Smoking Ban May Now Include Your Apartment
Access-A-Ride Nailed by Local News
Giuliani Livid Over Bringing 9/11 Trials to NYC
House Cat Terrorizes Family In Dramatic Hostage Situation
Oreo The Dog Is Dead, Blame Game Is Not
The Juniper Civic Association in Queens is trying to get the Parks Department to enforce the city's leash law and get rid of off-leash hours by way of a lawsuit. The group points out that the city's public health code requires dogs to be on leashes at all times, which leaves the Park's off-leash hours between 9PM-9AM in many parks in a murky illegal area. And stories like last week's off-leash Rottweiler attacking a man and his dog don't help the cause for dogs running free (the Juniper Civic Association even linked to us).
The Juniper Civic Association told the Times Weekly, “This legal action is not against dog owners. Most dog owners responsibly maintain control of their dogs. This legal action is intended to compel a city agency to simply follow the law." However, since the group also opposes putting in a dog run (safety/risk issue), where will the dogs go? Naturally, this upsets many people - not just dog owners, but also people who enjoy seeing dogs freely frolic - and there's a petition to support off-leash hours in parks. And dog owners' associations are banding together to support Juniper Park area dog owners - Fido Brooklyn has PDFs of court documents related to the case, but the number one thing you can do is write to your City Council member to express your views (find your City Council member here).
The case may have a ruling by the end of the month. And here's a list of dog runs from the Parks Department.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
Sad, but true, The one out of a few hundred that bites someone means that dogs should be leashed at all times. Plus, don't the unleased dogs leave unscooped poop?
Save the puppies!!
correct me if i'm wrong, but in england, you're allowed to have your dog off-leash whenever you like but if you're stopped by the police you have to prove that your dog can obey commands and that you can control the dog immediately. it seems like you could have off-leash hours here in NYC if the parks were better policed and people just took the time to train their dogs.
that's probably asking for too much though.
nyc should be off limits to any pets that are not indoor pets exclusively. the only non-human life should be indiginous to the area.
Man... there really are some jackasses in this city that will bitch about absolutely anything. I should be surprised but I'm not. Are there that many people in the park after 9pm that simply cannot avoid dogs? Is this "for the children" again? Because Manhattan is not intended to be an infants paradise, it is a city for everyone that USED to be fun and easy going. Now it's Little Odessa with all the rules. Move to Wyoming you big whiners.
No. Unleashed dogs does not equal unscooped poops. Contrary to popular belief, responsible dog owners hate unscooped poop more than non-dog owners.
As with many things (does listening to Marilyn Manson make you want to kill people?) the problem is with irresponsible people who can't control/train etc... their dogs. Just like it's assinine to blame music for people irresponsible behavior, it's assinine to punish all dogs for the behavior of a handful of them.
I used to hate unscooped poop. Now, I'm gonna just plant a flag on it:
www.madeyouthink.org
I don't consider getting attacked by a dog one of the risks I signed on to by moving to NYC. What is the big frigging deal with keeping your pet on a leash to protect people from it? If you want your pet to roam free, move to the suburbs instead.
I moved to where I am in Brookyn because of the off-leash hours, here. Hours which are posted, and generally honored.
Luckily, most New Yorkers don't have to live by the imaginary list of "Risks Samantha T is Willing to Take." We might all wind up stuck in our apartments, sucking our thumbs.
Your dog is an animal
your unleashed dog is a risk,
I have pepper spray and if your dog comes at me unprovoked. I will use it on dog and owner.
You want your dog to run free, move to the country.
That goes for the dog shit, too.
How are there no comments regarding the cuteness of that baby and beagle! Cats have been getting tons of press lately, yay for dogs!
I have never had a bad experience in Prospect Park during off-leash. I HAVE HAD bad experiences at dog runs though. The dirt, the smell, the fenced in craziness...yuck. Off-leash hours are great; it would suck to see them go.
what a bunch of babies. some people are dangerous too.. perhaps we should close the parks to anyone with an arrest record, or better yet.. a summons!@!@!
a little PERSPECTIVE please. just like there are different people, there are different dogs. if a pug or spaniel frightens you, leashes aren't your problem. on the other hand, if someone whose dog is off the leash causes harm - the owner should be held responsible financially or otherwise(seizure, jailtime if it's serious).
doesn't that sound fair?!!
lucky dog is a complete idiot. Sometimes otherwise nice pets get startled and attack. A few weeks ago I rounded the corner near the elevator in my apartment building and I apparently startled a dog off his leash. The owner/dog walker (I don't know which) was nowhere to be found. I think she was locking the door and was planning on catching up with the dog at the elevator and putting the leash on then. Anyway, the dog went bezerk and started growling and foaming at me. This dog had otherwise been a complete angel when I saw it outside or in the lobby ON A LEASH.
I notified the building owner that the residents should be encouraged to keep their pets on a leash in the common areas and naturally I have not heard back. At this point, I hope I get attacked again so I can sue the dog owner and the building owner as they were made aware of the danger.
