Special Announcement # 336 OK
From Buffalo, Erie County, New York

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dogpark-National-News/links/V_001225209361/
I was just looking at my notes for the news
videos when this park opened and this is at
least the second small dog killed at this
park already.

I have posted many incidents about tiny dogs being
killed at dogparks but this is the first time
I remember the cause being: "stepped on by another
dog."

It's nice that this owner has taken repsonsibility
but I can't imagine how she could blame this on
anyone but herself.

I question the reasoning of someone who would
bring a tiny 5 pound dog in with much larger
dogs and I will now spend some time joining a
few Yorky Terrier groups to post the details
of this unusual story.

****  I recommend printing this story out and
keeping a clipboard and letting people read this
at your local dogpark when you see them making
this same mistake.

And if you search our message archives you will
find many similar stories about tiny dogs being
killed that could also be printed.

http://www.thebarkyard.org/dog-park-rules/
This park prohibits intact dogs instead of having
a thrd enclosure for them but some of the comments
indicate that noone is enforcing this rule and
owners are ignoring it, which doesn't surprise me.

I have been in contact with Jay McCarthy about
this park going all the way back to Aug 2006
and I will ask him to use this news story as a
warning to other people with tiny dogs.

This park was orignally on a converted softball
field but they had to move it because the EPA
said it was too close to being on top of the
holding tank for their wter treatment plant.

Bill Zardus
Group Moderator


http://dogblog.dogster.com/2009/11/13/dogs-death-at-dog-park-serves-as-warning/c\
omment-page-1/#comment-774309
This dogster entry led me to the story below.


http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/841746.html
Miles, a five-pound Yorkshire terrier, died while
playing in the city's "Barkyard" with a larger
dog that stepped on his neck.

Lesson learned in dog's death
Tiny pet's owner blames herself for 'Barkyard' fatality
By Brian Meyer  =  bmeyer@ buffnews.com
News Staff Reporter
Updated: October 28, 2009, 8:42 AM / 29 comments

A grieving pet owner who blames herself for a freak
accident that killed her Yorkshire terrier when he
was stepped on by a large dog is telling the story
in hopes of preventing other dogs from being harmed.

Minika L. Hall also hopes it spurs organizers to
tighten rules at Buffalo's only official off-leash
dog park.

The sun was starting to set Sunday in LaSalle Park's
recently expanded "Barkyard."

Miles, an eight-month-old Yorkie who frequented the
park with his owner several times a week during the
warmer weather, was enjoying a late-October romp.

But Hall made a decision she will always regret. She
let her five-pound pooch make his first visit to a
separate running area that generally accommodates
larger dogs. Until Sunday, Miles had always frolicked
in an adjacent area reserved for dogs that weigh less
than 30 pounds. On this evening, the special area was
empty, and she wanted Miles to have company.

"Miles wasn't afraid of big dogs," said Hall, her
voice shaking. "He loved to play with the bigger dogs."

The Yorkie was playing with several other dogs, none
of them very large or aggressive, according to Hall.
She said what happened next is a blur, but she recalls
Miles being stepped on and instantly falling to the
ground.

At first, she thought he just had the wind knocked
out of him or — in a worst-case scenario — was
paralyzed. But after she and another Barkyard patron
rushed the dog to an emergency clinic, reality set
in. Miles' tiny neck had likely been crushed as the
dogs played, she said.

"People need to see my dumb mistake," the distraught
owner said. "They need to understand that when their
dogs are playing, they have to consider the size of
other dogs. I knew it, but I never recognized the
importance of that until now."

Hall also wants officials to consider tightening
regulations. The area reserved for small dogs is
off limits to animals that weigh more than 30 pounds.
But the other area is open to dogs of all sizes.
Hall said she thinks a rule should be imposed
banning dogs under 10 pounds or 20 pounds from
the larger run.

"It's a beautiful doggie park, but it also can be
dangerous," she said.

Officials from the group Buffalo Off-Leash Areas
are reviewing the possibility of establishing a
new rule or posting a "strongly worded advisory"
reminding people of the dangers of letting small
dogs play with larger animals, said Ginger D.
Schroder, a board member of the advisory group
that oversees the Barkyard.

But she added that there have been challenges
enforcing existing rules. For example, she said
some pet owners ignore a provision that bars
unneutered animals from the site.

"We can write all the rules in the world, and if
people won't follow them, they won't work," she
said.

When a newly designed dog park opened in June at
a different site in the northern part of LaSalle
Park, one of the new features was a segregated
area for small breeds.

Buffalo veterinarian Reed Stevens, the group's
former president, is now among a couple dozen
"bark rangers" who volunteer to help monitor
park activities during busy periods. When the
weather is nice, the Barkyard attracts more
than 2,000 weekly visitors. Stevens called
Miles' death "very tragic."

