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BLOG: JANUARY-MARCH 2006 |
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THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2006
A DOG WHO LOVES CATS --
A CAT WHO LOVES DOGS:
SPARKLE AND HANK WANT
TO BE HOME BY EASTER
We're
redoing our Adoptions page, and in the meantime we'll
include here adoptable pets who are ready and eager to
make your home theirs. Sparkle and Hank (see photos
below) are available together or individually.
The following info and
photos were submitted by the foster care- giver:
Sparkle, a female West
Highland terrier mix, is eight years old and 20 pounds. She
would make a great companion for a mature single or
couple, and she's the perfect size for a small
apartment. She's fine with cats and children -- even
guinea pigs! She was chosen at the Animal Care and
Control Center shelter in Brooklyn to be fostered by a
private adoption agency as part of the AC&C New
Hope program.
Hank. a big, white and
gray gentle, laid-back male, about three years old, is
a real Buddha cat. Large male cats have a well-deserved
reputation for being loving and gentle. He's fine with
other cats and dogs.
To meet Sparkle or
Hank, call Claire at 718 643-9061 or email
cangelica@aol.com. |
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MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2006
THE SMARTEST-LOOKING DOGS
ARE WEARING ORANGE THIS SPRING |
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More than a half-million
adoptions later, the ASPCA is celebrating its
140th anniversary on Monday, April 10. You can
participate and help raise animal awareness by wearing
orange -- you AND your pooch. The Empire State
Building will be aglow in orange light on that day as
well as Brooklyn Borough Hall, Green-Wood
Cemetery, and other locations around the city.
You can post a photo (no
charge) of your orange-clad dog or cat at the ASPCA's
website
(click here).
You can also help ASPCA's
fundraising efforts by purchasing an orange T-shirt or
other item from their online
store.
To learn about other ways
to be a part of their commemorative festivities,
visit the ASPCA webite anniversary page
(click
here), and check this blog for further information.
ASPCA (American Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), 424 East 92nd
Street, New York, New York.
www.aspca.org |
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SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 2006
MEET DINGO |
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We met Nicole S., a
police officer, in the park last year and took some
pictures (which we've not yet posted) of her and her
dog, Dingo. Despite his name, Dingo is not an Australian
wild dog. But he is an uncommon and controversial
canine: a Presa Canario.
The
breed gained unfortunate notoriety in 2001, when a San
Francisco woman was mauled to death by two Presas. The
dogs had been trained to be lethally aggressive, and
the owners were convicted of second-degree murder and
involuntary manslaughter.
We were immediately won
over by Dingo's calm demeanor -- he was reserved but
friendly and obviously well and lovingly reared.
Nicole contacted us
recently to find out when Dingo's picture would be
posted. In the course of some back-and forth email,
Nicole related the following (with some minor editing on
our part) about her dog:
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Since that
incident in California, many people think
all Presas are dangerous. But let me tell
you about Dingo.
My husband,
Derrick,
took him for a walk recently and a dog came
charging at them from someone's yard. Dingo kinda stood there and even seemed excited,
like a friend was rushing to meet him. The
other dog jumped on Dingo and lightly nipped
at his neck. Dingo had no reaction. He was
not fazed by the other dog's behavior. It
was strange. I wonder if we socialize him
too much.
He loves interaction with people
and dogs. Even when he sees a cat, he
curiously runs up to it, probably scaring it
to death, although he never does anything
but sniff it. He's been scratched on the
nose by cats and he still does not do
anything to harm them. I guess he is aware
of his size and is not intimidated by most
animals. Sometimes he seems so trusting,
almost unaware that people or animals could
potentially hurt him.
Several weeks ago
on a walk, Dingo
saw a possum (and vice versa), and my
husband said that the possum, true to form, "played possum."
He lay on his back with tongue hanging out,
playing dead. Dingo, also true to form, just
sniffed him and walked away.
