District 33

Dog Run Plan

INTRODUCTION

Any dog owner will tell you that their dog isn’t just a pet - it’s a member of their family. Dogs bring us joy and comfort but raising them in New York City is challenging due to small apartments and a lack of green space. Dogs deserve better areas to exercise and run around. We’re committed to making the 33rd Council District and New York City even more dog friendly by improving the conditions in substandard dog runs, opening new dog runs in every community in the 33rd where one doesn’t exist, and passing legislation that will improve maintenance and lead to new dog runs citywide.

 

The 33rd Council District is a community of dog lovers: we are home to three times as many dogs as the citywide average. 2021 data reveals that there were 1,780 dogs per 100,000 residents in zip codes overlapping with the 33rd council district compared to 500 dogs per 100,000 people citywide. Most residents and certainly every pet owner will tell you that our dog infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the growing rate of pet ownership - especially during the pandemic, leaving dog owners with inadequate space for their pets to exercise and enjoy themselves. 

Council Member Restler and Dodger!

Dog Run Survey

We launched a survey to learn more about how we can improve our existing dog runs and where new dog runs are needed. We received 302 responses; 96% of responses were from dog owners. We are excited to share what we learned, and our plans to address the ideas and concerns surfaced through the survey. 

What We Learned

What would you want out of a dog run?
Dog owners expressed broad consensus in what they want in a dog run:

  1. Convenient (99% of respondents need a dog run within 10 blocks of their home) 

  2. Large enough to allow larger dogs to actually run around 

  3. Separate spaces for small (or puppy) and large dogs

  4. Water fountain and/or hose for dogs

  5. Turf ground cover (or something that doesn’t get muddy and is friendly to dog paws)

  6. Fenced in

  7. Double gates

  8. Lighting for evening use

  9. Shade 

  10. Benches for owners

Where do we need dog runs?
New or improved infrastructure for dogs is needed in every neighborhood in the 33rd district! 

We asked District 33 residents if they have a dog run in their neighborhood - 46% said they do not have a dog run nearby. Responses to the survey most frequently named Downtown Brooklyn, Greenpoint, and Boerum Hill as the top three neighborhoods without dog runs or needing additional runs. 

What are the issues with existing dog runs?
New or improved infrastructure for dogs is needed in every neighborhood in the 33rd district! 

We asked District 33 residents if they have a dog run in their neighborhood - 46% said they do not have a dog run nearby. Responses to the survey most frequently named Downtown Brooklyn, Greenpoint, and Boerum Hill as the top three neighborhoods without dog runs or needing additional runs. 

District 33 Dog Run Plan

Current State of Dog Runs

Dog runs in New York City exist in a bureaucratic limbo — the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks) has assisted community groups in setting up informal dog runs on its properties, but does not take full responsibility for maintenance of dog runs. Parks fixes something when it breaks and takes out the garbage (typically these receptacles are outside the dog run itself) but that is about it. As such, dog runs are primarily dependent on organized community support for maintenance and upkeep and non-City sources of funding for construction.

Because many of the City’s dog runs are informal, they were not purpose built with the necessary drainage infrastructure to prevent the standing water and puddling many dog owners experience. Unfortunately, there is no quick or cheap fix for drainage issues — the most frequently cited issue in District 33 dog runs. For dog runs with trees, excavation has to be done by hand around tree roots (which go as far out as the trees canopy), which is resource intensive and expensive. According to Parks, new ground cover, even turf, will not solve underlying drainage issues.

What We’re Doing:

Open New Dog Runs:

  1. Downtown Brooklyn: Through our advocacy, the Economic Development Corporation has agreed to open the first dog run in Downtown Brooklyn. A new dog run will ultimately be included at the new Abolitionist Place Park by Duffield and Willoughby, but we have made sure that this dog run will not interfere with the historically significant nature of the park and the underground railroad location. 

