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May 11, 2009

Prospect Park Vigilante Wages Canine Campaign

Off-leash dogs have driven one frequenter of Prospect Park cuckoo. According to a NY Post story yesterday, Orrin Tilevitz, merchant banker and ardent birder, has been waging a war against dog owners who let their dogs run free, blowing the whistle on them to the cops and posting videos of their off-leash carousing on his anti-dog blog. While plenty of people wish dog owners would keep better control of their dogs, a traumatic attack seems to have turned Tilevitz into something of an anti-dog zealot. According to one source in The Post story, Tilevitz routinely carries pepper spray around with him and recently used in on two dogs. The major problem seems to be, according to a blog post by Tilevitz on Committee for Responsible Dog Ownership, "The presence of unleashed dogs interferes with--prevents--our ability--and right--to watch birds." One of Tilevitz's trademark "gotcha" videos in embedded in the post.
Vigilante Unleashes Dogs of War [NY Post]
Photo by rlj

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Comments

good for them. i dont think dogs should be off leash at ANY time in a public area. it's annoying and there are always people who will try to fill in the grey area when it comes to time and what kinds of dogs they have. i swear sometimes i just wanna keep rancid meat in my pocket and feed it to dogs OFF LEASH. LEASH YOUR DOGS a-holes! your mutt aint special no matter what you might think.

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at May 11, 2009 9:39 AM

Although I only let my dogs off leash before 9am, this schmuck is crazy and he's gonna piss off the wrong person one day. Pepper spraying someone's dog? I wouldn't put up with that and I'm not the toughest person in Brooklyn.

Posted by: rh at May 11, 2009 9:43 AM

Isn't pepper spray illegal in NYC???

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at May 11, 2009 9:46 AM

What a tremendous loser. Dogs need off-leash time and 99% do not cause problems for anyone. The system as is works fine.

Posted by: FlatbushMan23 at May 11, 2009 9:46 AM

so is crack dave. what's your point?

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at May 11, 2009 9:47 AM

Rob, it is legal to have your dog off leash in the park before 9am and after 9pm. Why do you have a beef with that?

Posted by: rh at May 11, 2009 9:51 AM

If you let your dog off the leash in a public place, you're just as bad as smokers who shrug at lighting up indoors...ie, endangering/annoying people around you while maintaining an entitled, cavalier attitude about it. This guy might be acting on the exteme side, but I agree with him in principle.

Posted by: collin85 at May 11, 2009 9:54 AM

Whatever the law is should be obeyed by the dog owners. This guy is obviously a wack job and is likely to get into more trouble.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at May 11, 2009 9:54 AM

i have beef with it cuz dogs shouldnt be off leashes at any time whatsoever. im very vocal about this issue and if your stupid mutt off a leash comes up to me and smells my butt ill kick it.

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at May 11, 2009 9:55 AM

I promise if that nut pepper sprayed my pup, it would not take me long to be spraying that Pepper down his throat! In study they discovered most serial killers were animal abusers and pepper spraying an over curious dog is abuse.

Posted by: Pragonetti at May 11, 2009 9:56 AM

and squashing a cockroach is abuse too to some people. an annoying dog and an annoying owner are just that. annoying. good for him! pepper spray the crotchfruits too.

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at May 11, 2009 10:00 AM

The guy IS right, I suppose, but that doesn't mean that he isn't also a crank, at best, or a nut, at worst.

BTW, I'm not a dog owner and have no ax to grind here (or, to use a more appropriate cliche, I have no dog in this fight).

Posted by: Bob Marvin at May 11, 2009 10:03 AM

If some dude ever decides to video tape me walking a dog, you bet your mutt hating ass he'll get HIS ass kicked by the bf. AND I'll call the cops on him for invasion of privacy. Screw this gotcha video bs.

Posted by: west1 at May 11, 2009 10:03 AM

Maybe you shouldn't be a dog owner, Rob.