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With so much information
available on the web, it's easy to read up on any breed
before you acquire a dog. It's also helpful to talk to
owners and to meet at least one adult dog of the breed
you're considering to see what he/she is like as a mature
animal -- after the dog outgrows its cute puppy phase. Keep
in mind that dogs of the same breed can vary in personality
and temperament. And always consider breed adoption first,
before you purchase a dog.
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MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2006
ADOPTIONS AT PETCO
Are you ready for a
feline companion for yourself or your cat-loving canine?
Petco has cats for
adoption courtesy of the animal rescue group K9 Kastle.
And soon you won't have to drive all the way to North
Shore Animal League to look at adoptable dogs -- North
Shore will bring them (mostly small dogs and puppies)
to Petco via their mobile van beginning April 24 and
twice each month thereafter. We'll give more details
here as they become available, or you can contact Petco
directly for more info.
You can post a notice
concerning a lost or found dog on Petco's in-store
bulletin board. Manager Chris Scannapieco reported a
happy reunion recently after two people posted flyers
for the same dog.
Petco: Utica
Avenue at Flatbush Avenue (near Avenue S); 718-338-3896. |
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SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2006
"DO YOU KNOW ME?" |
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This lost pooch had the good
fortune to be found by caring Gerritsen Beach resident
Marianne C. Marianne and her amazing family have
adopted a number of lost or abandoned dogs (more on that
another time) and are giving this one a loving temporary
home while doing all they can to find her owner.
The dog does not have a
microchip, alas, and so far no one has come forward to claim
her despite the many flyers Marianne has posted in the
neighborhood. As noted in Friday's blog entry below, the dog
was found on Gerritsen Avenue and Avenue S.
Marianne has determined,
through much trial and error, that the dog's name might be
Penny or something similar in sound. If you recognize this
dog and know who the owner might be, please contact Marianne
at 718-332-5291. |
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FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2006
DOG FOUND ON GERRITSEN
AVENUE
A small female retriever
mix was found on Gerrisen Avenue and Avenue S on March
15. She had a red leash and collar. Contact:
718-332-5291. |
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2006
GULLS TAKE GANDER AT
GEESE
These
photos were taken on Sunday, March 12, by Steve Baldwin,
who is the creator of the website
BrooklynParrots.com. We walked with Steve through
the neighborhood, the salt marsh, and the park and saw
more birds than usual -- they obviously wanted to make a
good impression on Mr. Baldwin. The park oval was filled
with hundreds of migrating geese -- not a common sight
here. The seagulls, frequent park denizens, joined the
party or simply decided to protect their turf.
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TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2006
ELEPHANT RESCUE (DON'T
TRY THIS AT HOME)
We watched the latest
installment of Elephant Diaries on Animal Planet on
Sunday. Not including Mo Rocca (who should himself
be released into the wild?), it was one of the best
programs about elephants -- and their amazing
interaction with each other and their caring, dedicated
overseers -- we've
seen in recent memory.
Produced by the
BBC and Animal Planet, the episode follows a group of
orphaned baby
elephants who have been rescued under various
circumstances and are being rehabilitated at a refuge in
Nairobi, Kenya (see the link below), with the eventual intent of
reintroducing them into the wild.
Baby elephants are way up
at the top of the cute list (okay, maybe not as adorable
as your pooch), and it's hard to take one's eyes
off them. We had no problem,
however, averting our eyes (and ears) from Mr.
Rocca, however. Fortunately, he makes only a
few brief appearances during commercial breaks. Otherwise, the program is up to the usual standards of excellence
à la the BBC.
The on-camera guides for
Elephant Diaries, Jonathan Scott and Michaela
Strachan, manage to convey their delight, awe, and
wonder -- as well as a sense of drama -- without letting
their own personalities take center stage.
By all means, catch the
rerun.
More info: BBC
Elephant Diaries
we page;
David
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
WEDNESDAY. MARCH 1, 2006
DOG RUN UPDATE:
GROUNDBREAKING SET FOR SPRING;
OFF-LEASH PRIVILEGES TO END
ONCE RUN OPENS
We learned yesterday from
State Senator Marty Golden's office that construction of
the dog run is planned to start no later than May, it is
hoped.
