Today in Prospect; More Dog Excesses

Crossed paths with 7 unleashed dogs during a brief stroll through Prospect Park this afternoon. As expected, the only Parks Enforcement Patrol officers in the park were sitting in a car next to Prospect Lake. They were supposedly protecting people from falling through the ice, but I came across 6 teens playing on the ice in front of the Boathouse (where there weren't any PEP officers). One kid took the rescue ladder off the hooks and began walking across the ice with it. I screamed at him to put it back. He walked back with it, but, rather than putting it on the hooks, he just dropped it at the edge of the ice. Anyway...

Two unleashed dogs and their two owners on the Nethermead Meadow at 10 minutes past noon.



This guy's dog was running through the underbrush along the Lullwater at 12:35pm.



Back at the Nethermead there was a third dog owner running his pet off the leash. It was 1:30pm.



And finally here's the scene at Nelly's Lawn at 2:20 P.M.


* * *

The saying is that he who sleeps with dogs gets fleas. Turns out, it's literally true.

From the "Critic's Notebook" column in The New York Times a couple of weeks ago:

What in blazes is wrong with this country’s dogs? Such a collection of neurotic, insecure, bitchy, bullying creatures hasn’t been seen since whenever the latest episode of “Real I do not own a dog and never have, but I do own a television, and from the evidence it emits, the whole danged species needs to go on a lengthy timeout.

Read the rest here.

And finally, in our mailbox was this from Blair, who is understandably worried about dogs being shocked by ungrounded Con Ed manholes:

Greetings! Please see the recent Brooklyn dog shocking and please disseminate this vital public service to preclude more tragedies. Many thanks and happy safe new year!

Best,

Blair

Just so you know, I confer with Con Edison's Stray Voltage and Public Affairs Units and contribute to Wet Nose Guide and New York Dog Chat.

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.

Psst: there are manholes in the parks too. Sounds to us like just another reason to keep your dog on a leash.