Posted by: rh at May 11, 2009 10:04 AM

Rob:
Many find your childish curiosity and naivete amusing, but there are times when I wonder if in fact you are just insane. At best this means you are destined to be one of the lost souls of New York, trapped in barely affordable accomodations and making do on low income jobs while mumbling to yourself on subways. At worst I worry for the safety of those around you... Or perhaps your therapist has urged you to work out yoru aggressions and illnesses through internet posting?

Hmm, now what is my excuse...

Posted by: Putnamdenizen at May 11, 2009 10:09 AM

im not a dog "owner". people dont "own" animals. i live with a dog. we are friends, roommates, he just doesnt pay bills. he's a freeloading mooch. that's how i look at it. people who "own" pets are F'ed in the head. who's to say my dog can't say he "owns" me?

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at May 11, 2009 10:10 AM

The only time it would even remotely be acceptable to pepper spray a dog would be if it was attacking you, or a child or frail person. Otherwise, this guy is a dangerous crank.
I am not a dog owner, and do get unnerved by off leash dogs from time to time. Knowing that, I would just avoid the park at off-leash time.

Posted by: etson at May 11, 2009 10:10 AM

i don't usually agree with rob.

but this time i do.

you are being a self-important ass if your dog is off leash.

no ifs, ands or buts.

your dog is a dog. it is not a special dog. it is not a person. it chases things. sometimes kids. sometimes people. sometimes its own tail. dont pretend that your dog is unique in that it is always well behaved. you have just tolerated your own dog's version of social behavior into your lives.

leash it.

p.s. i have had dogs and i love dogs. they should be leashed in an urban environment.

Posted by: bkn4life at May 11, 2009 10:12 AM

Letting your dog off the leash before 9 a.m. is permitted only in certain parts of the park - the Long Meadow, the Peninsula, and maybe one other. It's definitely not allowed on the trails through the woods in the middle of the park, which sounds like where these encounters took place.

Some people can control their dogs with voice commands only, and in those cases I don't mind them not using a leash. But when some dog comes charging at me while I jog past, I don't appreciate it. When that happens, I turn around and charge right at the dog, which turns tail and runs. Then I chew out the owner for not controlling his/her animal.

Posted by: Sparafucile at May 11, 2009 10:12 AM

yeah duh of course i wouldnt pepper spray a dog or a kid. jeez. but it does yank my chain this issue. LEASH DOGS!!!!
putnam, your analysis of me is pretty funny though. :-/ i might be a bit of an eccentric 'tard but im not dangerous or harmful to anyone.

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at May 11, 2009 10:14 AM

"who's to say my dog can't say he "owns" me?"

Point taken Rob. It's all relative--I'm sure my cat thinks he owns me.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at May 11, 2009 10:15 AM

the real zealots are the dog owners who feel more entitled than any park slope stroller momma.

Posted by: Petebklyn at May 11, 2009 10:18 AM

The real problems are the zealots, in general.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at May 11, 2009 10:22 AM

One of the responsibilities of owning a dog in the city is to be alert to folks who, for whatever reason, are terrified of, or hate, dogs.
Many, many people have a hatred of dogs. it's just a thing. avoid them. this guy is a dog-hater gone nuts. so avoid him. I wold never let my dog off leash in the park at any time because he is mischievious and I do not know where he may end up. If you have a very obedient dog then don't let him run too far or near strangers. It is just courtesy.
I go to the big dogrun in Brooklyn Heights sometimes, it is very nice.

Posted by: sam at May 11, 2009 10:24 AM

I was walking in Fort Greene park last week with my wife during off-leash hours. She had our infant son in a pouch and our dog on the leash. I was pushing a stroller with my daughter. We just bought some bagels and we were each (except for my son and dog) carrying a piece of bagel. Out A large dog (100 lbs or so) came running over, jumped in the air, and chomped the bagel out of my wife's hand, which was bleeding slightly as a result. Before I realized what happened, the dog bit my hand as well, and was circling, as we had a bag with two more bagels under the stroller. Along the came the dog's owner, appologizing, but walking very casually and not bothering to put her coffee down to try to control her dog. When I told her grab the dog, her response was .... "you really shouldnt be eating in the park because there are dogs around." This was about 30 yards, mind you, from the farmers market. I told her she was nuts, and that if she couldnt control her dog, it should be leashed. She told me that its a dog, which she explained was an animal, and she had no responsibility because she couldnt control it. I think this is ridiculas. I have no problem with off the leash hours, but if you cant stop your dog from biting people, your dog should be leashed. Can anyone really disagree with this?