According to Julius
Spiegel, Borough Commissioner of the City of New York
Parks & Recreation Department (Brooklyn), in a letter to
Mr. Golden's office dated February 2, 2006, once the dog
run is in operation, "dogs will not be permitted to run
without a leash in any other part of...[Marine] park."
He also noted that the run must be kept up by the dog
owners who utilize it. "We [the Parks department] will
not clean it, and if the dog owners fail to adequately
maintain it," the run will be closed.
The run is to be located on Marine Park land near the
intersection of Burnett Street and Avenue X.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2006
DOG RUN UPDATE:
NEW INFO ON LOCATION
We spoke yesterday with
Phyllis Addalli, who gave us the latest scoop on the dog run
project. Ms. Addalli, who organized the effort to acquire a
dog run, related to us that the location for the run would
be at Avenue X and Burnett Street.
Ms. Addalli was informed
by State Senator Marty Golden's office that the run could be
completed as early as June of this year.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2006
DOG RUN JUST ABOUT A
'DONE DEAL'
FOR GERRITSEN BEACH
According to Marine Park
Civic Association president Gregg Borruso and a Marine
Park official, who spoke off the record, approval is
imminent for construction of a dog run in
Gerritsen Beach.
The planned site for the dog run is on the east side of
Gerritsen Avenue, about a mile south of Avenue U, where
the ball fields and the model airplane field are
located. (This is a lesser-know part of Marine Park.)
Mr. Borruso cautioned
that until the ground-breaking, it's not one hundred
percent certain, but right now it looks like a "done
deal."
Mr. Borruso stated that
the Parks Department, State Senator Marty Golden's
office, the residents of Gerritsen Beach, and Community
Board 18 are all in agreement about the location for the
run.
In the next few days we
hope to speak to Parks Department personnel and other
officials who can provide more details. Stay tuned.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2006
SIGN UP NOW FOR BASIC
TRAINING
How is your dog's petiquette? Is your
pooch a
little ruff around the edges? If he's hounding you for
attention or could use some pointers
in playing well with others, you might want
to consider signing up for the dog training classes
offered by our local Petco.
The next Petco
training session begins Monday, March 6, and runs for
six weeks (Mondays). The cost is $89.99. There are two
classes -- one for puppies up to 12 months old and
another for older dogs. The puppy class is from 7 to 8
pm; the class for mature dogs is from 8 to 9 pm.
Petco: Utica
Avenue at Flatbush Avenue (near Avenue S); 718-338-3896.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2006
ADOPTING THE BREED OF
YOUR CHOICE:
GIVE A DOG A NEW LEASH ON LIFE
Are you thinking about
purchasing a dog? Before you do, please give serious
consideration to adopting a dog that needs a home. If
you have your heart set on a particular breed, chances
are you can find the dog you want through one of
numerous breed rescue groups. There are many breed
rescue groups in the tri-state area, and it's not
unusual for a nonlocal organization to arrange to get a
dog to an adopter who might reside across the country.
All of these groups have
websites, and you can see photos and read
about available dogs and learn the requirements for
adoption on line. There is often no charge to adopt from
a breed rescue group, though some organizations do
request a donation or expect reimbursement for medical
expenses that might have been incurred to restore a
dog's health.
If you currently own a dog
and cannot keep him/her, you might want to contact a breed
rescue group before you take your dog to a shelter. Some
groups handle purebreds only but many try to place mixes as
well. Of course, we urge anyone who must give a up a pet to
try to find a home by networking with family and friends
before getting in touch with a rescue group or shelter.
Also, it will be easier to place your dog with a rescue
organization if it's neutered or spayed. Many breed rescue
groups will not accept a dog unless it is altered, or they
will charge you a fee for the surgery.
There is a list of breed
rescue groups and website links at the Mayor's Alliance for
New York City's Animals. Click
here. The American Kennel Club has breed rescue
information at its
website.
