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…
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
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.
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.
Pepper spray doesn’t work on dogs.
oh, LSD is so 30 years ago! 🙂 We have endomorphins now.
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 🙂
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.
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!
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!
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.