Posted by: saulinbrooklyn at May 11, 2009 10:34 AM

Here is the thing - the guy is right, unless in a designated spot and a designated time - you shouldnt have your dog off-leash.

That being said, you're also not supposed to drive around blasting your music at 1000db or with a motorcycle 'pipe'; and your not supposed to litter, there are restrictions on Barbecues, you are not allowed to jay walk,i.e there are tons of things that people regurally do that violates the law (like possession of pepper spray) ....and if you are out there as a "vigilante" on these kinda issues you are clearly a nut and you should be scrutinized carefully, because it is the "vigilante" that is actually more dangerous than the administrative code violation.

Posted by: fsrg at May 11, 2009 10:42 AM

Dogs are wonderful, loyal, playful, smart, and helpful animals, who can bring much joy into our lives. But they are still animals, not little people or brothers in fur. They can be frightened, intimidated, angered or just pissed off by stimuli, smells and noises that we may not even be aware of. Leash laws are laws for a reason, and were put into place to protect people and pets from each other.

The parks also belong to non pet owners, who should be able to bird watch, or stroll or jog without fear of someone's dog. This guy goes way too far, and the pepper spray is certainly not appropriate behavior, but I can understand his frustrations, too. Dog owners need to keep their pets leashed at the proper times and places, as per the law. This guy needs to be disarmed before someone takes it into their head to do worse to him than any dog could do.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at May 11, 2009 10:43 AM

This guy needs therapy. I'm against dog owners who have no control of their dogs allowing them off leash, but if your dog is good, like most dogs, then folks shouldn't have a problem. It's a park folks..that's where animals s/b.

Rob, real talk: kicking any dog will get you stomped in the hood. Just stating a fact. I let me dog off leash all the time and seriously i wish a mofo would! Try it.

Add'l most dogs aren't stupid enough to eat rancid meats and will just puke it up, like they do most things that aren't good for them. Why waste your time and money?

Andrea

Posted by: grip100692 at May 11, 2009 10:43 AM

I don't have any problem with a guy pepper-spraying a dog that is running at him and whose intentions he can't determine. I love dogs and wouldn't WANT to pepper-spray one, but you can't know for sure what a dog's intentions are when it comes barreling down a path at you.

If dog owners don't want their dogs to get hurt, they should keep them on a leash or in the designated off-leash areas at the designated times. That's not exactly a tough request.

Posted by: cwbuecheler at May 11, 2009 10:44 AM

I love dogs. Dogs aren't the problem. Dog owners are the problem. Almost ten years ago when my son was 9 years old, a bull terrier went after him in Owl's Head Park and bit him pretty badly on his leg...he still has very noticeable scars from the incident. This dog was doing what I believe someone trained him to do, as my son was not even aware that this dog was around (nor was I) until the attack was in full swing. Unfortunately I injured the dog while defending my son. I'm not proud of that, but tell me who wouldn't do whatever it takes to defend your own child? As for the owners, their attitude was one of callous indifference. Even now I can honestly say I feel sorry for the dog that attacked my son for having such shitty owners.

Dog owners, just obey the law. That's all we ask. If you don't like the law, then by all means try to change it, but for now, obey it.

Posted by: qw4tjqpqij at May 11, 2009 10:50 AM

As a dog owner who lives nearby, I don't understand why a park as large as Prospect Park does not have a dog run. It would probably reduce the need for owners to go off leash in the park. The dog beach is okay in the summer, but even then it's stressful to be there when the stroller moms have their kids off leash who run up to "pet" (ie. pull your dog's ears/tail while screaming) your dog. End rant.