Hall bought Miles this spring after she moved back
to her native Buffalo. She spent 12 years in
New York City before returning home to buy a
former convent in Lovejoy that she is converting
into a bed-and-breakfast.

Miles was the first dog she ever owned. Several
friends attended a Tuesday memorial service.

"I made a very bad decision that day," Hall said.
"I'm worried that someone else will make the
same bad decision if they don't hear this story."

Jayne Rand was with her small dog at the Barkyard
the night of the incident. Even though she didn't
know Hall, she drove her and her mortally wounded
terrier to an emergency clinic. Rand said it takes
an "incredible amount of courage" for Hall to
publicly discuss her loss in hopes that others
won't make the same mistake.

"This won't all end with a tragedy," Rand said.
"She's doing something to try to help other people."

bmeyer@ buffnews.com

-----------------  End Of Story  -----------------

keywords: death, fatality, fatal, died, mortally wounded
RIP

It surprises me how many novice dog owners of tiny
dogs expose their tiny dogs to great danger because
the small dog area is empty.

This dog was as tiny as a dog can possibly be and
this incident was very predictable

......
Bill Z ....
ccdogpark at YahooDotCom  ....
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dogpark-National-News/

------------  End of Online comment ------------

I researched this story below in 2007 and never
got around to approving it.  WRZ


Subject: Buffalo NY opens first dogpark
Date: Monday, October 29, 2007 1:03 PM
From: "WRZ" <ccdogpark@...>
To: Dogpark-National-News@ yahoogroups.com
From Buffalo, Erie County, New York

1.5 acres and 1 enclosure

This park had their first serious incident with
a small dog {Boston Terrier) before they had
their grand opening and they are now dedicating
specific hours for small dogs only.

I have been recommending that to people with
only one enclosure but it would be much better
and also less chaotic to just to give small dogs
an entire night in my opinion instead of asking
people to come at 4:00 to 6:00 PM on a workday.

I'm not aware of other parks that have created
a division by time instead of by space as they
are now doing in Buffalo.

WRZ


http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/134086.html?imw=Y
Buffalo's first dog park opens its gates
Updated: 08/04/07 12:08 PM
Buffalo's first dog park opened its gates Saturday.

The pet park, located in LaSalle Park near the
baseball diamonds, is the only such facility in
Buffalo. Dogs will be allowed to roam free around
the 1.5 acre space.

About 20 owners brought their pups to play on the
first day. Also on hand to celebrate were state
Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, Erie County Legislator Maria
Whyte and park activist Jay McCarthy.

Currently, the space is bare-bones. It is marked
only by a chainlink fence and one gated entrance.
But if organizers have their way, by the time the
park closes for the season on Oct. 15, it will
have a drinking fountain for dogs, a new air-tight
fence system that will prevent dogs from slipping
in and out, and no weeds.

LaSalle Park is along the Buffalo waterfront. The
entrance is at the end of Porter Avenue (Peace
Bridge exit from I-190).

---------------  End Of Story  ---------------


> > >
> > > ----Original Message Follows----
> > > From: "Jason McCarthy"
> > > To: ccdogpark@...
> > >
> > > Subject: Looking to Help?
> > > Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2006 13:09:51 -0400
> > >
> > > I hope this message is for Bill Zardus WRZ.
> > >
> > > I heard you wanted my email to discuss some
> ideas.
> > I'm looking forward to your reply.
> > >

NYE-Buffalo2
NYE Erie County Buffalo 10/18/2008 Interesting 3:00 Press Conference to justify
the citys' first dogpark ---

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLLlAhDEHpI

Was that you that held the press conference
or was that Reed Stevens ?

I've never heard of a dogpark being moved for
this reason before.  Many dogparks are near
sewage treatment plants.

WRZ


Re: Buffalo NY dog park ?
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 7:04 PM
From: "Jason McCarthy" <jason.mccarthy@ gmail.com>
To: ccdogpark@ yahoo.com

THis is isn't a sewage treatment plant, it is the water treatment plant and they
say that it is a health hazard bc we are over a holding tank. Although there is
a two foot cement cap there is no reason to argue, we actually have a better
place in the center of the park.

That was Reed in the video. I'm to the right of the african-american with white
shirt and tie. If you can see me in the vid?