Some people would prefer not to be attacked and then sue later. Some bites leave permanent scarring. Considering all the Democrats in New York City you would think they could have some consideration for their neighbors but in reality it's every man for himself. It takes a village indeed.
How about we trade: I get concealed carry guns and you get off-leash dogs?
Riverside Park near 120th is a no go zone before 9:00 due to packs of yuppies and their off-leash dogs terrorizing passersby. After complaining about getting chased I was told to go f*** myself. There are likely some responsible dog owners on the UWS, but a few (maybe more than a few) jerks are giving them a very bad rep. One suggestion to make off-leash hours more palatable would be to not allow more than 2 dogs to get together off-leash at a time. No one wants to be near a pack of 20 dogs in the middle of a city!
IIRC, an animal behaviorist said something along the lines of you can never trust any dog 100%.
Yet another lawsuit that is not needed.
Now if we can get the off-leash dogs to go after lawyers, then we may have something.
awwww.. rabid dog.. calling me names.. what's that about you ditz.
are you afraid of black people too.. and oh, the avian flu could make it in this country, better not breathe. and bush says to by plastic tarps and duct tape.. bet you've got that too.
if you're dog is the type could be startled and attack - it should not be off a leash. and by the way ditz.. anyone with ANY knowledge of dogs know they can be more defensive when on a leash.
please just shut your dumb trap - you look like such an idiot it hurts. stay at home and make love to your cats.
Dogs do not belong in the city.
if your dog even growls at me, I'm taking that as a threat and will use my pepper spray.
you do that around my children and the spray won't stop till the canister is empty. Why? because I was in danger of getting my face ripped off and that's enough for any jury.
I take this very seriously.
Beer spray, you're so damn proud of that pepper spray. I hope one of your kids mistakens it for a cool soft drink container and empties the canister into its mouth. Better yet, may all your children be mauled by a pack of loco chihuahuas.
You can't drink the spray, silly boy.
I look after my children unlike irresponsible dogowners. And, I teach my children manners.
I can't wait to hear of more maulings this summer and I love to post the aftermath. Even if those pictures get me banned.
My favorite are the Tales from The ER series with a little boy who's face was ripped off by a dog.
"Where will the dogs go?" Jen Chung laments. They don't have to leave. They just have to be on a leash. Also, Parks Department rules state that dogs are not allowed on ballfields, yet that's exactly where people at Juniper Park allow their dogs to run around. Walk your dog on a leash in areas where there is no ballfield and no playground and no one will have a problem.
If there are violations at a specific park, enforce those rules, there. The city loves the money it makes from fining folks; fine them.
There are posted rules that designate specific areas in which and specific times during which dogs can be off-leash in certain parks. Observe those rules.
If this Juniper Civic Association manages to eliminate off-leash hours in Prospect Park, I guess I get to play the petty lawyer game, too, exploring what options I have to sue them as a group and individually to get compensation for their affect on my property values, my need to relocate, etc.
"If this Juniper Civic Association manages to eliminate off-leash hours in Prospect Park, I guess I get to play the petty lawyer game, too, exploring what options I have to sue them as a group and individually to get compensation for their affect on my property values, my need to relocate, etc."
As a "petty lawyer," I can assure you that your case is a dog (so, so sorry for the horrible pun). You don't "need" to relocate - having a pet is entirely elective (unless it's a seeing-eye dog, in which case it's not a pet at all, really).
Got here from the link on the JPCA. I am one of the dog owners who utilize Juniper Park. We do not allow our dogs to run on the ball fields every once in a blue moon one dog may run the rest follow and they are immediately recalled to the area we do use. Also we have been trying for many years to have a Dog Park installed the JPCA has actively fought against it. All we or any other responsible dog owner is looking for is a place to exercise our pets responsible. There have been only two dog bites in Juniper Park in SIX years. That there is a huge problem on a daily basis is propaganda spread by a group who are trying to control the park for what reason I do not know. Also it is a scientific fact that it is rare for an off-leash dog in a park (neutral area) to bite they are 10 times more likely to bite within their home territory or while on leash. Another fact Dog bites in NYC have steadily declined, since people now know the best way to have a well adjusted social dog is to socialize off leash as young and as often as possible. Just as there are irresponsible drivers,parents etc there are irresponsible dog owners. I have found the majority to be very considerate.
It's sad that people have to petition the city to enforce laws that are already on the books:
http://www.petitiononline.com/Juniper2/petition.html
If you don't like the laws, change them.
Learn more about the lawsuit that threatens to end the successful 20-year policy of dog Offleash Hours in NYC:
www.nycoffleash.com
I'm surprised there are so many dog haters here. Weird.
I went out on a few dates with someone who was afraid of my 13 lb. dog. What a loser.
No dear, we don't hate dogs.
We just hate dog owners. Dogs and other animals love me but when you add in an obnoxious dog owner, the gloves are off.
I hope that guy who got his arm ripped open shows up again and shows the graphic photos before they sewed him up.
I'll bring in my photo of a little blonde boy with his face ripped apart.