somerville dog: a weblog

The Lexington Minuteman was inundated with letters this week about the upcoming Feb. 23, Conservation Commission hearing about whether dogs should be leashed at Willard's Woods. There were too many letters to publish

Excerpts from the letters were published online by the Lexington Minuteman: "Residents sound off over dog leash proposal."

The Lexington Conservation Commission is considering enacting "new regulations that could limit off-leash areas at Willards Woods or ban the practice altogether," according to an article in in the Boston Globe today ("Lexington considers curbs on dog owners" by Brock Parker).

According to the Lexington Code § 9-2A, dogs must be "in the immediate restraint and control of some person by means of a leash or by effective command".

Posted by Michèle at 6:01 PM
Categories: Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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In a letter dated October 15, 2009, Michael D. Wilson, Chief, State and Local Assistance Programs, National Park Service, Unites States Departement of the Interior, writes

dog parks are a use for which there is a growing demand at public outdoor recreation facilities and can, in and of themselves, be construed as a form of recreation for dog owners.

The letter, released by the Newton Dogs Off-Leash Advisory Committee, is addressed to Peter F. Harrington, Harrington & Harrington, in response to his argument that the off-leash recreational area at Cold Spring Park in Newton was a violation of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act and that the approval of the US Secretary of the Interior was required to change the use of the park to something “other than public outdoor recreation uses”.

Harrington claimed that the city took money from the federal government to develop the land for specific uses and that off-leash recreation is not one of those specific uses.

In its response to Harrington the National Parks Service (NPS) explains the federal, state and local roles in the management of LCWF-funded parks. Accordingly, the NPS cc'd Ian Bowles, Secretary, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and asked him to address "the status of the dog park experiment and [Harrington's] clients concerns with the city of Newton."

In a letter dated October 26, 2009, Melissa Cryan, Land and Water Conservation Fund Coordinator, EOEEA, replied to the National Park Service saying that she found that "the city is not in violation of its agreement with the National Park Service." "As a side note," she concluded,

the park was found to be in good condition, with the trails well maintained and the main entrance a welcoming place for the park's visitors.

I am greatly pleased that the US Secretary of the Interior does not interfere with the ability of cities and towns to make decisions about how local parkland can best serve citizens' recreational needs. I am delighted that NPS has made an official statement acknowledging that enjoying the benefits of socializing and exercising our dogs off-leash is a legitimate recreational use of public open space!

Continue reading "National Park Service Recognizes Legitimacy of Off-Leash Recreation" »

Posted by Michèle at 10:22 PM
Categories: Development and Open Space, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", United States
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UPDATE 5 November 2009: The pilot program for off-leash hours in Melrose was not approved. The municipal ordinances in Melrose do not allow dogs to be off-leash: Before the Melrose Parks Commission could approve off leash hours, an amendment to the municipal ordinances would be necessary, which requires a vote of the Aldermen. More information is available from the Melrose Canine Control weblog.

The Melrose Dog Society (MDS), in partnership with the Melrose Parks Department and Melrose Canine Control has developed a proposal to allow people to enjoy the benefits of socializing and exercising their dogs off leash during designated hours in specific city parks. The Green Dog Program for off-leash hours will be presented at a public meeting, Thursday, October 15, 2009. The proposed two-month pilot program, if approved, would run from November 1 to December 31 and would include the following parks: Melrose Common, Hesseltine Field and Franklin Field.

Posted by Michèle at 12:04 AM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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via FellsDOG

In January 2010, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will host a Stakeholder and Public Planning Workshop, open to the public, to get direct input on developing a new trail system plan for the Middlesex Fells Reservation. The purpose of the workshop is to allow park users to collaboratively discuss and resolve constraints, issues, and problem areas that will have been identified this fall in the process of an inventory of the entire Fells trail system, including GPS tracking of each trail. Public review of a draft plan will take place next Spring, with the new plan being in place as early as May 2010.

People with dogs are among the most frequent (if not the most frequent) visitors the Middlsex Fells, in particular the Sheepfold area in the Reservation: It is critical that dog owners participate in the workshop in January 2010.

Please contact your State Senator and Representative and ask them to notify you when the time and location are set for the Stakeholder and Public Planning Workshop for the new trail system plan for the Middlesex Fells Reservation. Be sure to let them know that you enjoy visiting the Middlesex Fells together with your dog, that you respect the rights of all park users, that you care about the environment, and that the time has come for legal opportunities for off-leash recreation in the Middlesex Fells!

The DCR announced its plans for developing and implementing a comprehensive Middlesex Fells Trail System Plan on Thursday, September 24, 2009, at a meeting attended by representatives of the Greater Boston Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA), the Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation, and the Middlesex Fells Dog Owners Group (FellsDOG).

State Representative Jason Lewis attended the meeting last week (send e-mail to Jason Lewis)), as did representatives from the offices of State Senator Patricia Jehlen (send e-mail to Patricia Jehlen), State Senator Richard Tisei (send e-mail to Richard Tisei), State Representative Katherine Clark (send email to Katharine Clark), and State Representative Paul Donato (send e-mail to Paul Donato).

Posted by Michèle at 2:31 PM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Destinations, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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Somerville Mayor, Joe Curtatone, was a guest on Radio Boston this afternoon for a show about "Dog-Friendly Boston." Asked about allocating public money for dog parks, the Mayor laughed: "The last time I checked, we weren't writing checks to dogs." In all seriousness he explained, "people want to live in the urban core and you have to provide them with amenities and services". "Like New York,"he said, "we need to maximize and have the most flexible, dynamic open and recreation spaces."

Curtatone addressed complaints that he has heard but, "overall," he said,

the response has been extremely positive. Whether it's from residents who have just moved here, or have been here for a long time who have pets--and I have two dogs--or people from out of town who visit here and say "That's an incredible commitment to urban living!" I think that, if we want Somerville, like NY does, to be a model of urban living, you need to have those amenities. It's a great use of tax dollars.

Give him some love!

In addition to the Mayor's comments, I especially liked the sequence with Adam Ragusea, Associate Producer for Radio Boston, who adopted his first dog a few months ago. Ragusea's story is the familiar story of city-dwellers who become dog owners. Since he adopted his dog, he has begun to visit parks he never visited before. Rausea and his border collie mix, Lucy, visit the off-leash parks in their Cambridge neighborhood: Pacific Street Park as well as Fort Washington Park. They also travel to visit parks: They take the Red Line to the Joe Wex Dog Recreation Space at Peters Park in Boston's South End, and they visit participating parks in the Green Dog Program in Brookline.

I was interested to learn more about the Boston Dog Owner Group's proposal for expanding off-leash privileges in Boston Common. In addition to a designated area in the Common for off-leash recreation, they are working with the Beacon Hill Civic Association on establishing a secondary off-leash area that would rotate on a six-month schedule around three different sites in the Common.

There's been a lot of brouhaha and hubbub in the local media about the pilot off-leash area at Cold Springs Park in Newton. It was refreshing to get a reality check from Amy Koel, Chair of the Newton Dogs Off-Leash Advisory Committee, who said that by reputation it's a lot more controversial than it is in reality. Koel's verdict on the pilot area: "it is working." (I thought it was cheesy on the part of Radio Boston that they played up Koel's PhD in human psychology, which has no bearing on her volunteer work in her community.)