--- On Wed, 2/25/09, Jason McCarthy
<jason.mccarthy@ gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Jason McCarthy <jason.mccarthy@...>
> Subject: Re: Buffalo NY dog park ?
> To: ccdogpark@...
> Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2009, 4:41 PM

> Hi Bill,
> Has it been that long! We have been very busy since we last
> spoke. Buffalo
> is now home to a run down OLA in LaSalle Park along our
> beautiful waterfront
> in an old unused baseball diamond. We started this is in
> Aug 06 as a
> temporary agreement between the City of Buffalo, Erie
> County Parks and our
> group so that they could understand that there would be no
> problems(Like dog
> fighting was expected by gov't). Since then we have
> attracted 2000 people a
> week(at peak times) to a previously under used park. We had
> a our first
> fundraiser in July 08 and raised 30K in two hours! Since
> then the project
> has gathered steam. We are currently planning another
> fundraiser March 13th
> and expecting 500+ people. We are in talks with the City
> for a new location
> in the park because of the popularity. Our major problem
> right now is how to
> build without having to pay prevaiing wage in NYS.  It has
> been a long
> process of getting an agreement with the City, County and
> our group. We hope
> to have a formal agreement with the City of Buffalo to
> operate WNY's first
> OLA for dogs in the next month.
>
> Never did the swimming fundraiser because a nature group
> shot down our idea
> for a dog beach.( although if you can refresh my memory?)
> We would love some
> fresh ideas. I will bring them up at our next board
> meeting.  I hope all is
> well? Please check out the new websites and links below
> with more info about
> our ongoing efforts. Thanks for checking in! It was nice to
> hear from you.
>
> I hope this fills you in on what I have been up to the last
> 2 years.
>
> Jay McCarthy
> www.buffalomicroparks.com
> www.buffalobarkyard.com
>
> http://blogs.artvoice.com/avdaily/tag/lasalle-park/
>
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/ontarioniagara/story/375719.html

> Barkyard, off-leash dog park, being moved at FROM the
> LaSalle Park
> Updated: 10/18/08 12:52 PM
> The barkyard, the city's off-leash dog park, is being
> relocated to another area of LaSalle Park.
>
> The park is being moved to another section of LaSalle Park
> after it was  determined the existing site was too close
> to the city's water treatment facility based on EPA
> regulations, Mayor Byron Brown announced today as he
> also pledged $25,000 in city money for the park.
> "This is great day for dogs, their families, and
> neighbors of dogs because a better exercised dog
> is simply a better dog. We will create a safer, larger
> off leash area including a separate space for small dogs
> that will draw more people from all over the
> region to Buffalo's greatest asset - our
> waterfront," said R. Reed Stevens, president of
> BuffOLA and a Buffalo Micro Parks board member.
>
> The city has collaborated with American Water to provide
> fresh water and running fountains to the area at a cost
> of approximately $10,000. In addition, the city will
> provide benches and other facilities for the dog
> park at a cost estimate of $15,000. The city will also
> provide snow plowing
> in the winter, if necessary, and routine trash collection.
> "Since its opening, the Barkyard has been a very
> popular destination for pet
> owners and their dogs, and I am confident the new location
> will be even more
> successful," Brown said.
> Supporters of the Barkyard have raised $35,000 in private
> funding toward a
> new fence at the new location in LaSalle Park. More
> information is available
> through www.barkyardbuffalo.com.
>
> ARTVOICE
> http://video.artvoice.com/ go to WebTV and we are in the
> lefthand corner. or
> type in dog park.
>
> On Wed, Feb 25, 2009 at 3:15 PM, WRZ .
> <ccdogpark@...> wrote:
>
> >
> > Jay:
> >
> > I haven't heard from you since Aug 2006
> >
> > Were you able to do anything with my suggestion
> > for a canine swim event as a fundraising idea ?
> >
> > Give it to your local animal shelter please
> > if you can't do anything with it.
> >
> > http://www.barkyardbuffalo.com/barkyard.html
> > There should be links to these videos below on
> > your website.
> >
> >
> > NYE-Buffalo
> > NYE Erie County - Buffalo 08/04/2007 Still online
> 11/08/2008 3:27 --- 3
> > News Stories -- Someone compiled 3 different news
> stories about the opening
> > of this dogpark into 1 online video ---
> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovkgzGYLWdE
> >
> > NYE-Buffalo2
> > NYE Erie County Buffalo 10/18/2008 Interesting 3:00
> > Press Conference to justify the citys' first dogpark ---
> >
> > How was the tiny dog killed at the Buffalo dogpark
> > if you have a seperate small dog area ?
> >
> > Best Regards
> >
> > Bill Zardus
> > WRZ
> > Camden County, NJ
> >
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Canine-Swim-Events-USA/links/
> >
> > IL - Bloomington 2006 ***** Best photo album I have
> found
> > http://www.hscipets.org/event085.htm = 2006
> > These 40 Photos load very quickly.
> > This is the best photo album I have found.
> > I am ALWAYS looking for links to MORE small online
> > subsets of photo albums (25-40 of the busiest photos)
> > with "busy" photos that indicate a lot of
> people &
> > dogs attended and had fun.
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > > Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2006 08:18:40 -0400
> > > From: jason.mccarthy@ gmail.com
> > > To: ccdogpark@...
> > > Subject: Re: Looking to Help?
> > >
> > > Bill
> > >
> > > Thanks for taking an interest in Buffalo and WNY.
> > But why a pool event? I guess I don't get your
> > concept. Our geographic location is ideal for the
> > Dog Swim concept, but please explain this idea.
> > I'm very interested,
> >
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > jay
> > >
> > > On 8/18/06, WRZ . wrote:
> > >
> > > You probably received my messsage at about
> > > the same time I received this one.
> > >
> > > I wanted to give you some things to think
> > > about while you were still in the planning
> > > stage.
> > >
> > > It's a shame that story wasn't published
> > > a month or 2 ago, or you would have had
> > > time to plan a pool event this year.
> > >
> > > Regards
> > >
> > > Bill Zardus
> > > WRZ
> > > Camden County, NJ
> > > ccdogpark@...

From Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa
Home of the University of Iowa

This seems like a reasonable idea to me
rather than telling people they can't use the
park at all and is much mess likely to result
in serious vandalism.

When you tell dogowners they can't use a dogpark
at all, that ends your ability to impact their
behavior and we have already read many stories
about how angry some people become when they
feel like their animals are being unfairly
stereotyped.

The dogparks in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids Iowa
were both destroyed by record levels of flooding
a few months ago and they are trying to raise
money to replace their fencing at a different
site.

The original DP site was very close to the main
campus and a high percentage of their most active
members work at the university.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Canine-Swim-Events-USA/message/220
"UI service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega furnished
up to 20 volunteers for this year's Dog Paddle."
unquote
(This quote was from the student newspaper)
Iowa City also has one of the most successful
canine swim events in the country and the
proceeds go into their dogpark fund.

Bill Zardus
Group Moderator

Forwarded message below

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DogPacList/message/546
3 year dog park tags
Posted by: "karlatonella" Karla-Tonella@ xxx.edu
Mon Nov 16, 2009 6:10 pm (PST)

At the end of December it will be time to renew Iowa
City Dog Park Tags. Remember, EVERYONE must renew
this December.

This year, for the first time, it will be possible
to purchase either a 1-, 2-, or 3-year tag tied to
the expiration date of your dog's Rabies Vaccination.

I spoke with the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption
Center today. They said that although the new tags
aren't in yet they will be by renewal time toward
the end of December. Each year's tag will be a
different color. This is true now -- the difference
is that there may soon be 3 different colors of
valid tags in circulation at any time.

The cost of tags remains the same: $25 per year.
There is a $5 discount if you can present proof that
the dog was either spayed or neutered. A 3-year tag
then, will cost $75 if your dog isn't altered, but
only $60 if they have been. There is a low income
discount for qualified applicants.

There is no longer a discount for microchips. The
board was charged with raising more money and
eliminating a discount for something that doesn't
really impact dog park use seemed to be less painful
than raising the fee.

Dog Park tag fees go directly back into the
development and improvement of the off leash parks.

--------------  End Of Message  --------------

Special Announcement # 335 Ok
From Serangoon Central, Singapore

Relevent stories from foreign countries have to be
written in English and also have to be unusual for
me to forward them here. This is our first story
from Singapore and probably our last.

I'm not sure how practical this idea is unless a
husband and wife are coming to the mall at the
same time and one is planning to shop while the
other one will use the dogpark.

This is the first time I have ever heard of a
dogpark on top of a shopping mall and since it
is on private property, that would mean the mall
would have to purchase liability insurance if
it was in the USA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_divisions_of_Singapore
Wikipedia shows this province to be in Northeast
Singapore.

Bill Zardus
Your dedicated but slightly crazy group moderator


http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20091116-1801\
24.html
Shop while pooch frolics in playground

Mon, Nov 16, 2009
my paper
By Cheryl Lim = cheryll@ sph.com.sg


DOG owners can look forward to a shopping mall in
Serangoon Central by the end of next year with a
dedicated playground for dogs, where pets can
frolic for free.

The 185-sq m rooftop dog park at nex is the first dog
playground in a mall here that comes with equipment
such as a dog track for running, highjump bars, tyre
hoops and exercise slides.

It provides an off-leash environment for dogs to play
and exercise in under the supervision of their owners.

Dog owners can take their canine friends to the park
using designated lifts in the mall or an escalator on
the exterior of nex. Dogs have to be leashed until
they reach the dog park, and are prohibited from
visiting other parts of the mall.

Nex will be the largest shopping mall in north-eastern
Singapore, with 55,741 sq m of space. More than 70 per
cent of the space has been taken up.

The mall hopes to establish a group of loyal customers
among dog owners who live in the vicinity, said a
spokesman for Guthrie Consultancy Services, which
provides project consultancy and marketing for nex.