  2. McCarren / Northside of Williamsburg: The McCarren Dog Run has been a disaster for a long time. From public health outbreaks to horrible drainage, this community of dog lovers has deserved better for years. As part of a recent rezoning, we secured up to $1 million in funding for a new, purpose built, dog run at the McCarren asphalt lot near the tennis courts. A community design process will begin in the months ahead.  

  3. Northern Greenpoint: A modest, but picturesque dog park recently opened in Northern Greenpoint by Greenpoint Landing just north of Commercial Street and Franklin Street. For dog owners in Northern Greenpoint who had been trekking more than a mile to the nearest dog run - this is a welcome and necessary addition. More substantially, Parks will be building a larger brand new dog run at Box Street Park, on which we are expecting to see progress in the year ahead.

  4. South Williamsburg: A small new dog run is slated for construction at the former Certified Lumber site on Kent Avenue, this should open to the public in approximately three years. 

  5. Boerum Hill: While we have not yet identified a permanent location for a new Boerum Hill dog run, it is a priority of our office and we are actively evaluating potential sites and pursuing a solution for Boerum Hill dogs. 

Strengthen coordination with Friends of Groups to improve maintenance:

Existing Friends of Dog Run Groups do amazing work to upkeep our district’s dog runs. We will work with new and existing Friends of Groups, and other parks stakeholders to strengthen organizational capacity, recruit volunteers, and co-organize days of action. 

Purchase supplies and materials to improve dog runs:

Our office will continue to work with organizations such as the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance to purchase materials and supplies to improve parks appearance using Council funding. For example, new hemp based ground cover and wind screens for the McCarren dog run were purchased with funds from our Council office. We have committed an additional $30,000 in Council funds to local groups to support improvements and maintenance at dog runs in this fiscal year.

Introduce legislation that will formally make Parks fully responsible for dog run upkeep

It is time for the City to step up and take full responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of dog runs. Depending on informal neighborhood groups, with limited resources is inadequate and leads to varying quality of dog runs from neighborhood to neighborhood. My office is introducing legislation to formally transfer responsibility for dog runs to the Parks department.

Introduce legislation to ensure everyone has access to a dog run:

We are introducing legislation to require the Parks department to identify at least 5 potential spaces for dog runs in every community board - laying the groundwork for the creation of new dog runs. There are currently 84 dog runs on Parks property, of the City’s 59 community boards 23 have no Parks property dog runs and 16 only have 1. This legislation will generate over 100 viable dog run locations across the City of New York.

Specific dog run actions:

  • Adam Yauch - We are working closely with the Willowtown Association to implement interventions using private and public solutions to upgrade this much loved but worn out dog run. Updates to be made include resurfacing to improve ground cover and mitigate drainage issues. More to come! 

  • Hillside Dog Run - We’ll continue to partner with the dynamic Friends of Hillside Dog Run Group to expand existing drainage capacity, organize clean up events, and improve conditions in this beloved dog run. The Parks Department has deployed arborists to prune back trees and will provide mulch and other resources. 

  • McGolrick - My office provided funding for extermination to mitigate the rodent infestation - work began in August 2022 and will continue through the year. Council funds were also used by North Brooklyn Parks Alliance and the local Dogs of McGolrick Park group to purchase materials and supplies for the run such as hemp bedding, windscreens and bulletin boards. We are continuing to provide resources and will work with Dogs of McGolrick Park and NBPA to make sure the run has what it needs to thrive!

Dog runs on State/Private land:

We have communicated our survey findings to the operators of these private and state owned dog runs and will work with those partners to verify and remedy issues raised through the survey. Significant upgrades were made to the Pier 6 dog run this summer, with fence repairs and upgraded turf. Other issues raised, such as lack of water source of Marsha P. Johnson, have been addressed

CONCLUSION

Studies show that pets can reduce stress and have a meaningful impact on the health of their owners. Dogs do so much for us, and they deserve spaces in our community that are well maintained and easily accessible so they’re able to get the socialization and exercise they need.

We’re hopeful that this plan will lead to real improvements in our existing dog runs, strengthen the communities of dog owners, and create more dog runs Citywide.