[BrownStoneOwner]

Hello,

I'm rather new to the area and am looking for advice from my fellow internetians. I noticed recently that whenever I take my frenchie and poodle off the leash in Prospect Park, I get screamed at by people playing soccer or cricket to put them back on the leash. These people are usually very rude and agresssive. Apparently you can only have pups off the leash after 9PM!

So my ultimate goal is to have my pups and others off the leash. Parks are supposed to be for all, animal or human! My question is where should I start getting signatures and to whom should I submit it. Any other advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[pitu]

you must be very new indeed...
offleash is very popular, before 9am

you can go over to the nethermead in the afternoon - it's probably unofficial, but that is the accepted offleash area during the daytime hours

check out FIDO, who act as an intermediary between dog owners and the parks dept
http://www.fidobrooklyn.org/

[mr. met]

why is there no official, fenced dog park in Prospect Park? have there been efforts to try to make this happen? id be very interested.

[BrownStoneOwner]

Wow already some great info! The nevermead is great but I just don't think its right to have my pups constrained while they're at the park. I used to live in Portland and no parks had these type of restrictions. In my opinion, if people can be running around freely, my pets should be able to aswell.

[Carnivore]

[pitu]

dunno mr met
I'm totally not interested in one of those nasty little dirt pits like most city parks have as dog runs. I think we do way better with the shared use idea.

There's one of those fenced dog runs in the park on Fifth Ave and 3rd-5th Streets.
Is there one at the park between the main library and the Bklyn Museo/Botanic Gardens? I know alot of people that walk their dogs there. That's Prospect Heights, btw, not PS.

for the OP, you might enjoy some of the old threads about off-leash
There's a Search function on the site to check on topics that have been previously examined...
http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4435
http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4766
http://www.nycoffleash.com/

[BrownStoneOwner]

I don't want to sound insensitive, but usually the only people who are annoyed and angried by my pups off the leash are Mexicans and black people. Thanks again for the links.

[Carnivore]

[BrownStoneOwner]

I don't think something is insensitive if its valid.

-Anyway doesn anybody know whom I should give this petition to?

[oneoneone]

[daver]

[pitu]

[mr. met]

[dw438]

To Mr. Met:
1) Rep. Waxman wants you to testify about your hat size. Apparently larger than Bonds.
2) Why so many injuries in spring training?
3) How can you type with those oversized mitts?

[BrownStoneOwner]

Listen people. I don't appreciate being called a racist. I voted for Hillary like rest of you and I think that stands for something. At the very least it stands for not being a racist. I just wanted to point out that cetain groups of people (black people and Latins), are the ones that always confront me. And no, that didn't happen in Portland!

[daver]

_________________
"It's only as boring as you make it."

You're making me want to poke my eyes out with a spoon. Stop that.

Bringing the term thin-skinned to a whole new level!

[mr. met]

[Mamacita]

BRING IT!!!

I'll kick yo ass and yur wimpy poodle!


But seriously, some people really should be on leashes, real or metaphorically.

[Carmen]

[mr. met]

really, you have to be a moron to post something like that and not expect to get chewed out

[Mamacita]

She should have voted Obama, oh wait..

[daver]

_________________
"It's only as boring as you make it."

You're making me want to poke my eyes out with a spoon. Stop that.

Bringing the term thin-skinned to a whole new level!

[alafairnadia]

[Carmen]

to be fair, I imagine the OP was really just posting an observation but you've got to realize, as someone said, if you post something like that you're going to get flamed for sure.

[BrownStoneOwner]

Ok, I apologize for making the remark. I admit it might seem insensitive and I shouldn't have brought it up. It was merely an observation. Can we get back to the topic I originally brought up? Is there anybody who will hear these neighborly complaints and actually do something about it?

[shishkab]

FIDO has spent years working for a decent compromise to share the park with ALL brooklynites. and then FIDO spent a lot of time, effort, money, and sleepless nights trying to get the city to recognize off-leash hours as legal. we won that battle, and we're not interested in changing things up.

dogs are allowed off-leash before nine AM and there are zillions of people who take advantage. there are also zillions of people who enjoy their time in the park without having to worry about off-leash dogs. they have just as much of a right to do that, and FIDO is not interested in stepping on their toes.

welcome to brooklyn, try not to piss too many people off until you learn our culture, and if you really want to enjoy the offleash experience and meet a bunch of folks, get your butt up (human and canine ) and out tomorrow morning in the Long Meadow by 7:30-8:00. i promise you won't be disappointed.
_________________
Get your paws off my canned chicken

[filmlover44]

[Peanuts]

I do think you're comment was a bit insensitive...and the "I voted for Hillary" comment totally ridiculous.