He said: "There is a large catchment of condominium
and landed-property residents ...many of whom own
pets. It is also common to see Housing Board dwellers
owning pets."

The mall is near the private housing estates of
Braddell and Serangoon Gardens, and Serangoon HDB
estate.

Mrs Jamie Lim, 55, a dog owner who lives in Upper
Serangoon Road, said: "This is a great idea. Now,
my daughter can take our labrador, Max, to play
while I do my grocery shopping there."

The idea came about when pet retail chain Pet Lovers
Centre's managing director, Mr Ng Whay Hoe,
brainstormed with executives of Gold Ridge, nex's
developer, on how to make the mall pet-friendly.

Pet Lovers Centre will open a branch of Pet Safari
- a store offering pet food, accessories and
veterinary services - in a doublestorey unit of
over 464 sq m in nex.

Mr Ng said: "Singaporeans like to converge in malls
on weekends. It's our lifestyle. Pet owners are no
different. They, too, have families, so the idea
was to allow for spaces for familydog interaction."

Besides nex, two other malls here - Eastpoint and
VivoCity - have dog-dedicated spaces. Both are run
by Pet Lovers Centre, which also runs Pet Safari
stores in both malls.

The one in VivoCity trains more than 100 dogs monthly
at its obedience-training school.

Pet Lovers Centre also holds an annual Christmas
party in the VivoCity space for underprivileged
dogs that live in shelters and pet dogs. The dogs
are treated to food and party favours.

cheryll@ sph.com.sg

----------------  End Of Story  ----------------

How do we (I live in NY) go about getting animal law
changed?

Here in Ithaca, our DA has been really good about
pursuing the highest level of charges she can for
animal crimes and so far, she has gotten felony
convictions for several of the worst...but that's
here (and we have a really active "animal community"
that is very vocal)....

I had heard a few years ago , while out searching
for a missing dog...about a local woman who was
possibly stealing dogs and shipping them out of
state.. I reported this to our SPCA and they did
take action. But this case is disgusting. I don't
watch the TV show they mentioned but now I am glad
it's on and it certainly is getting to people who
might not otherwise call to report cases like this one.

Liz


----------------  End of Story  ----------------

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DFNYDogLaw/
Check with these people above.

There are pet law groups for almost every state
but the handful of zealots who created them, do
not understand there is a Yahoo dog category for
every state and I have given up trying to explain
this to them, so they are still harder to find
than they should be.

The other problem with these pet-law groups is
that most of them are dedicated to trying to
fight BSL laws and almost none of them are
interested in laws to protect pets from abuse.

Bill Zardus


________________________________
From: Bill Z <devilsadvacat@...>
To: Dogpark-National-News@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, November 15, 2009 1:48:55 PM
Subject: [DogPark-News] Suffolk Co, NY mother of
7 accused of running a concentration camp for dogs

From: "Kent B. Cicerchi" <cicerchikb@ aol.com>
Cc: <kkarp@ att.net>
Date: Sat Nov 14, 2009 4:06 pm
Subject: City of Rocky River [Ohio] et al. v. City of
Lakewood, Ohio, et al. -- re: Lakewood Dog Park

Bill:

It would be great to get some coverage of the lawsuit
filed by the City of Rocky River, Ohio, on behalf of
two households (4 residents), against the City of
Lakewood, Ohio and the dog park users.  The complaint,
which centers on "constant barking, foul odors [the
dog park sits on excess real estate of Lakewood's
Waste Water Treatment Plant (!)] and bites, attempts
to close down the municipal dog park which is open
to the general public, regardless where the dog-owner
may reside.  The proposals made to "settle" are
ridiculous gestures to which no canine-respecting pet
owner would ever agree (muzzles, devices to emit high
frequencies when it detects dog barking above a
certain level, sound barriers, restricted hours,
relocation).  The Lakewood Dog Park sits in a valley.

Between it and the border of Rocky River (where the
four co-plaintiffs reside, overlooking a valley) is a
wooded strip of the Rocky River Reservation of the
Cleveland MetroParks.

The park and parkway alone are the source of much
(traffic, including motorcycles with loud, 2-cycle
engines; folks hiking through the park with their
dogs, children, etc.), and a marina for boaters
using Rocky River and Lake Erie sits in close
proximity to the dog park.

If you would like additional information or would
like to interview any of us, please feel free to
contain me.  I will be happy to set up the opportunity
with any of the members of the Save Lakewood Dog
Park Committee, the Friends of Lakewood Dog Park,
the mayor of Lakewood, his administration or members
of city council.

Currently, volunteers of the Save Lakewood Dog
Park Committee are meeting biweekly to assist
the City of Lakewood in defending our beloved
dog park.

