Serving Brooklyn's Off-Leash Community

FIDO is committed to ensuring that Prospect Park is a safe and healthy place for dogs; that responsible supervision of dogs will ensure enhanced opportunities for off-leash activity. Now more than ever, with the victory of legal off-leash, it's all about keeping control of your dog. Please make a serious effort to monitor your dog's interactions whether it be on the sidewalk or in the park itself Pupnic 2008 Pix FIDO's annual summer picnic for pooches & their people Next Coffee Bark - Sat, August 2 (see below) What's Coffee Bark? FIDO's 10th Anniversary Two part celebration combining Coffee Bark with a Mayor's Alliance Adoptathon Saturday, August 2nd, Coffee Bark celebration in the Long Meadow below the Picnic House 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. The Mayor’s Alliance Adoptathon Party picks up at the parking lot by Bartold Pritchard Square (15th St & Prospect Park West - movie theater) 9:30am to 3:00pm Microchipping event at special reduced price (see details) No Dogs on the ballfields - leashed or unleashed. Too many people allowing their dogs off-leash ON the ball fields. Morning work crews would prefer not to encounter off-leash dogs. This was perceived by Park officials to be caused by dog owners making their way around the ball fields with off-leash dogs who STILL wander down and bother ball field workers. So as of June 1st all dogs MUST remain on-leash AND on a path (!) when entering the Long Meadow from Prospect Park SouthWest; Prospect Park West south of Ninth Street and Bartold Pritchard Square. You must remain on-leash until you cross the Ninth Street path into the Long Meadow. For you sidewalk lawyers: if you're already coming down the Ninth Street path past the inner drive, you're OK if you're off-leash in the grass to the left of the path. You're not alone, folks. Even the frisbee players have been kicked off the ballfields before 9 a.m. The Moral of the Story? Because less than a half dozen people weren't willing to control their dogs for a few hundred feet, everyone loses. That's the way the City solves its problems! But it wasn't always like that.... Prospect Park - the Crown Jewel of Urban Off-leash What made FIDO in Prospect Park viable ten years ago was that a committed bunch of dog owners gathered together with Park administration to work out the basic off-leash rules that were essentially the rules we know today. The trick was to live by them.  By becoming a MEMBER of FIDO, dog owners felt empowered to apply peer pressure to those who still "didn't get it"!  Having control of your dog at all times is basic; it's still our number one priority today. If you are serious about responsible off-leash, we ask that you become a member of FIDO. We currently have about four hundred members which was certainly enough to inspire some twenty thousand plus dog owners one year ago to make their voices known through petitions and letters when the City beat back the lawsuit by the Juniper Hill Civic association to end off-leash privileges. Instead off-leash privileges became off-leash law! Let's double our membership. Membership means you have a say in all manner of things "off-leash". Membership is a commitment to your fellow dog-owners as well as other park users. Membership is for one year; the  amount is simply whatever you can afford from a few dollars on up. You can even join on-line. What's in it for me? Until everyone gets serious about standing up as a LARGE group committed to responsible off-leash rules, we're going to lose more and more off-leash space.  You've seen it in the Nethermead - warning tickets handed out EVERY day a few weeks back. This could be just the beginning! Think about it - then go to our website; join FIDO; make yourself count: www.fidobrooklyn.org

Nethermead... 5 to 9 on-line Petition ______________ Sign our off-leash petition! Support the return of weekday off-leash privileges in the Nethermead! Remember, the signature is mightier than the blog! Support responsible off-leash hours in the Nethermead; on weekdays between the hours of 5 p.m. until 9 a.m. See link below: With the coming of legal off-leash last year, Prospect Park's afternoon Nethermead privileges were traded for a "one rule fits all" type city policy that meant off-leash would only occur between the hours of 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. where permitted. Afternoon off-leash in the Nethermead is not something Prospect Park's dog community demands as an "extra" over everyone else in the city but a return to a responsible weekday policy carefully worked out with the Prospect Park Alliance over ten years ago. Legal off-leash in the Nethermead on weekdays from 5 p.m. until 9 a.m. insures that we have an exercise area well away from the afternoon athletic events in the Long Meadow. It provides dog owners with a hillside in the Nethermead where people and dogs can socialize without interfering with others. If we hadn't had the Nethermead weekday afternoon privileges and the respect of Prospect Park's dog owners, there would have been no model for responsible city wide off-leash which is now one year old. Sign the "5 to 9 On-Line" Nethermead Petition Fair Warning... It was NEVER, EVER off-leash policy to allow dogs in the Nethermead on Weekends after 5 p.m. You will be ticketed! You may receive warnings after 5 p.m. on weekdays and those who protest or make a stink will be ticketed as well. City Law states that all off-leash is to be from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. Park policy is that when those in authority ask you to leash up, even during off-leash hours, you MUST comply. We have to live with these new "regs" until the benefits of allowing the Nethermead to be an after work off-leash area is once again recognized. Please see off-leash rules below