One caller from Somerville said that he was a former dog owner but would never own a dog again because he thinks that it is inappropriate to own dogs in the city. Matthew Parker, Vice-President of the New York Council of Dog Owner’s Groups (NYCdog, pronounced "nice dog") had a great reply: Parker sees people who are visiting from either other countries or the suburbs walk past the dog park in his neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, and they marvel at how the dogs, both off leash and on leash, are very calm with each other and around people. That's a direct result of socialization, which dogs get a lot more of in the city than they do in the country.

Posted by Michèle at 3:27 PM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Destinations, Development and Open Space, Dogs and Culture, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Somerville
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In an editorial that ran on July 20, "Where dogs run free," the Boston Globe supports off-leash recreational areas. Citing "friction" in the relationship between dogs and people, the Globe proposes that "the solution to the problem is more controlled freedom for dogs, not less."

It can only help to promote a change for the better that the Globe has taken a stand in support of open space that serves the many and diverse needs of all residents. In the community of dog owners in Boston and environs, it is much bemoaned that, among comparable metropolitan areas in the country, Boston lags in providing safe and legal areas where people may enjoy the benefits of socializing and exercising our dogs off-leash.

I am surprised, however, that the Globe puts the onus on the public "to come up with sites for several more off-leash areas, and make a commitment to put up signage and self-police the sites."

It is the case that local cities and towns and the DCR have historically failed to provide both sites for off-leash recreation as well as rules that accommodate off-leash recreation. Across the Commonwealth, local dog owner groups have formed to work with together with government at the local and state level to correct these failures. I appreciate that the Globe acknowledges the voluntary efforts on the part of the citizens that make up these groups; at the same time, I wish Globe had taken a stronger position in favor of cities and towns and the DCR working together with dog-owner groups and supporting our efforts.

Does the Globe demand that the public come up with sites for basketball courts, softball fields and playgrounds? People who enjoy off-leash recreation are citizens and tax-payers just as people who enjoy basketball. It is the responsibility of cities and towns, as well as the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to work together with park users to ensure that the many and diverse recreational needs of the the metro area are met.

Must softball players make a commitment to put up signage on public fields? The same as playing fields, when off-leash recreational areas are sited on public property, it is the responsibility of the local government to post appropriate signage to inform park users of rules that have been established to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all park users.

Somerville leads the pack when it comes to municipal off-leash recreational areas. The Board of Aldermen, together with the Administration, convened a Dog Owners Task Force to involve citizens in the process of siting off-leash recreational areas (OLRAs) and in determining the rules that safeguard public health and public safety. Somerville plans to construct third OLRA this fall to open in Spring 2010.

Posted by Michèle at 2:14 PM
Categories: Dogs in the News, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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The Boston Globe is running a nice story today that features community-based initiatives for off-leash recreational areas in Dorchester, in Boston Common and in Charlestown ("Dog park plan has bark, and bite," by Meghan Irons).

The article focuses on the efforts of the Friends of Ronan Park to address crime in the their neighborhood, Fields Corner in Dorchester, by getting neighbors who own dogs out on the streets. Specifically, the group is working with the City of Boston to build a dog recreation space in the park.

“This is considered a crime hot spot in Boston,’’ said Paige Davis, who lives near Ronan Park, where the dog run will be located. “People who are out walking their dogs are going to meet everyone using the park. If you want to know what’s going in the neighborhood, it’s the dog owners who know everything.’’

The Boston Dog Owners Group and the Friends of the Charlestown Dog Parks make similar arguments about the happy correlation between off-leash recreational areas and deterring crime. They are working for dog recreation spaces in Boston Common and in Paul Revere Park, respectively.

In addition to community-building benefits, off-leash recreational areas deter crime in their neighborhoods. As we have seen in Somerville, now that there is an off-leash recreational area at Nunziato Field, there are people with dogs in the park—and out in the neighborhood—365 days a year at all hours when the park is open.

The City of Somerville has plans to construct two new off-leash recreational areas: one in East Somerville and one near Inman Square.

Posted by Michèle at 10:39 AM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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People who have been excluded from open space in Newton finally have a place where they can enjoy the benefits socializing and exercising their dogs off-leash. So why is Ben Terris's article in the Globe negative?

Here was an opportunity to share with his readers the voices of residents who may have been enjoying a public park for the first time. Here was an opportunity to tell the story of people who worked with their community and their elected officials to make their city a better place to live, a story about people who spent hundreds of hours working for the right to enjoy the benefits of socializing and exercising their dogs off-leash, hours they could have spent flying under the radar, breaking the law, taking advantage of the lack of enforcement of the leash laws and spending time with their dogs. It appears that Terris doesn't have the heart to write a compelling and uplifting story about a grass-roots movement that resulted in an improvement to the city parks system. Instead he creates a tempest in a teapot: by quoting only the anger and opposition of a few loud neighbors, he'd have us believe that Newton did a bad thing.

I'd be really interested to know how Newton families felt when they unleashed their dogs legally for the first time at Cold Spring Park. Instead what I learned is that whenever I see Ben Terris' byline, I can expect a a biased story that does not reflect what is really happening and what really matters in my community.

Cold Spring Park is located on Beacon Street in Newton Center. Take your dog, and have a good time!

Posted by Michèle at 10:59 PM
Categories: Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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I missed this, but as early as three months ago (December 2008) the City of Melrose began discussing safe and legal opportunities for off-leash recreation. Speaking thoughtfully in support of park users whose needs are often ignored by urban parks departments, Melrose Alderman Monica Medeiros said,

It’s like having a skate park when you have skateboarders. You can’t really kick them off the stairs at City Hall if there’s no place for them to go.

A lengthy article about the Melrose Board of Aldermen meeting at which off-leash recreation was discussed is availble online from the Melrose Free Press: "Dog park study underway."

Posted by Michèle at 1:50 PM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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I found a cute video about how owning a dog makes the world a better place.

(I'm not sure what this has to do with Lexus, but there's a whole series of Puppy Love videos.)

Posted by Michèle at 10:42 AM
Categories: Dogs and Business, Dogs and Culture, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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This is a video I took at the Nunziato Off-leash Recreational area on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 19.

I love living with my dog in Somerville. Because Somerville offers safe and legal opportunities for people to come together and share our mutual interest in our dogs, Somerville has a strong community of dog owners. Because Somerville has a strong community of dog owners, dog owners feel like we are a part of the larger community.

In some other towns, people who own dogs feel like second-rate citizens. The following are actual quotes from dog owners who live in other Massachusetts cities and towns:

# # #

I have found the attitudes of the people who posess authority so disturbing, the loathing and discust which they have no hesitation to express in their condemnation of dog owners has left me utterly deflated.

# # #

We are treated dismissively by certain town officials, and by many in the public.

# # #

Employees “warned” dog owners in a very menacing way: they drove their trucks right onto the field, close to dogs and children. Certainly makes dog owners feel like criminals.

# # #

Posted by Michèle at 11:20 PM
Categories: And Baby Makes Four, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Somerville, Somerville Dogs, Strummer
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I want to thank everyone who was at the Nunziato off-leash recreational area this morning for being such a great community of park users while Strummer and I were there with my twenty-two-month-old daughter Kate.

Strummer and I don't get to visit the OLRA very often since Kate was born almost two years ago. Today we were walking by on our way to Capone's and I couldn't resist the sight of so many people with their dogs playing in the snow.