We are actively reaching out to residents of
Rocky River, who also use the dog park daily.
In fact, twenty percent of the members of the
Friends of Lakewood Dog Park organization are
Rocky River residents.  Members of the Friends
of Lakewood Dog Park, along with their allies
and other supports of the park, will participate
in a demonstration through the streets of Rocky
River on Saturday, December 5, 2009.

I hope to hear from you soon!

Kent Cicerchi
Co-Chair
Save Lakewood Dog Park Committee
of the Friends of Lakewood Dog  Park

-------------  End Of Kent Cicerchi -------------

Kent:

You posted this as a response to our most recent
story which was completely unrelated, so I decided
to repost your message against my own account.

I'm not understanding why you think posting this
message to people from all over the country will
serve some useful purpose ?

I have never seen a dispute in such desperate need
of a mediator with some common sense.  None of your
proposed solutions above mention swipe cards with
software to log when people enter and exit to try
and identify the perps with barking dogs. And the
solution may also involve restricting the hours
ORR the days this park can be used.

I have never explained this adequately but the
purpose of this group is NOTT to ask all of our
members to try and influence local issues but
rather to learn from the mistakes and good ideas
of people in other places.

Most of our members have their own problems and
issues they are trying to solve.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dogpark-National-News/message/1460
If you read this story from Dec 2007 I have already
posted 4 stories about the Lakwewood OH dogpark
going all the way back to Sept 2004.

I can't do any more stories about this park until
there is some genuine news or an outcome to this
dispute.

http://news.google.com/news/search?um=1&cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&q=lakewood+dog+park&\
cf=all&start=0
I just checked and I don't see any news.

You have to get local people interested in this issue.

http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=Lakewood++Ohio&sg=0&sort=relevance
It surprises me that I have never found a yahoo group
dedicated to a dogpark with so much controversy.

I'm pretty sure that if moved to Lakewood Ohio, I
would have more than 100 people in a new group,
the first month I showed up.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LakewoodOhioFreecycle/
This large group could be used to jump-start
your group.  If you are recycling plastic bags
at this park, as you should be, just explain to
them how & where to recycle bags and use the
explanation to lead people to your new group.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cleveland-Dogs/links
Most of the groups listed in that folder are
for dog groups in metro-Cleveland and some of
those people may be interested in this problem.

Best Regards

Bill Zardus
Group Moderator

CC
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dogpark-National-News/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LI-DOGS/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LIDogOwnersGroup/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WestHillsDogPark/

I don't usually post stories like this to this group
but this person deserves all the negative publicity
she gets in my opinion.


http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/backyard+described+concentration+camp+after+re\
mains+found/2207492/story.html
This 43 year old woman, Sharon McDonough, from
Long Island (Suffolk County) NY is being accused
of: " running a concentration camp for dogs"
and was finally turned in by her own son.

http://wcbstv.com/local/pet.concentration.camp.2.1300163.html
It sounds like many of these dogs were stolen from
her neighbors.

http://www.fox8.com/news/nationworld/sns-94f4c97d35da433f84cd65a3350752d7-4,0,79\
99713.photo
And she was raising 7 young children in these
conditions but has just lost custody of them.

http://www.examiner.com/x-28599-Crime--Media-Examiner~y2009m11d10-Sharon-McDonou\
gh-accused-of-torturing-burying-animals-in-backyard
if you google on her name, this story is getting
media coverage from all over the country.

Bill Zardus
Group Moderator

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/backyard+described+concentration+camp+after+re\
mains+found/2207492/story.html
A Long Island, N.Y., backyard that has been termed a
"concentration camp" for dogs could be hiding the
remains of as many as 100 animals, the head of the
local SPCA said Tuesday.

SPCA and police officials raided the home of Sharon
McDonough, 43, of Selden, N.Y. after responding to
allegations from her 21-year-old son that she had
been "torturing and killing these animals for a
number of years," said Roy Gross, chief of the
Suffolk County SPCA.

The initial search last Thursday found five dogs
in deplorable conditions, recounted Gross.

"The dogs were cramped in small cages in an upstairs
room," he said. "As soon as you walked into that
room, the smell was overwhelming. These animals
were in their own feces and urine. They were all
skin and bones . . . they couldn't even stand and
turn around comfortably, they were in such small
cages."

On Saturday, officials executed a warrant in
McDonough's back yard, where a nine-hour search
uncovered the rotting corpses of at least 20
animals in black plastic bags. All the animals
were believed to have been tortured to death.

"This is probably one of the worst cases I've ever
handled, and it's something that will stay with me
for the rest of my life," said Gross.

"There may be as many as 100 animals back there."

The 25-year veteran of the animal protection agency
said the only cases that came close to the depravity
were snuff films being made in the county of animals
being killed.

Gross said the five surviving dogs had been checked
by veterinarians, and one had already been adopted
by an SPCA officer. The other four were not healthy
enough to be put up for adoption yet.