You can also search for a dog by breed at
PetFinder.com, and
even rescue organizations that do not specialize in specific
breeds will try to accommodate you.
If you can't find what
you're looking for at the above links, you can search
Google using the following terms in quotation marks: "poodle
rescue New York" (substitute the breed you're looking for).
Feel free to contact us if you need further assistance,
whether finding or placing a dog. |
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2006
The three photos below were
taken on February 15.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2006
TAKE THAT, SPRING!
The consensus among some
neighborhood residents and park goers regarding last
weekend's storm is that we did not get anywhere near 26.9
inches of snow, as was recorded in Central Park.
Nevertheless, it was enough to create havoc or heaven,
depending on your point of view.
Regarding snow
accumulation calculations, perhaps we could petition the
City -- or the Borough President's office (Marty, are you
reading this?) -- to see if we can get Marine Park to be the
official venue for snow measurements in Brooklyn.
The photos below were
taken on February 14. Can anyone tell us what made the
tracks in the middle photo? You can see winter pictures from
previous snowfalls in the Archive. Click
here. |
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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2006
NEW DATE FOR BENEFIT
CRUISE
The cruise to benefit
the Brooklyn Animal Foster Network has been rescheduled for
Sunday. February 19. (See our blog entry
below.)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2006
MASKED INTRUDER STRIKES AT 9
The following true account
was submitted to me quite a ways back. I had intended to publish it much earlier,
and so my apologies to Helene and Ralph for the delay. The
Materas have since added another pug to their family,
Hunter, who was acquired via a pug rescue group.
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story and photo by
Helene Matera
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2004, after living in Sheepshead Bay for 24 years, we never
thought that we would -- if only briefly -- be sharing our
bedroom with an intruder.
We had always loved the
park
and enjoyed taking our two pugs, Boodah and Zoe, for walks
there. The people are friendly and we love the way the park
changes with the seasons. Needless to say how great we felt
to be able to move here and really become part of this
community.
Moving into a house that is not new requires a certain
amount of home improvements, as many of you home owners must
surely already know. When our next door neighbor knocked on
our door to ask us if we had been hearing some strange
noises, we looked at the exterior to find that the
drainpipe that ran along the front of the house was badly
weathered. In fact, there was a large opening (that should
not have been there) that led to the roof over the front
room.
We checked indoors and we now indeed heard something inside the
ceiling at the front of our house. There was a
loud thumping and then what sounded like frantic running. We also could hear
gnawing, clawing,
and scratching noises. We wondered, Is it a
squirrel or a poltergeist?
Meanwhile, repairs needed to be made and so we called in a contractor, who
agreed to begin the work within a week. The workmen came and
began the job. I was worried that if we closed up the hole we might trap the critter in.
The contractor said it happened all the time but
that the creature would
find a way out. The work on
the house continued and was finished within two days.
Thereafter, every night at the same time (around 9 pm), the thumping
and running began. This Thing was strong. It seemed to have
planted itself in a corner of the upstairs bedroom floor.
On
the third night after the repairs were finished, the noise
was really frightening. It sounded like the Thing was in the
corner of the bedroom, under the radiator. My husband and I
sat and listened. He removed the radiator cover, and we saw
that there was a big hole in the floor where a pipe went
through. Again, we figured that the Thing was a squirrel. I
checked the internet to
see what to do. I read
that squirrels will leave on their own accord if you provide them the
opportunity. The website said to open a window and close all the
doors and when the morning comes, the squirrel will see the light and
leave. We did what they said.
The next night, at approximately 9 pm, we heard it again. It
was worse than before. It was now even louder and sounded like
the Thing was right in the room. Using a
flashlight, my husband
looked into the hole. The Thing was not a squirrel. It was a
raccoon -- a very large raccoon! It was bigger than either
of
my two pug pups. No joke.
I went back to the internet. I read that these
critters need to be trapped and removed. We
needed to get professional help, but it was too
late at night to call anyone. We would have to
wait until morning.