I entered the Putnam Street "airlock" with Strummer and Kate, and I called into the OLRA to ask if anyone was concerned about my bringing my daughter in. Everyone said to come on in, so we did. Kate (not very mobile in her snowsuit) hung out with me by the picnic tables, while Strummer played with the dogs.

The community of dog owners really came through for me when Strummer got into a fight with Maggie.

Special thanks to the owner of the dog that Strummer got into a fight with. When I asked him if his dog's rabies vaccination was up-to-date, he assured me that it was and then gave me his name and phone number in case I needed to follow up with him.

Thanks, too, to the dog owner who got Kate out of the way of the gate to let other people enter with their dogs while I was getting the other dog owner's contact information. It's great to see an adult being an adult with someone else's kid.

The gentleman apologized to me for picking up my child, but there was no need: I am grateful that he was able to help me without worrying about asking me if it was okay first. He then thanked me for calling out to everyone when I entered with a child.

To some degree, I enabled him to help me, because I asked for permission from the community to bring Kate into the OLRA.

It was one of the best social experiences I've ever had. The people at the Nunziato OLRA are the best!

Posted by Michèle at 10:15 PM
Categories: And Baby Makes Four, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Safety Around Dogs, Somerville, Strummer
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The Newton Park and Recreation Commission voted 5-3 to to designate a section of Cold Spring Park as Newton's first off-leash park. The park will open at the ball field at the end of Duncklee Street for a nine-month trial as soon as rules for off-leash recreation are posted.

The approval of the trial period for off-leash recreation at Cold Spring Park was reported Wednesday in the Daily News Tribune.

Posted by Michèle at 1:32 PM
Categories: Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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As part of the Mezzo Design Lofts project, the developers created a neighborhood park for people and pets on Caldwell Street in Charlestown. The park is just over the Somerville City Line at the end of Broadway, in the shadow of I-93.

The developers are to be commended for improving public open space in the neighborhood. Strummer checked out the park on Labor Day, and, we found some problems that will have to be addressed for the park to succeed. I made a little video documenting the problems.

I learned about the park from friends who live in East Somerville with two small dogs. When they told me about the park, they raised concerns for the safety of their dogs: There are gaps in the park's fencing through which a small dog could easily escape to the heavy traffic of Broadway.

About one-quarter to one-third of the off-leash recreational area is landscaped with low plantings and small trees. The landscaping limits the space that can be used for off-leash recreation; Moreover, the grasses, shrubs and flowers will not withstand the use of the area by dogs, and will become an eyesore.

Posted by Michèle at 4:29 PM
Categories: Development and Open Space, Dogs and Business, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Somerville, Strummer
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This weekend is the last weekend to enjoy Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea with dogs until October 2008. Dogs are allowed on Singing Beach from October 1 - April 30.

As a token of our appreciation for access to Singing Beach, dog owners may participate in the Manchester Community Center's city-wide clean-up on Saturday, May 10.

The season for dog owners is also ending at Good Harbor Beach and Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester.

Posted by Michèle at 7:22 AM
Categories: Destinations, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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The best way to keep people from proposing legislation to ban dogs is

1. to clean up after our dogs every time, and


2. to NEVER allow our dogs to greet anyone who has not asked specifically to meet them.

Until a person has proven her- or himself dog-friendly by asking to meet my dog, I assume that if I let Strummer approach that person, she or he will introduce anti-dog legislation at the first opportunity. By waiting for people to ask to meet my dog, my experience is that everyone I meet likes my dog!

previously posted to the Fells Dog Owner Group

Posted by Michèle at 11:42 AM
Categories: Canine Good Citizenship, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Strummer, Training, Voter Information
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At the 2008 Annual Town Meeting this evening, the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea voted to continue to allow families with dogs to enjoy Singing Beach from October 1 through April 30. A motion seeking to ban dogs year round was defeated as were two secondary amendments, one that would have extended the current five-month prohibition of dogs on Singing Beach by two months and another that would have given families with dogs two more weeks to enjoy Singing Beach together. Ain't democracy grand?!

My favorite part of the discussion was when a representative from the Board of Health told the Meeting that the Board of Health cannot recommend that dogs should be disqualified from beaches any more than they are from streets and parks! Feces in sand, he explained, poses no greater public health risk than feces on asphalt, concrete or dirt!

Early in the proceedings of the Town Meeting, a voter introduced a motion to take up Article 30 out of order.

Being a nonresident with no stake in the other articles on the Town Warrant, I wasn't paying close attention. I think the motion to take up article 30 was introduced after article 3. The motion was seconded and prevailed with more than two thirds of the meeting voting for it.

Patricia Morely who petitioned to put the year-round dog ban on the Town Warrant introduced a motion to amend Article X Section 28 (c) 3 of the General By-Laws of the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea to prohibit dogs on Singing Beach throughout the year

Ms. Morley's motion was seconded, but in the course of her comments on the necessity of banning people with dogs from Singing Beach, she asked if the matter could be placed on the ballot for the Town Election in May. On the advice of the Town Moderator Morley withdraw her original motion and introduced a new motion.

Susan Thorne, Chairwoman of the Board of Selectmen, then introduced a motion to amend the By-Laws to prohibit people from bringing dogs on Singing Beach from April 1 through November 1.

Another resident by the name of Brown introduced another motion to amend the By-Laws to prohibit people from bringing dogs on Singing Beach from May 1 through September 15.

There was relatively little discussion, largely because a motion to end the debate on the matter was carried by a necessary two-thirds vote.

Mr. Brown's amendment, which would have allowed us to enjoy Singing Beach with our dogs from September 16 through April 30 did not prevail.

Ms. Thorne's amendment, which would have abbreviated the time when dogs are allowed on Singing Beach by two months—from November 1 through March 30—did not prevail.

And Ms. Morley's motion did not prevail.

Thank you, Manchester-by-the-Sea, for welcoming people with dogs on Singing Beach.

1. Dogs are permitted to be on Singing Beach from October 1st - April 30th.
2. Dog owners must always clean up after their dog - No excuses!
3. Dog owners must maintain effective verbal control of their dogs and always be able to see their dogs~~~~when they are off-leash.
4. Dogs must wear a collar with identification at all times, be licensed and vaccinated.
5. An owner is personally liable for any damage or injury his dog inflicts or sustains.
6. Each person is limited to two dogs.
7. Violators of these rules are subject to removal from the beach and a $10 fine for the first offense and a $25 fine for each subsequent offense.

UPDATE 8 April 2008: Patrick Anderson, reporter for the Gloucester Daily Times, got the vote tallies on the three amendments. For details see "Town Meeting backs keeping dogs on Singing Beach".

Posted by Michèle at 10:34 PM
Categories: Destinations, Friends of somerville dog, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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The Board-of-Selectmen recommends by a vote of 5-1 that families be banned from enjoying Singing Beach together with our dogs for two more months of the year from April through October. The Gloucester Daily Times is calling the suggested closing of the beach to beach-goers a "compromise".

Susan Thorne, Chairwoman of the Board of Selectmen, believes that by allowing families with dogs to enjoy Singing Beach during the off-season, the town is going out of its way to accommodate nonresidents.