McDonough was arrested on Saturday and was charged
with six counts of animal cruelty, a misdemeanour
charge in New York.

James D'Angelo, McDonough's attorney, said on Tuesday
the widowed mother of seven pleaded not guilty to the
charges.

"She's standing by her not guilty plea, and we're
going back to court next month," said D'Angelo in
an interview with Canwest News Service. He said
his client had been released from custody on her
own recognizance.

Gross said that necropsies were being performed on
the dead animals to determine if they were pets of
people in the neighbourhood.

If that's the case, McDonough could face additional
felony charges of aggravated animal abuse — each
count of which can carry a two-year prison sentence
and $5,000 fine — as well as larceny.

The SPCA was alerted to the suspected abuse after
McDonough's eldest son Douglas contacted the
animal-rescue television show, Rescue Ink, which
in turn, informed the animal agency, Gross said.

The other six McDonough children have been placed
in protective custody.

Local media have reported that people in the quiet
suburb 100 kilometres east of New York City, have
begun to suspect McDonough of stealing their
animals. WABC, New York's ABC-TV affiliate, said
Tuesday that pet owners whose animals have gone
missing recently believe they may have been stolen.

"To think that anybody hurt my cat like that, I
don't know if I could contain myself," Lyn
Cancillieri, who lives near McDonough, told WABC,
New York City's ABC affiliate.

Her cat Prince has been missing for some time.

Sharyn Padula, who lives on the same street, told
the New York Post that three of her pets have gone
missing in the past year — a Chihuahua and two
cats. And although she has no proof, she fears
McDonough may be responsible.

"If they find (the pets,) I want her to pay," she
told the Post.

--------------- End Of Story ---------------

Nothing wrong with the Greyhound in this story,
just the owners, and possibly the adoption agency,
for failing to properly screen the adopter.

There is a Greyhound Meetup Group that meets regularly
on Sundays at Norwood, one of our few fully fenced
off-leash areas.  It is a small (a former lawn bowling
green) single run area, and although they have no legal
right to prevent others from entering, the Greyhound
people actively discourage other users while their
dogs are running loose.

Most other users are aware of the regular Meetup, and
while some grumble, they avoid it for the hour or so
that the Meetup takes place.  So far, to my knowledge,
the only injury has been sustained by a Greyhound who
was bitten by a GSD that had been released from a
Muzzle Order (that was subsequently re-issued).  The
Greyhounds often have basket muzzles on, which they
are used to wearing while racing, to deter prey drive
injuries.

Richmond Hill, Ontario finally has an Off-Leash Dog
Park!  Their website is www.rhk9klub.com  Hope to
see more off-leash areas in York Region soon.

Luan Egan
luan at ils.net
Toronto Unleashed

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

---------------

I'm sorry it took so long to approve this message.
I have attention deficit and I am constantly working
on stuff behind the scenes in supoort of this group
and I forget to approve messages.

WRZ

Special Announcement  #  334  Ok
From Barrington/Providence, Bristol County, Rhode Island

http://www.dlt.ri.gov/lmi/maps/county.htm
Barrington is in Bristol County

There is a growing trend for large dogs to be declared
dangerous after killing a tiny dog at the local
dogpark and it annoys me when the victim is portrayed
as an innocent martyr.

(Except I just discovered today from the reporter that
this park only has 1 enclosure, in an email at the bottom.)

Most greyhound adoption agencies tell people adopting
these dogs the same thing this agency tells people:
"Do not take greyhounds to dogparks".  But this advice
goes back many years to a time when most parks had
only 1 enclosure and should no longer be neccessary
at more modern parks with 2 or 3 enclosures.

I'm not sure what good it does to declare a dog dangerous
and then send it back to the adoption agency or if the
new owner in a different state would be required to
purchase all this liability insurance and abide by
the other provisions of this ruling.

Bill Zardus
WRZ

http://www.projo.com/ri/barrington/content/barrington_bad_dog_11-10-09_SLGD6Q9_v\
8.39876c7.html
Dog in attack classified as `vicious'
01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, November 10, 2009
By Linda Borg  =  lborg@ projo.com
Journal Staff Writer

Six-month-old Bear was killed at a Barrington dog park.

Photo courtesy of Kristyn Sousa
BARRINGTON — Lexus, the greyhound that killed a puppy
at a local dog park this fall, has been classified as
a vicious dog and returned to a New York adoption agency.

At a recent vicious-dog hearing, a panel ordered the
70-pound greyhound to be confined to a six-sided
enclosure and required his owner, Albert Lee of East
Providence, to purchase $100,000 worth of liability
insurance, according to Police Chief John LaCross.

