchen. They have a council of four who work as a team. The positions are Coordinator, Treasurer, Maintenance and Conflict Resolution. Read descriptions of the positions here: http://www.hkdogrun.org/rules.html.

These are the nominees so far:

Coordinator - Andrea Vaughn
Treasurer - Susie Gersten
Maintenance - Lynette?
Conflict Resolution - David Chalk

If you would like to be a nominee for any of these positions, please contact us now so we can add your name to the agenda. We will present the nominees and vote at the next meeting.

We also decided to use David Chalk's Miro's Run logo on our signs and letterhead. (See t-shirts below.) We will be making a banner for tabling events and stickers, as well as t-shirts for events and to sell.

We need lots of volunteers for cleanup day, getting the word out at local events, attending community meetings, and collecting signatures for the petition.

Please print out the petition at http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/5/7/1057616/petition.doc.pdf and bring your signatures to the next meeting.

Let's make the dog run beautiful.

Best,
Andrea

REMINDER! Meeting next Tuesday.

2007-06-19T11:24:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone - this is just a reminder that we have our next meeting on Tuesday, June 26th at 7:30 at Giardini's (Smith at 2nd Street). Please try and come! I made a flyer that I am going to start posting - if anyone would like some copies of it to give out, let me know.

Thanks!

Susie

Miro's Run T-shirts

2007-06-13T22:01:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

I think it would be a good idea to have some t-shirts for the run, especially when we are working an event.

I played around with some design ideas and came up with this.

When and if we have some money I know a silkscreen guy who is reasonable and will do small runs.

Cheers,

David

Street Fair?

2007-06-13T08:13:00.000-04:00

I believe there is a big street fair coming up ... this weekend? It could be a great time to have volunteers with clipboards and petitions circulating.

Cheers,

David

Carroll Park Flea Market and Petition

2007-06-11T22:45:00.000-04:00

Hi all! We had a great time at the Carroll Park Fair Saturday. We talked to lots of people and collected over 150 signatures for the petition. Thanks to David for taking the morning shift with me, to Jackie for the awesome signs and banner, and to Shelly, who collected most of those signatures by calling over everyone who walked by!

We now have 319 signatures. You can help us get more by collecting signatures from your friends and neighbors. See the May 7 post below for links to the online petition and a printable version.

See you at the June 26 meeting!

Next Meeting

2007-06-11T17:13:00.000-04:00

Hi All - The next meeting is officially scheduled for Tuesday, June 26th at 7:30 PM at Giardini's garden on the corner of Smith and 2nd Street. Please try and come and spread the word to others that might be interested! If you would like some flyers to give out, let me know.

Thank you to Andrea, Shelly, David, and Jackie for manning our table at the fair on Saturday! Andrea will post an update soon.

Meeting Recap/News

2007-06-05T18:28:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! Here is a recap of the meeting on Sunday, June 4th. Thanks to Andrea for these notes.

Carroll Park Flea Market:
First off, we need more people to sit at the table at the Carroll Park Flea Market on Saturday. I will be out of town. So far we have Andrea there from 9 - 1:30 and Shelley there from 1:30 - 5. We need people to pick times between 9 and 5 to help them out. Please email me if you are able to do this. Thanks to Brownstone Aquarium who has donated some biscuits to our table!

Fundraising Event

Best time would be late Aug/early Sept to allow time to plan. Ideas:
free training demos, pet portrait for a donation, raffle.

Cleanup Day

Lynette offered to head up the Cleanup Committee. She will also call
about picking up free cleaning supplies for Parks Volunteers.

Next meeting

We penciled in Tuesday, June 26 from 7:30 to 8:30 at Giardini's garden
on Smith St and 2nd Place. Might have to change due to Andrea scheduling conflict. Will solidify date/time ASAP. Jackie can help with reproducing flyers.

Officers and Mission Statement

We decided to post on the blog nominations, allowing time for
comments. We will vote at the next meeting. Lynette will bring
some options for a mission statement to vote on.

Advertise the meeting

2007-05-30T14:36:00.000-04:00

Hi all - Just a reminder that the meeting is this Sunday at noon. Please please please let people know! People you see on the streets with dogs, people at the dog run, friends with dogs, etc. We need as much support as we can get. You can create fliers and hand them out, or post them at your pet shops.

Thanks!

Susie

Next Meeting - June 3rd!

2007-05-21T14:20:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!