The insularism on the part of Chairwoman Thorne is more hurtful to residents than it is to nonresidents. As a nonresident, I visit Singing Beach about a half-a-dozen times during the off-season. Most people I meet at Singing Beach, however, are Manchester residents. Extending the dog ban will keep Manchester residents off the beach every day.

Chairwoman Thorne's insularism hurts more than families who come from other towns and cities to enjoy Singing Beach; It also hurts the local businesses we patronize when we visit Manchester-by-the-Sea between October and April.

To add insult to injury, Manchester-by-the-Sea wants a piece of money that residents of other cities and towns pay to support our municipal programs and services: Manchester-by-the-Sea supports state revenue sharing, a proposal that would let Manchester-by-the-Sea receive a portion of the property taxes that residents of other cities and towns pay to our local municipalities.

The Board of Selectmen's recommendation to extend the current five-month dog ban at Singing Beach by an additional two months is bad business for Manchester-by-the-Sea.

The Singing Beach Committee opposes a year-round dog ban, and the Vice Chairperson of the Committee says that the Selectmen's amendment does not improve upon the original proposal. The high season at the beach is between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The current rules, which prohibit dogs on Singing Beach from May 1 through September 30, ensure that there is a month before the majority of beach-goers appear and another month after they disappear when the beach is without dogs.

Posted by Michèle at 11:36 AM
Categories: Destinations, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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According to an article in the Gloucester Daily Times, the Singing Beach Committee of the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea voted on Monday not to recommend passage of the article at Town Meeting that would ban dogs year-round at the beach ("Committee pans dog ban at Singing Beach," by Patrick Anderson).

That's the good news. The bad news is that

Town Selectmen last week voted not to issue a recommendation on the article in the printed warrant. They can still vote to offer recommendations before Town Meeting.

The proposed year-round ban on dogs at Singing Beach is unneighborly. The only time that some people visit the beach is during the off-season when we can enjoy the beach together with our dogs. A year-round dog ban would prevent some residents from ever having an opportunity to enjoy Singing Beach.

If you live in Manchester-by-the-Sea or if you know anyone who does, please (have them) contact the Board of Selectmen and ask them to issue a recommendation against the unneighborly proposal on the Town Warrant that would ban dogs year round at Singing Beach. Contact the Board of Selectmen c/o Wayne Melville,Town Administrator, Town Hall, 10 Central Street, Manchester, MA 01944.

UPDATE 17 March 2008: Thanks to Traildogs for posting that the Board of Selectmen met on Monday, March 3 and decided to wait to make a recommendation on the article that would extend the existing summer prohibition of dogs on Singing Beach year round. The Gloucester Daily Times reports that the Board

decided to issue their recommendation on the article the day of Town Meeting because of lingering questions about whether the article needs to reference the town's canine bylaw and to give Thorne a chance to have her say.

Susan Thorne, chairwoman of the Board, was out of town at the time. "Thorne" according to the article, "was one of the residents who signed the petition to place the dog ban on the warrant" ("Selectmen take wait-and-see approach," by Patrick Anderson).

UPDATE 21 March 2008:The 2008 Annual Town Warrant for the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea is now online on the Town website. The unneighborly article that would ban dogs at Singing Beach is Article 30:

To see if the Town will vote to ban dogs from Singing Beach year round, or take any other action relative thereto.
Per petition of Patricia Morley, et al

Posted by Michèle at 3:43 PM
Categories: Destinations, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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I got a Flip Video camera for my birthday!

I had a lot of fun putting together this amateur video of Strummer meeting and greeting and socializing with other dogs at the Off-Leash Recreational Area at Nunziato Field here in Somerville. My analysis of the dogs' behavior reflects my personal observations as an attentive pet owner.

Posted by Michèle at 10:41 PM
Categories: Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Safety Around Dogs, Somerville, Somerville Dogs, Strummer
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via FellsDOG

My daughter, Kate, will turn one year old in March. She has been to the beach three times since she was born. Each time the beach has been Singing Beach at Manchester-by-the-Sea, and each time Strummer, our standard poodle has been with her.

A resident of Manchester-by-the-Sea is asking her fellow townsfolk to deny my daughter the enjoyment of the beach.

According to an article in the Boston Globe today (creatively titled "Some fear town's beach is going to the dogs"), the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea will be voting on banning dogs from Singing Beach year round at its annual Town Meeting on April 7. Patricia Morley, a resident of Beach Street and employee of the Town gathered the necessary signatures to introduce the dog ban at Town Meeting.

Currently the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea allows dogs at Singing Beach from October through April. Especially during the colder months, most people at Singing Beach are accompanied by their dogs. A year-round ban on dogs will deny hundreds of families the opportunity to enjoy the beach together.

UPDATE 12 March 2008: The Singing Beach Committee of the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea voted on Monday not to recommend passage of the article at Town Meeting. Residents will vote on the proposal to ban dogs year-round at Singing Beach at Manchester's annual Town Meeting, Monday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m. at Manchester Memorial School, 42 Lincoln Street, Manchester, MA 01944 (map)

Read more.

UPDATE 21 March 2008: The 2008 Annual Town Warrant for the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea is now online on the Town website. The unneighborly article that would ban dogs at Singing Beach is Article 30:

To see if the Town will vote to ban dogs from Singing Beach year round, or take any other action relative thereto.
Per petition of Patricia Morley, et al

UPDATE 2 April 2008: The Board-of-Selectmen recommends by a vote of 5-1 that families be banned from enjoying Singing Beach together with our dogs for two more months of the year from April through November. The Gloucester Daily Times, is calling the suggested closing of the beach to beach-goers a "compromise".

Read more.

Posted by Michèle at 10:51 AM
Categories: And Baby Makes Four, Destinations, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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Come to the community meeting Wednesday, February 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the Tufts Administration Building, 167 Holland Street and help make sure that parks for people and pets are a priority in the City's Open Space and Recreation Plan for the upcoming five years.

When the City conducted a survey in 2002 about the most needed types of open space, eleven (11) respondents selected "dog run" in their top five.¹

Today the Nunziato Off-Leash Recreational Area (OLRA) is used by hundreds of residents every week. It is more than just a "dog run," it is a place where people enjoy the benefits of socializing and exercising our dogs off-leash.

The OLRA at Nunziato Field serves many people in addition to those of us who enjoy it with our dogs. Because people have a place where we can play with our dogs off-leash, dogs are kept out of the adjacent field.

Somerville needs more places like the Nunziato off-leash recreational area. Over one-third of households own dogs, and not all of our homes are in walking distance to the Nunziato OLRA.

This year the City is again asking residents what types of open space are most needed in the City. Thousands of us need parks that we can enjoy with our pets. Let's speak up Wednesday evening for more off-leash recreational areas and more parks where we can walk our dogs on leash!

¹ Somerville Open Space and Recreation Plan, 2002-2007 (.pdf)

Posted by Michèle at 10:11 PM
Categories: Development and Open Space, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Somerville
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Arlington dog owner and blogger TJIC has some really good advice to those who speak at public meetings:

Tell them what you’re going to tell them, then tell them, then shut up.

For example:

I’m going to speak for 60 seconds. Please cut me off if I go over.

< a few claps, and general good cheer >

I’d like to make three points:

1) I heard a lot earlier about how dogs “were not originally part of the plan”. Well, this area has been inhabited for over 400 years. Harvard was founded over 350 years ago. This place used to be a forest, then a farm, then a dump, then a park. Uses change. People change. Opinions change.