News ... ______________ Our June Coffee Bark presented an opportunity to celebrate New York City's first year of official off-leash. Deputy Commissioner for Parks & Recreation Public Programs, Kevin E. Jeffrey, congratulated Prospect Park's off-leash community. He reminded us of how the park appeared back in 1979; how it was a broken wasteland when he began his career as one of the first urban rangers. The fact that off-leash privileges now officially exist, echoes the spirit of Frederick Olmsted whose intention was that Prospect Park evolve with the times. Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey FIDO wishes to express our thanks to Bob Marino, President New York Council of Dog Owner Groups, for choosing Prospect Park for this special occasion. FIDO video portrays Prospect Park's off-leash advocates* *Advocate - those who makes a meaningful contribution toward the benefit of Prospect Park and its users groups. Nethermead Hole Filling Party a big sucess! (July 10th) In spite of the lost off-leash hours, dog owners got together anyway for a hole filling party with shovels and soil provided in cooperation with Park Maintence. It was hot work and much appreciated. Welcome back, Cub the Malamute!

Important Stuff ... ______________ Does your dog have a Rabies Tag and City Dog Tag? Fill out a form with the City Health Department on-line or check the box to download a pdf form that you can mail in: Dog Licence Fido always has dog licence applications at Coffee Bark. See your veterinarian for rabies tags.

Off-leash Rules ... ______________ See Official Parks Department Rules We share the Park with lots of others: people, birds, critters, and plants.  It's a big park but heavily used. Please remember these few points - it can save you a bunch of money (like $100 per dog!) and be sure to tell your friends: Leash Up - with the new off-leash rules (9 pm to 9 am) it is also mandatory that you leash your dog upon request of a person of authority whether it's off-leash hours or not. It makes good sense and may defuse a situation that would otherwise cost you a fine for whatever the perceived reason. Note: the old 5 pm Nethermead privileges have been officially discontinued for the time being. BALLFIELDS The ball fields are officially OFF LIMITS no matter the season, hour, on-leash or not. This is a NEW ruling by the City Parks Department that came with the legalization of a city wide off-leash policy - a kind of one rule "fits all" policy. Ball fields extend from the horse corral to the 9th Street path beside the Tennis House. Pee Wee teams in action? Give them another fifty yards of extra room: dogs and balls don't mix! FAQ: Does ball fields include the center swath of grass down the middle? Is it OK to be on-leash on the ball fields? A: Off means off. Park Policy says that dogs must be on-leash even while going around the ball fields until you reach the Ninth Street path leading to the Dog Beach DOG BEACH Dogs are NEVER, EVER allowed off leash in the water after off-leash hours. We know it's tempting, especially on weekends, but there are far too many passersby & children - many of whom would rather not encounter off-leash dogs. Be considerate of others! PARK WORKERS There may be workfare crews cleaning up picnicker's garbage before 9am, though mostly during summer months. They have a job to do which shouldn't have to include sweeping up OUR dog poop! Be aware that some of them would rather not meet off-leash dogs, so we should make an effort to keep our dogs away at all times. HORSES Horses are spooky critters and any encounter with dogs may lead to serious injury to the rider. DO NOT think introducing your dog to a horse will lead to a "fun" relationship. Avoid the bridle paths, PLEASE! Wooded areas, pathways, bridle paths and  roads are never OK for off-leash. Running your dog in the horse corral is a BIG no, no and the bridle path near the Nethermead is a particular sore point with the horseback riders - dogs could run across the road and hassle the horses. Anticipate trouble - KEEP Your Dog Away! SQUIRRELS It's against everything Fido stands for to let your dog chase them - and it's a big, big NO as far as the Park Rangers are concerned. Letting your dog pursue squirrels is having a dog that's out of control - a major serious issue. NESTING AREAS - (woods as well as along waterways) Dogs must be on leash in these areas anyway. There are park users who are nervous about encountering off-leash dogs within the confines of a trail. Your dog must be on leash, ALL the time! PLAYGROUNDS Please Don't! Moms with Dogs & Toddlers: Stay alert. There's always the danger of a little one being toppled by exuberant playful dogs... Remember that the water at the Dog Beach gets VERY deep, VERY quickly. It is NOT a toddler pool! USE COMMON SENSE!

Membership ... ______________ WOOF! Now you can join Fido or renew your membership for a year ON-LINE! See our Membership Page for the fine details...

Memorial Tree... ______________ The Canine Memorial Tree In Prospect Park You're welcome to list your dog in a special Memorial Tree Book to be kept at Prospect Park's Audubon Center

Where Are My... ______________ Where Are my Fido E-mailings You're a bonifide member of Fido but have never received any e-mail? We batch e-mail Fido alerts/notices from time to time so if you haven't received any of these, we're either on your spam list or you've changed your e-mail address in the past three years. Certainly you haven't let your membership lapse - have you? Often we are unable to make out the handwriting on the membership applications - all the more reason to renew your membership on-line. See the "join Fido" button on our menu. If you think you're current then let Holly (Membership) know at holly_rob1999@yahoo.com Note to Yahoo/Verizon Members: We get a great number bounced back to us - chance are we're in your spam list of blocked e-mail. Go to the blocked mail folder and look for an address entitled "bob@exitfive.com". He sends out our batch mail since fidobrooklyn.org is blocked at the server level for mass e-mailing...

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