NEXT MEETING: SUNDAY JUNE 3RD AT NOON AT JALOPY!! Please try to attend and feel free to bring anyone who might be interested in getting involved. We will be discussing:
-- Grant through Partnerships for Parks
-- Overview of the final proposal for renovation
-- Fundraising
-- Coverage of Carroll Park Flea Market (June 9th)
-- Petitions
-- Election of Officers

If you would like to add anything to the agenda, feel free to let me know (to make it official, I'll add it to the blog and handouts) or just bring it up at the meeting.

We need signatures!

2007-05-07T23:53:00.000-04:00

Everybody please print out a few of these petition sheets and collect signatures! Bring your signatures to the next meeting.

Miro's Run Petition

Can we have a volunteer to leave the petition at Monster Mutt and the pet stores on Smith Street?

And remember, the online version is here: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/miro
Forward to your Brooklyn friends!

Red Hook Dog Rescue and Heartworm Reminder

2007-05-07T21:46:00.000-04:00

Our neighbors in Red Hook run a rescue and training operation and they have some sweet-looking pups posted on the 1-800-Save-A-Pet site. Go to http://www.1-800-save-a-pet.com, enter the zip code 11231 and click on "Red Hook Dog Rescue" to see the dogs.

Harriet at Red Hook Dog Rescue has been saving dogs from the sugar refinery and some of them have tested postive for heartworm. She asked that we all get our dogs tested. And now that it's getting warmer it's time to start monthly prevention medication!

SIGNS OF HEARTWORM:

- A soft cough that increases with exercise
- Cough worsens and the dog may actually faint from exertion; he tires easily, is weak and listless, loses weight and condition, and may cough up blood.
- Breathing becomes more difficult as the disease progresses. The progression is traumatic: the dog’s quality of life diminishes drastically and he can no longer retrieve a Frisbee or take a long walk in the park without respiratory distress.
- Congestive heart failure ensues, and the once-active, outgoing pet is in grave danger.
from http://www.canismajor.com/dog/hartworm.html

Save Your Offleash Park Areas - Contact NYCdog to Make it Official

2007-05-07T20:52:00.000-04:00

NOTICE TO ALL NYCdog GROUPS - INCLUDING THOSE WITH DOG PARKS - AND FRIENDS.

As quickly as possible, we need to know as many parks and areas that people have traditionally used for off-leash recreation. This is important as we are meeting with Parks to fine-tune their list of parks where off-leash is allowed.

DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU OR OTHERS HAVE ALWAYS USED A SPECIFIC PARK FOR OFF-LEASH THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE ALLOWED AS AN OFF-LEASH PARK.

First check the Parks Department's list:
http://nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/facilities/af_dog_runs.html

On the Parks website, they now have a list of all larger NYC parks:
http://nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/park_list/index.html

We also know that these are areas where problems have arisen under the new rules:

1) Manhattan – Stuyvesant Park, East Side Park, East River Park, Battery Park, Seravalli Park, Gansevoort Park
2) Brooklyn – Marine Park (oval), Prospect Park (extended hours)
3) Queens – Toursney Park

Think, people, think! Think of other parks that you know are off-leash areas now. Let us know ASAP so we can add them to the list of parks under discussion with Parks.

Time is short...

Robert A. Marino (Bob)
president
NYCdog.org
direct reply: Ramnyc2000@yahoo.com

Petition

2007-04-27T08:42:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone - we have 79 signatures as of right now! Thanks to all of you that signed and forwarded it on. Please continue to sign and forward it to people who care about our dog run!

www.petitionspot.com/petitions/miro

Update!

2007-04-12T10:32:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!

I wanted to let you know that the proposal for Craig is basically done, so that will be out to him within the week. We are going to be making a petition as well to show our Councilmen that we have support and need the money that they can give us, so be on the look out for that. Also - as soon as we have a quote from the Park's Department the fundraising committee will start getting to work on some events. If anyone else would like to join the fundraising committee, let me know.

Thanks to Andrea and Katie for their hard work in writing and drawing up the proposal!

Susie

Landscape Drawing

2007-04-10T21:57:00.000-04:00

Hi all,

Here's the drawing I put together for the proposal. This will be submitted along with the written portion. A big thanks to Geoff for helping to measure the run!

-Katie

2007-04-01T12:55:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

I had an interesting conversation this morning at the dog run. I spoke with a regular, he has been in Carroll Gardens for sometime now, he was around when the run was built ( $600,000 according to him ) it seems that the adjacent property is not owned by the Parks Department ... but the Department of Highways.

Cheers,

David

re-surfacing material.

2007-03-30T12:45:00.000-04:00

Hi all,

I just came across this posting at Hillside Dog Run:

As part of the Hillside project that's going on right now with Parks,
they as supposed to be installing cribbing around the park to prevent
woodchips from falling into the street.