2) The master plan did not use the word “dogs”, true. It used the word “recreation”. However, I note that it also did not use the words “soccer balls”, “Frisbee”, or “tricycle”. People recreate in various ways, and dogs are one of those ways.

3) I live about 30 feet from the park, and I think that dogs there are a great idea.

Thank you for your time.

Posted by Michèle at 12:14 PM
Categories: Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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Am I mistaken, or does the Town of Arlington's Green Dog Pilot Program proposal call for creating "off-leash and fenced dog areas" and restricting usage of the areas to the hours between dawn and 9:00 am for eight months of the year?! Does Arlington really want to cordon off public open space and not let anyone in for twenty-one hours of the day in Spring, Summer and Fall?!

If this seems like a crazy idea, Arlington dog owners, please let Town officials know.

The Town of Arlington is holding a public meeting Wednesday evening, November 28, to introduce the proposal for the Green Dog" pilot program and solicit input from users and neighbors of Menotomy Rocks Park. The meeting will be held in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room in Arlington Town Hall beginning at 7:30.

The meeting Wednesday evening is the third of seven meetings intended for users and neighbors of specific parks in Arlington "where there is already dog walking activity":

1. Thursday, November 8th - Poet’s Corner and Ottoson Woods;
2. Thursday, November 15th - Mt. Gilboa, McClennan Field, Hurd Field and the Reservoir;
3. Wednesday, November 28th - Menotomy Rocks Park;
4. Thursday, December 6th - Robbins Farm;
5. Thursday, December 13th - Waldo Park, Thorndike and Magnolia Fields;
6. Thursday, January 3rd - Spy Pond Park and Spy Pond/Hornblower Field (across from the Arlington Girls and Boys Club);
7. Thursday, January 10th - Hill’s Hill and Turkey Hill.

The "Green Dog" Pilot Program for Arlington, allowing controlled off-leash activity in Arlington, will be refined based on the public input received and will be presented at the next Town Meeting in Spring of '08.

For additional information contact Leslie Mayer at BLMayer@msn.com.

Posted by Michèle at 10:20 PM
Categories: Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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Congratulations Friends of Peters Park on the Grand Opening of the Joe Wex Dog Recreation Space in the South End, Sunday, November 4, 2007.

The Boston Metro ran a story about the grand opening with the clever headline "City unleashes dog park."

Last month, an article in Boston Globe featured architect David Hacin, who designed the off-leash recreational area ("All that's missing are the biscuits").

Have you and your dog visited the Joe Wex Dog Recreation Space? What do you think of the surface?

Posted by Michèle at 7:25 PM
Categories: Destinations, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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The City of Cambridge has four officially designated areas were residents, "who have received resident sticker parking permits approved by the Water Board and issued by the Traffic Department" may allow their dogs off-leash in public space.¹

To facitate enforcement at Fresh Pond Reservation, the Cambridge Water Department has proposed a pilot “medallion” program, according to an article in the Cambridge Chronicle today ("City puts out-of-town dogs on short leash at Fresh Pond"). In addition to having a resident sticker parking permit and a Cambridge dog license, Cambridge dog owners would also have to obtain a medallion collar tag. The Cambridge City Council must vote to approve the pilot program before it goes into effect.

Non-Cambridge families are welcome to enjoy the Fresh Pond Reservation with their leashed dogs. Leashed dogs and unleashed dogs, however, are a potentially dangerous combination.

Without freedom to negotiate a social encounter, a leashed dog can feel that it has no alternative but to attack an unleashed dog. Take away the opportunity for flight and all that remains is the instinct to fight.

Pace the Cambridge Water Department and the Cambridge City Council Ordinance Committee, but I do not trust Cambridge dog owners to prevent their unleashed pets from running up to defenseless, leashed, out-of town dogs. So I will continue not bringing my Somerville dog to Fresh Pond, which, I understand, is exactly what the Cambridge Water Department wants.

¹ See the Cambridge Department of Public Works Frequently Asked Questions: "Where can I allow my dog to run without a leash?"

Continue reading "Metro Boston families have one less option to enjoy open space together with our dogs" »

Posted by Michèle at 1:23 PM
Categories: Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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Tuesday evening, while I was attending a community meeting about the renovation of Perry Park, Somerville blogger C. Scott Ananian was attending a community meeting about a new cafe opening in Union Square by the owners of Davis Square's Diesel Cafe.

Posted by Michèle at 8:10 PM
Categories: Development and Open Space, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Somerville
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I'm glad to see the Friends of Peters Park website is back online.

It appears to have come back on line concurrently with news that the Boston Parks Department will be closing the Dog Recreation Space (DRS) for renovations to Peters Park. At the same time, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is proposing to suspend off-leash recreational hours on Boston Common for turf restoration. Where will Boston off-leash recreation enthusiasts go when the Boston Common and Peters Park are closed?

In response to an inquiry, I learned that the Friends of Peters Park expect to learn more about the timeline for the renovation of the whole park, including the construction of the new DRS, pending the successful outcome of the DRS Hearing on January 19.

As posted on the Boston Dog Owner Group Forum, there is a community meeting regarding the Boston Common Restoration Plan on January 23.

Posted by Michèle at 11:49 AM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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BostonDOG is holding a Community Meeting tonight about the suspension of Boston Common off-leash hours until 2008. The meeting is at 7:00 p.m. at Hill House, 127 Mt. Vernon St.

The Boston Parks and Recreation Department in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services, Beacon Hill Civic Association and Councilor Michael Ross’s office is meeting with interested groups and organizations to discuss events, the off-leash dog area, and related issues on January 23, 2007, at the Hill House at 7 p.m. For more information, please see the Boston Parks Department's post on the Boston Dog Owners Group Forum.

Posted by Michèle at 5:46 PM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Events, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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In an article that ran in the Brookline Tab on November 30, 2006, Correspondent Lara Farrar contributed a story about off-leash hours at Winthrop Park, in which she spoke with people from neighboring communities about successful off-leash recreation programs.

Ward Three Alderman, Thomas Taylor, commented very graciously about the partnership of the City of Somerville and the Somerville Dog Owners Group.

     Thomas Taylor is an alderman in Somerville who advocated for the city's first dog park. He said what has made a big difference is the Somerville Dog Owners Group, an independent group that has rallied for off-leash spaces, even raising money to fund the projects.

     "If you can create a group, that could make a big difference," he said.

Thanks, Alderman Taylor. Somerville's Ward Three, the only Ward with an Off-Leash Recreational Area, gets my vote as the Best Ward in the City!

Posted by Michèle at 7:44 PM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Friends of somerville dog, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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The New York Council of Dog Owner Groups (NYCdog) cheers the unanimous vote of the NYC Health Board to amend Section 161.05 of the City Health Code, commonly known at the "Leash Law," granting the NYC Parks Commissioner explicit authority to permit off-leash recreation in the New York City parks at certain locations and at certain times.

Posted by Michèle at 10:31 PM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", United States
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The New York Council of Dog Owner Groups applauds the State Supreme Court ruling from Judge Peter J. Kelly on November 30, 2006 denying, in its entirety, the Juniper Park Civic Association’s petition to compel the Parks Department and the City of New York to end the successful 20-year off-leash courtesy hours policy (9 PM until parks close, and when they re-open until 9 am, only in certain designated Park spaces).