Posted by: jwald at May 11, 2009 11:02 AM

In an area where most people do not have backyards, there is a genuine need for people to let their dogs get exercise in public areas. Unless you are a runner, it's difficult to do that with a leash. Anybody who's been to Prospect park before 9am knows that the off leash hours are extremely popular and generally respected.

I really don't see what's so hard about following the rules, which are designed to allow people with different needs share the parks without getting in each others' way. In my experience the vast majority of people do follow the rules.

FYI, New York legally defines pets as property. Calling your dog your roommate is cute, but it's bullshit.

Posted by: zgori at May 11, 2009 11:11 AM

Dog owners should be responsible -- of course. People also need to chill out. Sometimes you have to tolerate something even if you don't like it. If there's no one around, I sometimes let my dog off leash "off hours". I don't see what the big deal is. Sometimes little kids come over, pet my dog, throw the ball -- it's fun stuff.

... and if someone even tried to use pepper spray on my dog, I would absolutely kick their fucking ass in.

Posted by: Jail_Bait at May 11, 2009 11:27 AM

first of all, the guy was attacked by a dog so it's understandable that he feels this way. Secondly- as anyone who has every read the NY Post and knows it is a junk paper that practices witchunting, not journalism- the article is more on the order of a character assassination, not reportage. They call him a vigilante in the headline, barely mention the fact he was attacked, and pretty much slanted the article to make him sound like an irresponsible nut, instead of the dog owners who don't respect the law or other people. He carries pepper spray to protect himself- because he was attacked.

I love dogs, I think dog runs are a great idea- but I don't feel dog owners are entitled to them, and if a dog owner is irresponsible enough to disobey the law, they shouldn't have a dog. (I also think parents who can't control their kids need to get parenting classes too but that's another story).

Posted by: bxgrl at May 11, 2009 11:29 AM

I love dogs and birds. My children, dog and I all enjoy the off-leash hours at the park immensely. I sincerely believe that off-leash time, used *responsibly*, can head off behavior problems in dogs because many of them need a level of exercise that their owners cannot provide by simply walking them - not everyone can jog several miles a day w/ their dog.

However, I see way too many people in the park just turn their dogs loose without the appropriate training and direction, and then the dog causes headaches for others enjoying the park. Dogs are like kids in the sense that it's your responsibility to guide and manage their behavior, if left to themselves the choices they make won't be good ones. I'd say that 99% of this bad behavior is directed at other dogs though, not at humans in the park. If all owners worked on a good, solid recall for their dogs, that would solve a majority of the problems.

And I'm totally fine with people being ticketed for letting their dogs run in the woods - it's completely selfish to let your dog chase the little critters that live there.

The "lady with the walking stick" mentioned in the Post article, with the two "jack russells" (actually, they're rat terriers)? PLEASE, by all means let a birdwatcher pepper-spray her - that's Marcia, she lets her dogs hunt squirrels and rabbits in the park. I've seen her many times, the police have given her many tickets but that's all they can do. But please don't pepper-spray the dog, it's not their fault, it's the blockheaded owner who should pay.

I also wonder why the same level of hostility and ticketing efforts aren't directed at the weekend litterers. These people know exactly what they're doing, and their (in)actions have a hugely negative impact on the park, way more than the occasional annoying dog.

Posted by: petunia at May 11, 2009 11:38 AM

petunia- the only way I would ever pepper spray an animal is if i were directly fending off an attack. And then i would be sure to pepper spray the moron of an owner for putting his/her dog in such a position by their own irresponsibility. As far as litterbugs go, they don't frighten people nearly so much as a dog- that probably explains it.

