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. Please make a serious effort to monitor your dog's interactions whether it be on the sidewalk or in the park itself.

Next Coffee Bark - Sat, February 7th, 7 a.m. - 9 a.m. new location - beside the Picnic House What's Coffee Bark?

December News   Bark The Herald Angels Sing - 2008 Was it cold? It was so cold that Santa found himself iced in - was unable to make it to Brooklyn from his home up in western Massachusetts. Last we heard he was chopping wood to keep his family and Golden Retrievers warm. But here in Prospect Park, Old Man Winter actually smiled upon us; or was it that NYC's self-generated "hot air" kept the winter storms at bay? But Hark....   Much to our wondering eyes did appear, but Santa's understudy, garbed in full gear. He said not a word but got straight to his work; dug into a crate of Dr's Foster & Smith rawhide canes and doggie cookies provided by Charlotte Gemmel and Maureen Sanders. Stuffed squeaky toys were handed out as well, thanks to Sammy from 7th Avenue Pet Foods at 15th Street. Dhia     Connie Marder       Dhia     Connie Marder   Cake was served, washed down by Connie Marder's mulled cider and Gene Kahn's "wonder broth"; hot chocolate; and coffee. FIDO calendars flew off the table as if seized by a Nor'Easter. (should you still need one, see Lynn's notice below)       Dhia     Jane Landis & holiday carolers charmed the crowd, belting out "dog centric" lyrics from FIDO's newly minted songbooks; more than one dog howling the refrain. Betty Dowling   Connie Marder Pose for pictures, they did! And the "back breaking" efforts paid off...     Betty Dowling       Betty Dowling We love you, Santa! Special Thank You to Brian Henry for stepping in as Santa - and our hearts go out to last year's Santa, Paul Kowacki and his family whose holiday wish list DID NOT include a savage ice storm. Betty Dowling has posted a link for those of you who had pix taken of Santa and your dog. There are a ton of pix and some repetition but hopefully you'll be able to relive the moment... Don't miss Connie Marder's superb page devoted to Bark The Herald Angels Sing 2008. And a bunch of "thank you's" go to Bob Ipcar for heading up the event; Julius Harrison for wrangling all those tables and setting up; Jane Landis for coordinating the singing; Denise Mortillaro membership and great picture taking; Garry Osgood making the first calendar & table wrangling; Maureen Sanders and Charlotte Gemmel for the huge box of gifts; Dave Singer, treasurer and milk and biscuits; Betty Dowling, Santa picture taker; Lisa Dowling for getting coffee and cutting cake, dog bouncer; Lynn Radov manning the tables (and the idea for the calendar); State Senator Eric Adams and Prospect Park Alliance's Tupper Thomas for sharing our joy. And not to forget Tony Chiappellone, FIDO's President, along with Fannie & Jupiter! ----------------- --------- ------------------------------ The Fabulous Fido Calendars still available Suggested donations as follows: 1 for $12.00 2 for $20.00 3 for $25.00 Can't wait? call Lynn at: 718-965-0273 Come Run With The Pack T-shirts available as follows: FREE with $25.00 membership to FIDO 1 for $15.00 2 for $25.00 Download the FIDO Autumn 2008 Newsletter Or any Newsletter going back to Spring 2003 Sign FIDO's Nethermead 5-9 on-line Petition Autumn News   November 1st - FIDO General Meeting at Tennis House Tony Chiappelloni, FIDO President, officiated at the General Meeting in front of the Tennis House - a chance for concerned dog owners who frequent Prospect Park to ask questions; give input as to how they would like to see Prospect Park's administration respond to their needs. What better setting - the very steps where FIDO was first founded some ten years ago. Matt Parker, Vice President of the New York Council of Dog Owner Groups and FIDO Board member (yellow jacket) did his best to fill everyone in on the history of FIDO's most Frequently Asked Question: how come we lost the 5 p.m. Winter and Summer off-leash privileges? Where the difficulty lies is that when the Health Department code was rewritten, "9 p.m. to 9 a.m." language was dropped in minutes before the vote was taken. Up to that point, there had been no mention of specific hours; hours that were to have been left to the discretion of the Park's Commissioner. by Sakura Amend The way the code is now written, exceptions cannot be made without a change in the law. Conclusion... We came away with a sense that Prospect Park's Administration is still on our side, that the value of responsible off-leash goes a long way to make Prospect Park a safe healthy place for dogs and their people as well as other park goers. Please Remember... 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 New York City dog owners two 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? 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. Join FIDO; make yourself count. And don't forget to sign the Nethermead Petition 5 to 9 off-leash privileges. On-line petition Important Stuff ...   Does your dog have a Rabies Tag and City Dog Tag? New City Health Department on-line registry- said to be painless and fast! Dog Licence Fido always has dog licence applications at Coffee Bark. See your veterinarian for rabies tags.   Leptospirosis? What it is; bottom line: critical that you vaccinate your dog! Note FIDO has a "health" section with all kinds of tips for canine park users 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. Off-leash Rules ...     Official Parks Department Rules Off-Leash Rules in a Nut Shell....   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 - they can save you a bunch of money (like $100 per dog!) and be sure to tell your friends: Leash Up - While off-leash rules generally extend from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., it is 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. Prospect Park is technically closed to all after 1p.m.. It reopens at 6 p.m. BALLFIELDS The ball fields are officially OFF LIMITS no matter the season, hour, on-leash or not. This is a 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. Summer 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. This also means that dogs on leash are NOT allowed on the swath between ball fields. 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. Some of these areas are fenced in, you say? There are more than a few park users who are nervous about encountering off-leash dogs within the confines of a trail. Put yourself in other peoples' shoes. Your dog must be on leash, ALL the time! PLAYGROUNDS Please, don't even think about it! 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! 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, most likely FIDO could be on your spam list. 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 Dhia (Membership) know at shamandhia@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... Memorial Tree... The Canine Memorial Tree In Prospect Park You're welcome to list your dog on our web pages as well in a special Memorial Tree Book to be kept at Prospect Park's Audubon Center   Contact FIDO e-mail fidobrooklyn@gmail.com Our Phone Number (voice mail) 1-888-604-3422 Snail Mail FIDO 230 Seventh Avenue, #157 Brooklyn, NY 11215 Aerial Play by Jennifer Brauer