In May 2006 the so-called* civic association interpreted existing municipal ordinances to prohibit the Parks Commissioner from designating off-leash courtesy hours in parks without designated off-leash areas. The NYC Health Board votes on Tuesday on new regulations that would clarify the Parks Commissioner's authority to designate off-leash courtesy hours in parks without designated off-leash areas.

*In my humble opinion, there is nothing "civic" about an association that wants to deny the enjoyment of public open space to 40% of their neighbors.

Continue reading "Congratulations NYCdog!" »

Posted by Michèle at 8:18 AM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", United States
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via e-mail

In the years that dogs have been allowed to run free in [New York] city parks, dog bites have decreased 90 percent

according to an op-ed piece in the New York Times today by Jonathan Safran Foer, "My Life as a Dog."

Whether or not the source is reliable is a good question: Foer intimates that his own dog, George, who "occasionally tries to eat [his] son" is one of the culprits keeping the decrease in dog bites in New York City from achieving one hundred percent.

Foer may not be a responsible dog owner, but he does have something worthwhile to say about the place of pet ownership in human communities. Pet ownership, Foer understands, is an inter-species relationship. From his relationship with his dog he has learned that "compromise is necessary to share space with other beings"— a lesson that applies not only in the myriad relationships individuals may have with one another, but also in relationships among groups and organizations of all kinds.

It's well and fine that Foer advocates "sharing our space with other living things," but the the off-leash hours policy in NYC parks is not about humans sharing public open space with dogs: It's about neighbors sharing space with each other; it's about park users sharing space with each other. People who enjoy off-leash recreation live in communities with people who do not like dogs. Public open space must accommodate park users who enjoy off-leash recreation as well as park users who enjoy basketball, frisbee, reading and soccer.

Yes, off-leash recreation is good for dogs. Off-leash recreation provides much needed opportunities for socialization and exercise, and dogs that are well socialized and that get enough exercise are better pets and better neighbors. They are less likely to develop inappropriate and destructive habits like barking, chewing, digging, lunging and jumping-up on people.

Off-leash recreation is good for humans, too. It provides an incentive for people to get out in the fresh air and to meet other people in the community who share similar interests.

Here in Somerville, MA, opportunities for off-leash recreation are provided in designated off-leash recreational areas according to posted rules. We have one OLRA, which opened almost eight months ago—the fully fenced-in OLRA at Nunziato Field. For the time being, one quarter-acre of open space must serve the 27,000+ people who live with dogs in Somerville. In New York City, overuse of the City's 40+ dog parks is mitigated by the Offleash Courtesy Hour policy: In public parks without designated areas for off-leash recreation dogs are allowed off-leash from 9 pm to 9 am.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Board of Health votes on December 5, 2006 whether to adopt amendments that will clarify the authority of the Parks Commissioner under the Health Code to allow dogs off the leash in City parks.

Posted by Michèle at 3:50 PM
Categories: Canine Good Citizenship, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", United States
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Check it out. On ExploreNewEngland.com, our off-leash recreational area at Nunziato Field is the feature attraction for Somerville!

Posted by Michèle at 8:31 PM
Categories: Destinations, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Somerville
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cross-posted on www.somdog.org, the website of the Somerville Dog Owners Group (som|dog)

The Nunziato OLRA will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, June 22, so that the fencing contractor can install the double gate at the Putnam Street entrance and reconfigure the entrance to the OLRA at the tree well on Summer Street. For more information, please contact Carlene Campbell, Community Outreach Director, Office for Strategic Planning and Community Development, City of Somerville: 617-625-6600, ext. 2500; ccampbell at ci.somerville.ma.us.

We will all enjoy safer access at the Putnam Street gate and better access at the tree well when the OLRA reopens on Friday, June 23!

Posted by Michèle at 1:08 PM
Categories: Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Somerville
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Realtors have begun telling property owners they must make their buildings and apartment rentals more hospitable to the growing number of dog owners,

according to an article about the South End by Cristina Silva in the Boston Globe yesterday ("Lapping up luxuries").

Boston.com also has a slideshow featuring some of the dogs and the dog-friendly amenities of the South End, including the dog park at Peters Park, Tremont 647, which offers a doggie lunch on the patio every Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m., and Polka Dog Bakery.

via Bostondogs

Posted by Michèle at 3:06 PM
Categories: Dogs and Business, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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The Nashua Dog Owners Group (Nashua D.O.G.) is working to establish a permanent dog park in the City of Nashua, New Hampshire. Their efforts are described in a very nice article by Andrew Nelson that ran in the Nashua Teleraph on Tuesday, May 23, "Dog group nearly paws-itive park plans will move forward" (registration required).

Nashua D.O.G. has submitted a proposal to their board of aldermen to create a members-only off-leash recreational area on city-owned property, which the group would lease from the City for $1 a year. The group would assume responsibility for the construction of the dog park: the proposed budget for the project, according to the article, is $75,000. The group would also assume responsibility for maintenance of the area. Access to the area would be restricted to registered members who would be issued a passkey to enter the area. A passkey system is in use at the Overlook Dog Park in Manheim Township, in Pennsylvania.

Currently, Nashua D.O.G. sponsors a weekly off-leash play group on private property. Dogs must be registered in advance to attend the play group, and the weekly fee is $3 per dog. Some weeks, more than 160 dog attend the two-hour play group, and Nashua D.O.G., a 501(c)(3) organization, collects about $500 weekly in playgroup fees.

Posted by Michèle at 7:31 AM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", United States
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Bacon's person has posted (on flickr) what may be the first photograph of legal off-leash recreation in Somerville, MA.

I was in Florence the day the fence for Somerville's first off-leash recreational area (OLRA) was installed in Nunziato Field and the "No-Dogs-Allowed-Yadda-Yadda-Yadda" sign was removed from the Putman Street entrance to the OLRA.

The Grand Opening of the OLRA at Nunziato Field (on Summer Street at Putnam Street) will be Sunday, April 9, 2006, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Posted by Michèle at 11:35 AM
Categories: Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Somerville
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In the Bostondogs Yahoo! group the Friends of Peters Park anounced today that they have submitted the first Dog Recreation Space (DRS) application, in accordance with the DRS ordinance that Mayor Menino approved over a year ago.

Especially for those who worked tirelessly for many years to lobby for, create, and ultimately ensure enactment of a Dog Recreation Space ordinance for the City of Boston, I thought that this interest group would be pleased to know that the first formal submission under the new ordinance guidelines has been made by the Friends of Peters Park in Boston's South End....

This proposal is a testament to the dedication and persistence of the Friends of Peters Park in crafting a DRS application that, in my opinion, not only meets both the letter and spirit of the ordinance, but also clearly establishes a necessary standard by which other submissions can be both fashioned and judged. Kudos to the Friends of Peters Park for their hard work, forbearance and for leading the way in Boston.

The Friends of Peters Park have made their application available as a .pdf file.

Congratulations Friends of Peters Park!

Posted by Michèle at 9:33 PM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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War is declared on the canine species in New-York, and they being strangers, and not having formed alliances for self-defense, but on the contrary, distressed and friendless may have been exposed not only to war, but to pestilence and famine also (George Washington to William Grayson [his assistant secretary and aide-de-camp during the American Revolution], August 22, 1875, quoted by Mark Derr in A Dog's History of America, p. 74).