Posted by: bxgrl at May 11, 2009 12:00 PM

some dog owners are just nuts, it has to be said. One crazy woman on my block lets her dog jump over the tree guards to poop, amid the flowers, in the tree pit. Could anything be nuttier and more thoughtless? Another fairly young peron lets her dog off-leash on the sidewalk. I mean, sometimes crazy people get pets to help them cope with the world, and sometimes that shows on the street.
Between the crazy dog-haters and the equally crazy dog-lovers, it's a jungle out there.

Posted by: sam at May 11, 2009 12:11 PM

My time spent during the off-leash hours on Prospect Park's Long Meadow have been among the best hours I've spent in the park; over the course of many visits, I've never witnessed any bad behavior (except for one overexuberant Boston terrier who tried to mooch my croissant), and have in fact marvelled at how the dog-owning community has created a convivial, safe, and overwhelmingly responsible "be-in" every morning before 9. I see some, but not many, off-leash dogs during forbidden hours, but as Tilevit'z site tacitly admits, the "damage" tends more towards bird-startling than vicious attacks. I don't deny that the cranky Tilevitz has documented some irresponsible behavior, but the commenter above nailed it: The cops would get more quality-of-life bang for the buck if they focused on those who leave mountains of trash lying around after every weekend. And, animal-wise, the misuse/abuse of pit bulls and Rottweilers in many neighborhoods, and their high rates of abandonment at city shelters, would be a better focus for the city's energies.

Posted by: Brenda from Flatbush at May 11, 2009 12:19 PM

jwald - Where's the dog beach?!?

Posted by: CG_ups at May 11, 2009 12:30 PM

i don't have dogs now but I did for years. The irony about the tons and tons of no dog rules is that they appear in places, and at times, where the biggest (or only user) of that area would be someone with a dog. there are so many unused ball fields, strange tiny parks, and even playgrounds. i used to take my dogs to places like these in the mornings cause they'd be empty. sometimes you can find places that are never used. Well, especially not in the winter.

Posted by: wine lover at May 11, 2009 12:35 PM

A dog in fort greene park bit a bagel out of my wife's hand last week during off leash hours and caused her to bleed. The owner made no effort to control the dog and told us it was our fault because we shouldnt be eating in the park. She said it was not her responsibility because a dog is an animal that cant be controlled when tempted with food. This was 30 yards from the farmers market. She's nuts, right?

Posted by: saulinbrooklyn at May 11, 2009 12:56 PM

Some of my closest friends are through off leash meetings in the park. I went every morning when I lived in the neighborhood. At 9:01 am, the officers would be out there ticketing the dog people. We wondered why they never did go after the litterers, illegal bbqers, etc. Our theory? They were scared. Large groups of rowdy people partying or dog walkers? Hmmm...

Posted by: rh at May 11, 2009 12:58 PM

"Adding to the tension are two full-time "Serpicos" who since March have been patrolling Prospect Park as part of a citywide undercover sweep aimed at pooper- scooper scofflaws."

They need SERPICO to do surveillance on dogs?

The guy is pretty obsessed, but he's right in one respect - the law is the law and the dogs should be leashed during the required hours. It's also the owner's right to have a dog off leash in Prospect Park during the designated hours. Not surprisingly, MOST people obey the law and get along OK. As Bob Marvin observed, extremists on both sides are more of a problem.

Posted by: East New York at May 11, 2009 12:59 PM

I'm terrified of dogs. All dogs. I can't enjoy the park w/o worrying about one charging at me (as it has happened a few times) If I had pepper spray, I would not hesitate using it. I will be looking into dog repellant.
I think its great someone is fighting back against loose dogs in the park. Not everyone likes dogs.

Posted by: The Who at May 11, 2009 1:02 PM

It's a shame when I agree with a crackpot.

As a dog owner Prospect park go-er and I agree with *some* of the things he says; i.e. Dogs on the trails, after hours off leash etc… Pepper spray? He’s out of his tree.
The rangers should ticket people that are violating the law. Dog people are low hanging fruit; I would like to see a ranger bust up a soccer game on a Sunday afternoon.