The crushed granite, or decomposed granite (DG) is soft and might be a
good solution for the small dog area. The issue I've seen (or more
accurately, smelled) with DG is that runs that have DG tend to smell
very bad in the summertime. The DG doesn't seem to handle urine well.
Woodchips seem to be a better and more natural deoderizer. Also, the
woodchips decompose into soil and are replaced. That doesn't happen
with the DG.

Also, DG is VERY expensive. There are few suppliers on the East Coast.
Garret from Thompkins Sq dog park has identified a supplier of DG in
North Carolina. The real expense come with shipping the DG--very
pricey. However, I think that's what they are doing at Thompkins. I'll
ask if it would be possible to piggyback off their shipment.

A reminder for those interested to participate in the small dog run
surface poll in the "Polls" section to the left. At this point we've
only had 10 people participating and it's an even split right now.

This was in reference to some requests to consider a different surface for the small dog portion of the main run ( it aapears to be small wood chips at the moment) Just something to consider.

Cheers,

David

Take TWO

2007-03-20T16:00:00.000-04:00

After a lot of deliberation and talking to several people at NYCDOG, we have decided that decomposed crushed granite is the best surface to use for the dog run when done the right way. Since it really won't work on a hill, we are hoping to move the fence back just as far we can with it remaining relatively flat, installing an irrigation system and resurfacing with the decomposed crushed granite. If anyone has any questions regarding this surface and why it is so much better than everything else, feel free to email.
In the meantime, here are the FAQs about decomposed granite at Tompkins Square Run, which is switching to it as well: http://www.firstrunfriends.org/therun_renovation.shtml

Garrett at that dog run has been incredibly helpful to us in this decision process - so THANK YOU GARRETT! We owe you one.

2007-03-19T10:19:00.000-04:00

What about the hot tub?

I think it's great to have high expectations... however at the first meeting it was revealed that a new run in Queens I believe, was quoted 100 grand just for re-surfacing a run less than halk the size of ours.

IMHO we should worry about the existing run and make it safe for our dogs to be there and have it happen before they are too old to use it.

Cheers,

David

Miro's Run

2007-03-18T17:26:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone! We had a Resurfacing meeting today and created a preliminary plan that includes doing the following:

-- moving the fence back on the right side of the run to almost double the size of the existing run
-- resurfacing with granite, wood chips or grass*
-- creating a separated run for small dogs with a separate entrance
-- creating a new water fountain with better drainage
-- poop bag dispensers
-- enclosed bulletin boards in both entrances
-- garbage cans in both entrances
-- a waterproof box for toys (so that they can be put away when toy-aggressive dogs come in)
-- more trees along the back edge to block the highway
-- removal of the fences around the trees that already exist
-- a shed near the existing entrance to keep shovels, wheelbarrows, and rakes for cleaning the woodchips
-- removal of dead trees and trees where the shed will be

*We think we prefer wood chips, but we are waiting to hear back from managers of other dog runs who have wood chips to see if the pros outweigh the cons

If anyone would like to add or subtract anything or has any suggestions, please let us know. We don't expect to get everything we ask for so we are creating what we see as our ideal dog run. Katie is going to be creating a landscape drawing of this and I will be submitting it to Craig to give to the Park's Department.

We also came up with the name "Miro's Run," based on the story that Andrea heard from Alyssa Bonilla. Any thoughts on this?

Karen graciously offered to be the interim Treasurer and set up our bank account. Thanks Karen!
Thanks to everyone who showed up to the meeting and a big thanks to Andrea for hosting!

Susie

Meeting TOMORROW!

2007-03-17T12:17:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone! The resurfacing committee is having a meeting TOMORROW, 3/18, at 2:00 PM, at Andrea's house. Anyone is welcome to come and offer their input. Our goal for the meeting is to come up with an official proposal to give to Craig Hammerman. If you are interested in coming, please email Andrea for her address: andiattack@gmail.com.

Susie

Treasurer

2007-03-14T11:40:00.000-04:00

Hi - We also need someone to volunteer to be at least an interim treasurer asap until someone wants to take on that responsibility permanently. What we need the interim treasurer to do is to contact someone about setting up a bank account for us. We have all the information for who to contact, etc, it's just a matter of talking to the woman from NYC DOG and actually setting it up. Any volunteers? Maybe someone from the Fundraising committee?