Washington was concerned about foxhounds he had "adopted" from the Marquis de Lafayette that were in the care of John Quincy Adams, who had brought the dogs to New York from Europe.

Washington's dogs were safe at home at Mount Vernon when he was supervising the construction of an earthenwork forts at what is now Fort Washington Park, located on Waverly Street in Cambridge. Today the park is one of four in the City of Cambridge where dogs are allowed off-leash.

Combining historical considerations with consideration for the people who live in Cambridge today, the Cambridge Historical Commission has approved the temporary installation of fencing that will make the legal off-leash recreation area a safe area for off-leash recreation. The new fencing is not historically accurate; therefore with its approval of the temporary fencing, the Commission has stipulated that, within five years, the City must come up with a more harmonic alternative.

"A dog's life is not very long," said Commission member Jo Solet. "And if we put off putting up the fence, it really is a sacrifice for the dogs and the people [who own them]."

The creative compormise was reported in the Cambridge Chronicle on January 12.

via the Cambridge Dog Owners Group (CDOG)

Continue reading "Local History" »

Posted by Michèle at 11:11 AM
Categories: Dogs and Culture, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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Strummer had the pleasure this morning of making the acquaintance of several Brookline dogs, who welcomed her at the Brookline Avenue Playground during off-leash hours.

One of twelve parks in the Town of Brookline Green Dog Pilot Program, the Brookline Avenue Playground has off-leash hours from dawn to 1:00 pm, April through November, and from dawn to dusk, December through March. At the Annual Town Meeting on May 25, 2005, the Town of Brookline voted to extend the Green Dog Pilot Program to June 30, 2006 (Article 17 of the Town Warrant).

When we arrived at the "playground" at 10:00 this morning, a soccer game was ending. Also, during off-leash hours, a volley-ball game was played. It seems that, though off-leash recreation is not allowed during hours that are not designated for off-leash recreation, other kinds of recreation are allowed during hours that are designated for off-leash recreation. At almost four acres, however, the Brookline Avenue Playground was able to accommodate this mixed usage this morning.

Austin, Benny, Buddy, Ethan, Murphy, Otis, Samson: Strummer hopes to be able to repay your hospitality some day soon!

Posted by Michèle at 2:40 PM
Categories: Destinations, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Strummer
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via e-mail

Looking to buy your next home in a dog-friendly neighborhood? Try Anapolis, MD, in Anne Arundel County. In addition to "four off-leash dog parks -- and one dog beach," the County features a "pet of the week" on its website home page, as reported in the Washington Post yesterday: "At Parks and Beach, Anne Arundel Dogs Are Given Free Rein."

Janet S. Owens, the Anne Arundel County [E]xecutive, . . . has taken pains to position Annapolis and its environs as a destination for dog owners

In a county known for chocolate Labradors and, increasingly, thimble-size lawns, Owens has taken the unusual step of opening four off-leash dog parks -- and one dog beach -- on little more than a hunch that the dogs would come. She wants to market Anne Arundel as a dog-friendly county, to lure the leash-and-collar set in the same way that Blue Ribbon schools attract parents. . . .

"I just knew. . . . that it would be a gathering place for people," Owens said. "And it just struck me: It's important to building neighborhoods and community -- quality of life."

"The leash-and-collar set." Hey! We're a demographic! $35.9 billion annually can't be wrong.

Posted by Michèle at 10:26 AM
Categories: Destinations, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", United States
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via Boston Dogs

DogFriendly.com has published its 3rd Annual list of Top 10 Dog-Friendly Cities To Visit in North America.

Boston residents, who, because of its dearth of safe and legal options for off-leash recreation, consider Boston one of the least dog-friendly major cities in the U.S. in which to live, will be surprised to learn that of the top ten dog-friendly cities to visit in the U.S. Boston is number three.

Families with dogs who are planning to visit Boston should be advised that some of the dog-friendly attractions listed for Boston are not quite as attractive as DogFriendly.com makes them out to be. For example, do not book a hotel on the basis of its proximity to the Charlesgate Dog Run. See for yourself: the "dog run" is not used and not usable by families with dogs.

Posted by Michèle at 10:54 AM
Categories: Destinations, DogNet, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Traveling with Dogs, United States
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In the past year that Strummer has been a member of my family I've taken her to a lot of places I'd never before been: The Middlesex Fells, Fresh Pond Reservation, the Arnold Arboretum, Cat Rock, Wingaersheek Beach, Singing Beach. We visit new (to us) dog-friendly places as I learn of them and return to our favorites regularly.

Though it gets "three paws up" from the Dog Lover's Companion to Boston, we have never been to Mount Misery. I hope we haven't missed our chance.

This spring new regulations were approved relating to dogs at Mount Misery: "effective Monday, April 4, all dogs at Mt. Misery and the neighboring fields will be required to be on a leash at all times. In addition, dog walkers will be required to remove all feces deposited by their dogs in this area" ("New regs proposed for Mount Misery," the Lincoln Journal, March 10, 2005, via the Mt. Misery Organization website).

Note: The majority of the articles and letters that have been printed in the Lincoln Journal with regard to these regulations are no longer available on the Journal's website, but they have been archived by Lincoln dog owner, Dick McWalter on the Mt. Misery Organization's news page. In addition to the Mt. Misery Organization another group, Friends of Mt. Misery, has also formed to faciltate communication between people who enjoy Mount Misery and the stewards appointed by the Town.

Mount Misery comprises "more than 200 acres of woods, trails and agricultural fields bounded by Route 117, Route 126 and the Sudbury River in Lincoln" ("New dog regs at Mt. Misery," March 24, 2005).

Mary Lincoln, Chairperson of the Lincoln Conservation Commission, explains:

the Mt. Misery lands were purchased with state and federal funds as well as local funds. Lands purchased with public funds must be open to all persons in the Commonwealth for passive recreation. However, the commission is still the entity responsible for the stewardship of these lands and as such may limit use or limit access as necessary to protect the land and the ecosystem it supports, so long as we do not discriminate or give priority to our own residents ("Commentary: Can co-existence be achieved?," April 21, 2005).

In response to the organization of a local dog owners, the Commission postponed the implemation of the regulations until after a public hearing could be held to discuss them ("Leash rule postponed," April 7, 2005).

"More than 100 residents of Lincoln and of surrounding towns filled the Hartwell multipurpose room April 27 for the hearing. . . . A follow-up meeting, at which commissioners are scheduled to make a decision on the regulations, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 18" ("Dog regs disputed," May 5, 2005).

I am very encouraged that the townspeople of Lincoln and the Lincoln Conservation Commission are cooperating to find a solution that "will protect the land and the ecosystem it supports" and ensure that Mount Misery continues to serve the many and diverse needs of "all persons in the Commonwealth for passive recreation."

Responsible dog owners have ten good reasons to clean up after our dogs every time. We appreciate the courtesy of mutt mitts afforded at some dog-friendly places, and we find the amenity of adequate trash receptacles preferable to "carry away" policies.