Luckily for
us, one of our new neighbors is a professional
pest remover. I introduced myself and told him
our saga. He told us that the raccoon was
starving and dehydrated and needed to get out
now. He gave him some food, and while the
critter was eating my neighbor opened up a hole
at the end of the drainpipe. The raccoon
abruptly stopped eating and went right for the
hole. He climbed onto the roof, then into a
tree. From the tree, he jumped down onto the
driveway and leaped over my neighbor's fence,
and then he was captured.
Rocky, as we
named him, was safe and so were we. The neighbor
gave him food and water, and (following the
legal rules and regulations) he was set free in
an area where there were no houses, lots of
trees -- and far away from Marine Park.
Don't you just
love a happy ending?
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The Thing (affectionately
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2006
WALKING THE WALK , TALKING
THE TALK
The satellite photo below
is from Google Earth. You can clearly see the
Marine Park oval, which resembles an artist's palette.
Those little circles -- the palette colors -- are ball
(in)fields. Across Avenue U
are the golf course, salt marsh, Nature Center, and Gerritisen Creek.
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For those unfamiliar with
the park, there are two parallel paths around the oval
(which is just under a mile in circumference). The outer one is for walkers and
runners, the other for cyclists and
skaters. (There is no car traffic except for police patrols
and Parks Department vehicles.) The separate paths (see
photo below) make for a more pleasant and safer) outdoors experience for walkers, both two- and
four-footed.
Most of the dog walking
in Marine Park happens at the oval. Because everyone is
going around in circles, so to speak, over time one gets to know other walkers
and their pets, and dogs become buddies, too. On a lovely
spring or summer day, a mélange of elements -- yakking
and yipping, leashes entwining, squirrels
darting, birds twittering, clouds scooting, runners
puffing, softball spectators cheering -- combine, amid
the dapple and shadow of tall trees, to form a magical
chaos, a reminder of how perfect the world can be without
any effort at all.
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Google Earth, by the way, is a free
program, but you need to download software from Google's
website. Click here.
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2006
HOME RUN FOR MARINE PARK?
The most common email
question we get at marineparkdogs.com is "Does Marine Park
have a dog run?" As most of you are already aware, the answer is no.
The largest city parks do not have dog runs-- that includes
Central Park and Prospect Park.
Over the years petitions supporting a dog run have been
presented to local politicians and individuals have
beseeched their Congresspersons, but those efforts fizzled or
were thwarted by the local Community Board (District 18) and
the Marine Park Civic Association.
There is still a strong
desire among many Marine Park dog owners for a run, but there is also some
opposition by those who are concerned that if there
were a dog run, early morning-late evening off-leash
privileges* would be rescinded.
We are neutral on this subject. The
positives about dog runs are obvious. But we
also know that they can be problematic, mainly because of close
encounters of the human kind. It doesn't take more than a few people acting
irresponsibly to ruin the experience for everyone else -- dogs included.
Steve Epstein (owner of
Cocoa) is coordinating an exploratory committee to pursue the
issue. If you want to participate,
email Steve or phone him at 718-376-6619.
Volunteers should be aware that getting a run established is
not going to be a walk in the park: The process can take as
long as seven years from start to finish. There is more
involved than simply gathering signatures.
We will include links to
information (pro and con) about dog runs as well as a list
of city spaces for dogs at a future date.
*This applies only to the center of the grassy
oval in the main part of the park. Hours are before 9 am and
after 9 pm. In all other areas of the park, including the
salt marsh, dogs must be leashed at all times.
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2006
PIZZA FILLS THE BILL
FOR WILD PARROTS OF BROOKLYN
Arguably, pizza could be considered the official food of
Brooklyn. There are probably more pizzerias here than in
Rome. (Didn't Borough President Marty Markowitz take the
oath of office with his right hand on the Bible and the left
holding a slice with extra cheese?)
Brooklyn's monk parrots,
seemingly determined to become the borough's official bird,
have obviously decided that pizza eating would help their
cause.