Cough:
No person shall throw, catch, kick or strike any baseball, football, basketball, soccer, golf or tennis ball, or similar object, nor shall any person engage in any sport, game or other competition except in areas designated and maintained therefor.

There’s a patch of grass on the north part of the long meadow that has been perpetually reseeded for the past decade. As soon as the fences are down it takes only a couple of weekends before it’s a dirt/mud patch.

Posted by: quig at May 11, 2009 1:21 PM

CG ups- The dog beach can be easily reached by entering the park on the 9th Street entrance and following the path straight into the park to the lake. There are some signs leading the way. A portion of the lake is fenced off for the dogs. It's very refreshing for dogs in the summer if they like swimming as much as my dog does.

Posted by: jwald at May 11, 2009 2:12 PM

"I'm terrified of dogs. All dogs."...
seek help

Posted by: fsrg at May 11, 2009 2:24 PM

We just fostered a dog and take her to the park daily. I'm in two minds on the whole off leash rules. I don't see us ever letting her off leash (guessing we'd never see her again !) but I do feel that some owners are very irresponsible in this regard. Watching someone screaming their dog's name for 15 minutes in desperation for them to come back tells you they should not be off leash. Having said that dogs that are well trained and obedient shouldn't have the privaledge removed because of a minority of bad owners.

What I really hate though are owners that don't scoop. Drives me nuts.

Rob - have you taken your dog down to the new dog run by the Novo ? It seems a lot better than the prior dog run in that area. Not sure how the folks in the Novo think of the big bag of steaming dog turds though....

Posted by: 10thStreetReno at May 11, 2009 2:41 PM

Two words:

dog run!

One other word:

Suburb!!!

If you can't imagine living your life without owning a St. Bernard and letting it run free to its heart's desire than move to the 'burbs. We all make sacrifices living in a big city, and some of these crazy dog owners need to realize that. I imagine a lot of these people, such as the one whose dog attacked the poor bagel eating family in Ft. Greene Park, are folks who are enchanted with the idea of owning a dog but haven't got a clue as to how much work is involved with taking care of a dog in NYC.

And yes...people who think its appropriate to leave big stinking piles of dog s*** on the sidewalk are barbarians who should be fined so steeply they have to leave town.

Posted by: clintonhillbuyer at May 11, 2009 2:53 PM

I always thought bird watchers were weirdos. Thanks for confirming. Birds are wildlife. Fascination with wildlife, at that zealous stage and in the CITY, is soooooo weird. I wouldn't let this guy near my dogs, my children, or even my enemies.

Dogs are an extention of society. We domesticated them alongside our own evolution as a species. They will always be around, because most people actually LOVE and NEED dog companionship as part of their well-being. The fact that cities are crowded just puts more responsibility on the dog owners.

So far, I've been really impressed with the sweetness and thoughtfulness of dog owners. They are EXCEPTIONAL in their manners and civility, because they have to be. In general, they have none of the bad attitude of entitled parents, who also have a right, presumeably, to keep their little critters of leash, but often use it as a way to terrorize everyone in their vicinity.

ANYWAY, we all gotta live together. Pepper spray is some crazy zealot military tactic. yowza.

Posted by: iz at May 11, 2009 3:18 PM

10th Street Reno, CONGRATS on the fostering. Yr very awesome for doing that. Watch out for the crazies with binoculars, tho!

Posted by: iz at May 11, 2009 3:20 PM

"I'm terrified of dogs. All dogs. I can't enjoy the park..."

Being scared of something does not give you the right to harm it or to insist that it be banned. You should work to overcome your fears, or else be content to avoid places where you might encounter it. Whether or short leashes, long leashes or no leashes, there are always going to be dogs in parks.

Posted by: zgori at May 11, 2009 3:32 PM

iz- what does someone do to protect themselves from an attacking dog? I'd rather pepper spray than a gun or a knife. And, again, the guy in the article was attacked by a dog- an off leash dog- why is it so surprising off-leash dogs frighten him?