We also support leash laws. In a perfect society we would be able to allow our dogs off-leash: Responsible dog owners understand that, even off-leash, dogs have no more right to "run free" than people do. After all, people stay to the right when we walk on sidewalks, we look both ways before crossing the street, and we do not walk in our neighbors' flowerbeds. Even if I could keep Strummer in a perfect heel every day when we walk along Somerville's streets, leash laws protect us from the owners of other dogs who cannot.

Like our dogs, society is not perfect. We need leash laws, and that is why we also need options for off-leash recreation. (Analogously, we seem to need laws against playing ball on streets [City Ordinance 12-13], which is why we also need ball parks.) Our dogs need to socialize with other dogs and with people. A properly socialized dog does not bark or lunge at other dogs. Moreover, a properly socialized dog can easily be trained to walk appropriately on a leash. And, a tired dog is a good dog. Local options for off-leash recreation benefit every community in the Commonwealth.

Posted by Michèle at 9:35 PM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Destinations, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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via e-mail

From its website, you would never know that the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) maintains a dog run. And, indeed they do not maintain it.

DogFriendly.com includes the Charlesgate Dog Run (at the Southwest corner of the Harvard--a.k.a. Mass. Ave--Bridge) in their City Guide for Boston, Massachusetts.

Here's a recent picture, taken by a local resident:

The photographer has contacted the DCR and has sent the photo to the Boston Globe's Photo Desk. He observes that the park, has "become a dump and has been like this for months. It is an ugly contrast with Storrow Drive, The Bridge and the Esplanade and hardly enhances the new banners put up for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater."

"This is an example of a dog run designed to fail," says Penny Cherubino, a back bay resident and dog owner. "The run is too small, has no group to support or maintain it and was designed without a plan for trash removal. What you are seeing in that photo is from the homeless people who drove the dog owners out of there. The waste is human waste. There is a homeless community under the nearby bridge and they use the park as their bathroom and trash bin."

The stated mission of the Department of Conservation and Recreation is "to protect, promote and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural and recreational resources for the well being of all." Judging by the recent photo of the Charlesgate Dog Run, I would say that, in this case, the DCR is not fulfilling its mission.

Can the Charlesgate Dog Run be saved? Certainly: with creative and combined efforts of not only the DCR and local dog owners but also, perhaps, other organizations that share an interest in issue, for example, the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless and the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay.

Posted by Michèle at 8:39 AM
Categories: Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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To celebrate the last day of this long winter, Strummer and I went to the beach yesterday. The beach we chose was Singing Beach, in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Dogs are allowed on Singing Beach from October through April.

Poodles, as you know, were bred to be water retrievers. Thus is it rather embarrassing to me when Strummer runs away from the waves as they roll up the beach. Don't get me wrong, Strummer had a fabulous time at the beach. She just didn't want to play with any of the dogs that were playing in the water, with whom I, of course, kept encouraging her to play.

Just as I was thinking that it was about time to start thinking about leaving the beach, Strummer got caught up in a game from which she just couldn't tear herself away. The game involved three other dogs: a border collie, who was fetching two balls with her people, a boxer, and a Parson Russell terrier, and consisted in a twisted version of keep-away: i.e. keep the border collie away from her tennis ball, and, if that fails, keep her away from her humans. This is one of Strummer's favorite games.

The border collie and her humans didn't seem to be enjoying the game so much, so I called Strummer away. She kept trying to give me the slip, and, finally, when the game reached a new level of excitement, she bolted.

The next thing I knew, all four dogs, my fastidious poodle not last among them, were diving head first into a wave!

I'm convinced that Strummer knew that, if she got wet, we'd have to stay longer to give her coat a chance to dry a little bit.

Good one, Strummer. But the joke's on you: I'll turn you into a water dog, yet!

Posted by Michèle at 10:13 AM
Categories: Destinations, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", Strummer
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via Boston Dogs

The Christian Science Monitor ran an article on off-leash recreational areas on December 29, 2004, covering the conflicts that have arisen over off-leash recreation--such as the dog park in Fort Ethan Allen Park in Arlington, VA and Ohlone Dog Park in Berkeley, CA--and how dog owners, other park users and city administrators worked together to resolve them. The article also offers the success story of Fort Woof, a five-acre dog park in Fort Worth, TX, which "opened in April [2004], and has become one of the city's most-used parks."

Posted by Michèle at 10:14 AM
Categories: Canine Good Citizenship, D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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The 24th Annual MSPCA-Angell Walk for Animals turned out to be a great oppoutunity for a field trip. On Sunday, October 17, som|dog, the Somerville Dog Owners Group (represented here by the human companions of King, a greyhound, and Cinder, a lab/pointer mix), took a moment to research the City of Boston's off-leash pilot program in Boston Common.

The Pilot Program extends off-leash privileges in Boston Common from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m and establishes the following rules for off-leash recreation:

• All Dogs Must Be Licensed
• Owners Must Pick Up After Their Dogs
• Discourage Digging of Lawn Areas
• Dogs Must Be Under Control At All Times
• Only One Dog Off Leash Per Owner
• Only Adult Owners May Use the Prescribed Area

Across Charles Street, in the Public Garden, dogs are allowed on leash, as they are in Boston Common. And, as in Boston Common, in the Public Garden, the City of Boston provides doggie-bags.

Posted by Michèle at 9:45 AM
Categories: Destinations, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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At the planning meeting for an off-leash initiative this evening I met a couple who will be moving to Somerville with their two dogs in September and who shared with the group their experiences at well-organized and highly functional dog parks in Minneapolis.

Check out the timeline of the St. Paul off-leash initiative, spearheaded by Responsible Owners of Mannerly Pets (ROMP)—and check out the ROMP dogs' matching bandanas!

June 1996 A small group of off-leash enthusiasts meet to discuss how to obtain sites where they can legally exercise their dogs off-leash. They choose a name for their effort: ROMP (Responsible Owners of Mannerly Pets).

October 1996 ROMP asks Ramsey County Parks to create two pilot sites, one in Maplewood and one in Shoreview.

January 1997 Ramsey County Parks approves pilot project.

July 1997 Ramsey County Parks opens pilot sites.

If Somerville dog owners can match the pace of ROMP, we could have an off-leash pilot program in thirteen months! When does the clock start ticking? We still don't have a name for our effort...

Posted by Michèle at 9:27 PM
Categories: D.O.G.s (Dog Owner Groups), Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks", United States
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Good luck to the runners in the 2004 Boston Marathon! And Go Sox!

The forecast for today is for high temperatures in the 80's. Even if your not going to run (or watch) the Marathon or watch Red Sox game this morning, it's a good day to play hookie...

The Boston Phoenix featured dog-friendly outings in the Outdoors 2004 Supplement (April 2). Genevieve Rajewski's article, Dog Days, is a good reference for some twenty day-trips. Somervudlians may not even have to get in their cars to visit Fresh Pond Park, in Cambridge, or Sheepfold, a field in the Middlesex Fells Reservation in Medford. But the article includes plenty of destinations for pups whose favorite words are, "Wanna go for a ride?!" Take 'em for a hike in Harold Parker State Forest on Route 119 in Ashby, or take em for a swim at the dog-friendly (the park has "poop-bag dispensers"!) Stodder's Neck on Route 3A in Hingham.

Happy Patriots' Day!

Posted by Michèle at 8:46 AM
Categories: Destinations, Massachusetts, Off-Leash Recreational Areas—i.e. "Dog Parks"
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