RE: the logo, thank you for offering, Elisa. I don't really know how soon we need it. Andrea, do you know? It would be nice to be able to put it on the official proposal so it looks more professional and organized, but I don't know if that's really necessary. What do you all think?

logo

2007-03-14T11:06:00.000-04:00

i'd be happy to work on a logo, i just need to know how soon we need it (i have a lot going on right now but am glad to work that into my schedule). and has anyone thought of a name?

NYCdog on the radio Wednesday night

2007-03-13T22:36:00.000-04:00

Goodness, my third post of the evening.

Below is an email from the NYCdog mailing list. Please show your support and spread the word!

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NYCdog representatives will be featured on the Joey Reynolds Show, WOR 710 AM Radio live at Midnight (Wed. going into Thur.), for about a half hour.

Matthew Parker, VP and head of Hillside Dogs, Bklyn; Mary McInerney, VP and head of FIDO Prospect Park, and Matt Auslander, head of Wolfe's Pond Pooches, Staten Island will be speaking for off-leash rights.

This is in response to a half hour given last week to the anti off-leash contingent led by the Juniper Park Civic Assoc. Fortunately Mary responded quickly when she heard the outrageous claims made by the other side and she got equal time this Wednesday night.

Please share with your group. Spread the word. When listening, you might want to log on to http://www.wor710.com/pages/46370.php so you can send notes of support to the show. A link is on the page.

We are two weeks from a final decision on off-leash policies in NYC Parks. We have come so far thanks to all of you. We cannot give-up now.

Robert A. Marino (Bob)
president
NYCdog.org
direct reply: Ramnyc2000@yahoo.com

Volunteers Needed!

2007-03-13T22:16:00.000-04:00

Here are some jobs that need filling. Please post a comment if you are interested in helping out.

- designer to design a logo for our organization. We'll use it on a future website and on letterhead.
- treasurer to manage the money we raise and spend
- head of the cleanup committee to organize regular cleanup days and recruit cleanup volunteers

And soon all of us will be called upon to sign petitions, attend meetings, come to cleanup days and fundraising events, etc. Get ready for a lot of activity and good times coming up!

Thank you, Alyssa and Miro.

2007-03-13T21:56:00.000-04:00

Hello, all! I just had a nice conversation with Alyssa, who lobbied to get our run established in 1997. She now lives in Queens. She told me that the run's surface needed repair soon after it was established, and has regularly needed fixing. It seems as if we need a better job done this time around! She also gave me the name and number of the person who was instrumental in the 2001 resurfacing and renovation. I left a phone message for him so hopefully I can find out more about our run from him and get some advice.

Sadly Alyssa's dog passed away before the run was completed. His name was Miro. When I told her I thought we should name something in the run after her, she suggested we honor Miro instead. Wouldn't it be nice to have "Miro's Fountain" or "Miro's Bench" someday? She is very happy about what we are doing and we will keep in touch with her about our progress.

Where to start!

2007-03-13T19:43:00.000-04:00

Funny you should ask...

It sounds like we might not need a petition after all because our Community Board is already on our side. I spoke with Craig Hammerman today, the District Manager for our Community Board, and he said (note: Craig, please correct me if I'm wrong) that if we get him an official proposal for what we'd like to see done, he will ask the Park's Department for an estimate for how much it's going to cost. Then he will join us in lobbying our local representatives to provide the money (Bill DeBlasio, Marty Markowitz). He says that as long as we have a way to finance a project, the Park's Department won't have a problem with it. He also says that in Brooklyn we rarely have to raise a lot of money ourselves because our local representatives really help out. This is great news - for those who weren't at the meeting, we met several people at other dog runs in Manhattan who have been asked to raise as much as $100,000 on their own to get a run resurfaced!

From communication with other dog run members and a meeting with NYCDOG, Andrea and I have received a great deal of background research on various surfaces for dog runs. We are going to meet with the Resurfacing committee and decide on the best options and then post them to the blog when they're ready. Then we'd love if people would leave comments telling us if they approve of them or not, or if they have anything to add. I hope that sounds good to everyone.

If anyone would like to join the Resurfacing committee and have some input at our meeting, please let us know.

Thoughts on Our Approach

2007-03-13T19:36:00.000-04:00

Susie, thanks for being the organizer for this group. I am not sure about how we should approach things, but a petition is a good start. I know that there are a few other dog runs that are well run by community groups, Hillside Dogs is one. I take my dog there a lot and I know the president of the group. I will ask him for some pointers. Is it feasible to simply get permission from the city to do our own work and then either get volunteers to help out or raise funds and hire someone. If we can convince the city that we have a plan and are capable, this may be a good way to go. Just a thought.