Birder and devoted parrot fan
Steve Baldwin needs no convincing that these birds deserve
recognition. He's been chronicling their spread throughout
Brooklyn on his delightful website
BrooklynParrots.com.
The site is an entertaining and informative photo and text tribute to this
latest wave of intriguing immigrants.
Brooklyn's monk parrots
have become almost as ubiquitous as pizzerias. Most of you
have probably heard, if not seen, them. They make loud squawks as they fly about that fit right in with the
in-your-face ambiance of Brooklyn. They reside in large
nests of woven twigs at the top of utility poles. The nest
we observe most often is at the intersection of Marine Parkway and
Quentin Road (southwest corner), but you can now find parrot
nests in many parts of Brooklyn. (See the
map at Steve's
website.) )
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These pizza-eating parrots were spotted on Bedford Avenue
by parrot maven Steve Baldwin. (See
more photos and text at
BrooklynParrots.com.)
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Steve writes recently in an
email to us: "The best time to view the parrots at their nest
is early. Eight AM is great because you can see the nests wake up. Usually
the birds gather in a tree at that time, converse, and
organize foraging parties. But I've also had luck later in
the morning: today, for example, at around 9:30, I actually
saw some come down and forage on the grass (this was in Bay
Ridge). This is rare behavior at this time of the year.
There was plenty of action when I left, which was at about
10 AM.
"Yesterday, at Brooklyn College, I was doing a TV shoot
for Channel 47, which wanted to do a short piece on the
parrots. The crew was delayed and didn't get there until
11 AM, but there was still plenty of action - all the way
to 1 or so. And the shots of the birds eating pizza (which I
uploaded to my site today) were shot even later: at around
2 PM."
We've also regularly observed parrots at the nest about an
hour before dusk.
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Monk parrot nest at Marine Parkway and Quentin
Road. (photo by D. Grambs,
MarineParkDogs.com) |
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY
18, 2006
THE BEGINNING OF THE BLOG
We hope to offer lots of useful or
interesting info here. No egotorials -- just good
stuff. Please tune in regularly.
ONE-DAY SAIL FEBRUARY 19
ABOARD LUXURY YACHT
ATLANTIS
(Note: The cruise was originally scheduled for Sunday,
February 12, but it waas postponed until Sunday, February 19
because of impending snowstorm.)
You can help support animal rescue by taking an afternoon cruise
aboard the yacht Atlantis out of Sheepshead Bay. The proceeds will
go to the Brooklyn Animal Foster Network, whose members rescue
dogs and cats that might otherwise be euthanized. BAFN
provides medical and other care for rescued animals and finds them
permanent homes.
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In addition to great views of
Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, there will be a
full luncheon buffet, dancing, raffle, activities for children, and
more.
Tickets: $100 in advance ($120 at
the dock); $50 for animal rescuers, seniors, and children under 12;
toddlers admitted free.
Date, time, place: Sunday, February 19, 1-5
pm; Emmons Avenue and East 21st Street.
For more info or to purchase tickets:
visit Brooklyn Animal Foster Network's
website or
contact Laurie Bleier via
email or at 718 789-6865.
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WARNING: MAY BE
BORING
All Mission Statements should be expurgated from the web. I mean,
who reads them anyway? That
said, here's my mission statement or the answer to the
question I get all the time: "Why do you create this site (marineparkdogs.com)?"
Over the years the "why"
has actually found me: What began as a whimsical
celebration of the joy of dogs has evolved to include purposes that would appropriately fall
under a mission statement. These include:
-- to promote a sense of community among
park-goers, be they dog owners or not, and to encourage owners to be
responsible and follow the rules
-- to support and aid in animal rescue and adoption; emphasize
importance of spay/neuter programs in controlling unwanted animal
population
-- to publicize local lost/found dogs; try to reunite owners with
pets or find temporary care for found dogs
-- to help find placement for dogs whose owners must give them up
-- to share information about local services and resources.
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more blog:
April-November
2006
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