But on to your topic...I love dogs, but no, I don't think they should be off leash all the time...I know there are times that is allowed and there are dog parks. Sorry, not all dogs are nice...and not all people are nice. What are you going to do if your dog bites someone? Your argument that if people are off leash, dogs should be off leash is ridiculous.
_________________
Peanuts

[BrownStoneOwner]

I already apologized for my earlier remark, so comments from the FIDO rep and filmlover are not appreciated. Its amazing how most of the responses have just bandwagoned onto the hate and never answered my question.

[allyzay]

[daver]

[BrownStoneOwner]

I understand the point that all of you are making and I certainly respect it. However, I'm sure that lots of people would agree with me and would support my cause. So, that is why I came for a little assistance on where the best forum is to help my cause.

[Mpmav1]

[booklaw]

BrownStoneOwner, as you get to know the neighborhood better, you'll discover that there is a "parental mafia" (my term) here; there are more infants, toddlers, and little kids than you can possibly imagine, and their mommies and daddies are extremely aggressive about ensuring their ability to survive and to become investment bankers, consultants, M & A lawyers, etc.

Those folks will not take kindly to the notion that their kids cannot play in Prospect Park without risk of being bitten if the cute little terrors (the kids, that is) annoy the wrong dog.

As someone who raised his own kids in the neighborhood (they are grown and living elsewhere), and who loves dogs to a fault, I would truly hate to see your dogs (or any dogs) put down because they were off leash and reacted out of fear or anger when harassed by small children.

On balance, I support the leash laws.

[Carmen]

^and also, to be fair, an environment with toddlers and off-leash dogs isnt really SUPER safe anyway...I mean, something as simple as knocking a kid down can result in injury. Not to say kids should be segregated from animals, but if i were a parent I'd like peace of mind in knowing that during hours X-X there is not going to be some overly rambunctious critter coming and lickin on my kid.

[Brooklyndogs]

To the person who just got to Brooklyn from Portland,

Your idea is very silly and your racist comments deeply offensive (but that has been covered already).

I am a dog lover and dog owner and firmly believe in off-lease and on-leash hours. I have a dog that does not do well with other dogs. I like to take her to the park, but only during on-leash hours to keep her and other dogs safe. Your comments reveal a level of entitlement and lack of consideration that gives dog owners a bad name. The current system works fairly well for all parties.

You should do some research before spouting off about things about which you know little.

[IndianSlipper]

[Anon]

[BrookFetish]

C'mon folks - think about this post.

Hook. Line. Sinker.
_________________
===
Doing just fine, thank you.

[BrownStoneOwner]

In no way did I ever think that my comment would be deemed racist, but rather an observation I made about a certain group of people. Amazingly there are other threads on this board where people mention race and nobody else gets all up in arms. The clinton comment I made earlier was meant as tangible evidence that I am not a racist. Obviously it must have rubbed some people the wrong way.

Furthermore, how did I offend the people of New York or Park Slope? I never made any disparaging remarks about the area.

[Mpmav1]

[BklynTransplant]

What on Earth does voting for Hillary have to do with being (or not being, as the case may be) racist? Hillary's white. You may not be **sexist**, but nothing you've written leads me to believe that you're not more than willing to generalize groups of people based on their negative reaction to your letting your dog run through their soccer/cricket/rugby/frisbee games during leash hours. (i.e "Black people and Mexicans") I'm sure plenty of white people are irritated as well.

Parks are shared space and the 9pm-9am offleash compromise is really very fair for all concerned. Not everyone loves or wants to deal with others' off-leash dogs and they shouldn't have to.

I suppose if you really want to pursue things, you can send your petition to the NYC Parks Dept, but don't expect it to go anywhere....

[Carnivore]

[vig]

Re: Your comment,"I used to live in Portland and no parks had these types of restrictions." Did you live in Portland, Maine, or Portland, Oregon? I live in Portland, Maine, and there are most definitely restrictions on where dogs can go off-leash. Here is the link to the city of Portland, Maine website which details those restrictions: www.ci.portland.me.us/voter/doggie.asp.

[KevJr.Mommy]

Wow, BrownStoneOwner!

1. Us Brooklynites are all different colors! And we love the diversity here! That's one of the great things that make Brooklyn BROOKLYN!

2. Your insensitivity doesn't come from you making that observation. It comes from you making a point to share your observation.

3. I have a 5 years old son who loves doggies and was chased by one 2 years ago. Although the dog did not hurt him, he caused my son to run, fall and hurt himself. The dog was a neighbor's dog. We love dogs in Brooklyn, but we have to share our parks with babies, tots and humans (of all colors), so the leash laws have a purpose!

4. I may have been one of the BLACKS who told you to LEASH YOUR DOG!