Yesterday, we posted about an attack by another dog on a dachshund at the popular Dog Beach in Prospect Park. The attack was originally noted in emails posted to the Park Slope Parents group board that were forwarded to us by a reader. The story was later updated and clarified on the Park Slope Forum at brooklynian.com where a reader wrote:
Great news! I just heard that the dachshund actually survived, thanks to Dr Silverman, Animal Kind and the Animal Medical Center. Also that the attacking dog was taken by the police. I hope it will be put down. It was evidently a temporary foster dog and was off-leash swimming at the dog beach during non-offleash hours. There’s the roots of the tragedy.
The Dr. Silverman that is mentioned is Dr. Leonard Silverman at the excellent Prospect Park Animal Clinic, which is relatively close to where the incident happened. There seems to be some disagreement as to the breed of the attacking dog, with original reports being that it was a pit bull. Someone at the Park Slope Forum has identified it as “more like a shepard/terrier mix, but not a pit bull. I realize that pitbulls are terriers, but this had floppy ears, and the jaw was not as square as a pit.” A GL commenter wrote, “I was there. It was NOT a pitbull. So those of you ‘more evidence that pitbulls are bad’ should feel free to retract your insensitive and uninformed comments.”
It would seem that a more general issue is that of potentially dangerous or aggressive dogs (regardless of breed) being allowed to run around without leashes, even at a “dog beach” because they can harm other dogs or attack children and adults. That, however, is an issue that has been widely argued in the past and there are off-leash hours in some parks, including Prospect Park.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Anonymous // Oct 24, 2007 at 6:06 am
Even during “off-leash” hours, the dog is supposed to be under the owner’s control. Which may be determined to be or not be only after the fact.
2 Anonymous // Oct 24, 2007 at 8:59 am
I learned a lot about the way to break up a pit bull fight yesterday b/c of all the posts. Good to know. Not that I’ll try it anytime soon, but still.
3 Anonymous // Oct 24, 2007 at 9:30 am
I love the idea of the dog beach, but it is sort of a waste in my opinion. I very rarely bring my dog to it because once he plays in the water with another dog, he wants to run around, dry off and play outside the water which he cannot do because I won’t let him off leash. This means that the dog beach is only really a feasible option early in the morning or late at night.
Why don’t the just put up a fence and call it a Dog Run, that way all the people around would not have to worry about dogs off leash, and the dogs (plus their owners) could enjoy the beach and have a safe place to play away from the crowds at the park. I can’t believe Prospect Park does not have one anyway.
4 Anonymous // Oct 24, 2007 at 9:52 am
The problem here is not the leash-law. The problem is the foster-owner. If a person is (kindly! generously!) providing a temporary home for an animal, then that’s great. But if that person is unfamiliar with the animal, then it is beyond negligent to let that dog run around freely with other dogs and other people. When it’s your OWN dog which you know and which youve trained, then fine. But a strange new dog? That is just senseless.
Moreover, not only does it put other dogs and people at risk, but it creates an incident which might make some in the community reconsider the leash-law, which is unfair for all dog owners.
5 Anonymous // Oct 24, 2007 at 12:04 pm
glad to hear the little dog survived…animal kind is a great vet.
6 Red Hook // Oct 24, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Maybe… it was just a horrible accident.
Accidents happen. There doesn’t always need to be someone, or something, to blame.
Instead of directing anger, try feeling compassion for how upset the dog walker and dog owner must feel, how upset the attacked dog is and how unstable the dog that attacked was.
Everything these days is blame, blame, blame. Try understanding and compassion and you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel.
7 Anonymous // Oct 25, 2007 at 9:26 am
WOW! THESE DOGS ARE JUST… JUST… ANIMALS!
8 Dachshund Owner // Oct 26, 2007 at 9:08 pm
I am the owner of the dachshund. He is a mini wirehaired named Wolfgang with a gentle and sweet nature. He obviously wanted to live and is alive today. I want to thank, very specifically, Manny Cabezas, who had the skill, wherewithall and passion to run with him when it seemed that all was lost, to the nearest vet. Also, to stay with him and help et him on to the next step, Animalkind and Dr. Patil, who helped to stabilize and keep him going until we got him to the Manhattan Animal Center in Manhattan.
He will probably never go to the park again because I can’t take the chance that he will be put in such a vulnerable position.
For all the innocent animals, children and others this is a travesty.
Thank you all for your concern and your best wishes
Dachshund Owner