At the hearing, a representative from the Twin River
slot parlor and greyhound racetrack in Lincoln, said
she had told Lee that the greyhound should always be
leashed and never permitted to run free at a dog park.
Lee successfully petitioned the panel to return Lexus
to the greyhound adoption organization from which he
was adopted six weeks before the attack occurred.

LaCross said the lesson learned from this incident
is that dog owners should exercise common sense when
bringing dogs to a dog park, especially if the animal
hasn't been exposed to pack behavior. The chief also
suggested that dog parks are not a good place to
bring small puppies.

The puppy's owner, Kristyn Sousa of Attleboro, said
she had taken her Pomeranian-poodle mix to the dog
park in Haines Park on Sept. 7 because she wanted
a safe place for her puppy to socialize with other
dogs. Ten minutes later, Lexus attacked Sousa's dog,
Bear, biting it in the neck. Sousa and her boyfriend
were quickly surrounded by a pack of dogs and it took
several minutes before the greyhound finally released
her pet.

--------------  End Of Story  --------------

My online comment is below:

These incidents almost always involve 2 clueless
owners who have no knowledge of the prey drive in
many breeds and are equally to blame.   All dogparks
need to have seperate areas for small & tiny dogs
and owners of tiny dogs who refuse to use the correct
area, should be prosecuted when their poor judgement
ends like this, in my opinion.

WRZ  ....
ccdogpark at yahoo.com  ....
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dogpark-National-News/  ....

--------------  End Of Comment  --------------


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bill Zardus [mailto:ccdogpark@...]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 12:18 AM
> To: Borg, Linda
> Subject: Dogpark fatality ?
>
> Linda:
>
> Your story does not tell readers if this dog park
> has a seperate small dog area and why it was not
> being used by the owner of the tiny dog ?
>
> Bill Zardus
>
--- On Tue, 11/10/09, Borg, Linda <lborg@...> wrote:

> From: Borg, Linda <lborg@...>
> Subject: RE: Dogpark fatality ?
> To: "Bill Zardus" <ccdogpark@...>
> Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 9:29 AM

> It does not have a separate small dog
> area
>

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Zardus [mailto:ccdogpark@...]
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 9:59 AM
To: Borg, Linda
Subject: RE: Dogpark fatality ?

Linda:

That is a huge problem and I hope the next time
you do a story about this park, that will be your
focus.

Fenced dogparks with only one enclosure are extremely
dangerous for small dogs and their owners and the only
thing that makes your story newsworthy is that the large
dog was declared dangerous as a result of this dogpark
incident.

Novice small dogowners have no idea the danger they
are exposing their tiny dogs to, until it is too late.

I'm curious if you own a dog and what breed /
size it is, if you do ?

Best regards

Bill Zardus
Camden County, NJ
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dogpark-National-News/


Subject: RE: Dogpark fatality ?
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 11:08 AM
From: "Borg, Linda" <lborg@ projo.com>
To: "Bill Zardus" <ccdogpark@...>

I have a huge flat coat retriever and
I don't bring him to dog parks

Special Announcement  # 333  Ok
From Ada/GrandRapids/Cascade Township / Kent County, Michigan


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dogpark-National-News/
I have added links to 3 photo albums of dogpark
facilities near me in the middle of our group
description and I am hoping to document more local
dogparks to me before leaving this area.

Flickr.com has added a lot of new features since the
last time I looked a few years and users can now
create more than 3 seperate photo albums.

------------- End of sidenote  -------------

This seems like a very good idea to me if they
have someone to supervise all these dogs.

We have some people who work at, or own, private
dogparks and I am posting this message for them
to review.

And someone here who lives near a private dog park,
may figure out how to turn this idea into a job
shuttling dogs for yourself.

http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/countie\
s/state.cfm&statecode=MI
Kent County (Yellow) is in southwest Michigan

This 15 acre park also uses swipe cards at the
entrance as many parks in southern Michigan do.


"380 members who are regular users "

The female reporter who did these 2 news videos below
did a nice job describing how this works
but I could not figure out her name.

The second video is the one that describes how
the shuttle works.  Park members get a discount
for using the shuttle.  The cost is $26 - $34 for
transportation but that seems like a lot if
it is the cost for one day.

They also have an arrangement with some local
doggy day cares to pick dogs up at their facility.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/eightwest/shaggy_pines_dog_park
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/eightwest/show_notes/monday_october_12_2009
The TV station still has links to the story on
their own website too.

http://www.shaggypines.com/

Bill Zardus

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dogpark-National-News/


http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/play/1136191/shaggy_pines_dog_park
News Video By WOOD NBC 8  10-12-2009  4:00 video interview of Tamara Sellers who
is the GM

http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/play/1137803/dogs_get_shuttled_to_the_park
News Video By WOOD NBC 8  10-13-2009  2:54 video interview of Tamara Sellers who
is the GM  -- THey have been doing this for 3 years