And since we actually do have so much wildlife in NYC- what makes you think you have to be weird to like enjoying birds and other wild critters? I find bird watching preferable to watching dog owners pick up dog crap and then dump it in my garbage can.

Posted by: bxgrl at May 11, 2009 3:33 PM

bxgrl, what are your favorite species of local birds?

Posted by: iz at May 11, 2009 3:37 PM

sparrows, actually. There also used to be some beautiful wood doves in the back yard but i don't see them any longer. Saw a robin the other day- haven't seen one in years.

Posted by: bxgrl at May 11, 2009 4:08 PM

I can't answer for bxgrl, but the Red Tail hawks in Prospect Park are my current favorites, although it's hard to choose from the hundreds of species there.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at May 11, 2009 4:11 PM

I love the red tailed hawk pair in Ft Greene Park. They had a baby this year! I saw the daddy eat a pigeon alive this winter. .. . feathers a-flying. It was gross yet fascinating. I actually got video of it!

Posted by: iz at May 11, 2009 4:18 PM

Saulinbrooklyn: She's nuts, right?

Yes, she is.

Guig: No person shall throw, catch, kick or strike any baseball, football, basketball, soccer, golf or tennis ball, or similar object, nor shall any person engage in any sport, game or other competition except in areas designated and maintained therefor.

There simply aren't enough designated areas for this rule to be enforced. There are also huge stretches of grass areas that go largely unused (Nethermeade, anyone?). Heaven forbid that two kids play catch there!

Posted by: sixyearsandcounting at May 11, 2009 5:00 PM

sparrows were my mother's favorite bird so I love them best. Saw a cardinal in the backyard the other day too but oddly only saw hawks in Manhattan, never here in Brooklyn.

Posted by: bxgrl at May 11, 2009 5:07 PM

bxgirl, I think sparrows were your mom's favorite birds cuz back in the day there were only pigeons, sparrows, and robins. And a seagull now and then. Starlings were exotic, bluejays were wildlife, and cardinals meant you were on LSD :-)

Posted by: denton at May 11, 2009 5:55 PM

oh, LSD is so 30 years ago! :-) We have endomorphins now.

Posted by: bxgrl at May 11, 2009 6:04 PM

Pepper spray doesn't work on dogs.

Posted by: pjsubway at May 12, 2009 8:12 AM

I can't believe that the birds are cognizant of whether dogs or on or off leash, and so I don't understand why it makes a difference in terms of bird watching. Obviously during off-leash hours when there are a lot of dogs congregated in one place fewer birds will be around -- but wouldn't it be easier to find them in the wooded trails (where off-leash is never allowed) anyway?

I must admit being somewhat of a scofflaw in the observation of off-leash hours, but I pick my times and spots. Even late in the mornings on weekends when the whether is colder you can walk through Prospect Park and see hardly anyone but people walking dogs. During school hours on a weekday, the park can be practically deserted. Who am I harming by allowing my dog to get a bit of a run in when no one else is around? In the Long Meadow it is easy to see whether anyone is approaching and if so confine the dog as needed.

If someone gave me a problem for having my dog off leash at an inappropriate time or place, there is not much I could do but offer my apologies and put the leash on. If I am issued a ticket I have to suck it up. But if someone used pepper spray on my dog in such a situation, I definitely would think they were in the wrong.

The excuse that this person was attacked once by a dog does not fly. If I were attacked by someone with a full beard does that give me an excuse to pepper spray anyone with a full beard who approaches me? I believe that the use of pepper spray is more illegal than having a dog off leash, which is a ticketable offense, not a crime.

Posted by: supersleuth at May 12, 2009 2:56 PM

He isn't pepper spraying anyone. He's videotaping them- there's a big difference. Does no one actually read the article?

You're right- pepper spray is more illegal, but if your offleash dog rips a child's face off, I lay you odds if someone pepper sprayed the dog to make him stop, they won't be the ones getting sued.

Posted by: bxgrl at May 12, 2009 6:03 PM

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May 11, 2009

Prospect Park Vigilante Wages Canine Campaign

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