because JUST LIKE HUMANS it is vital to the health, safety and well-being of any community that dogs are socialized properly and get plenty of exercise. This is achieved through interaction with other dogs and people of all ages and physical characteristics. We do not live in a perfect world -- there will always be incidents between pedestrians and bicylces, cars and other people (e.g. muggings), And yes,there will always be the very unfortunate, but infrequent dog incident. All we can do is create thoughtful rules, laws and spaces, which the City's existing off-leash policies do an excellent job at.
Anyone who has ever had a dog or experienced off-leash in the park knows that it is a happy, fun, safe place for dogs and people. The idea that this natural activity is a problem is completely ridiculous.
because off-leash hours make my dog happier, healthier and therefore safer! He's a rescued pit-bull from the Mayor's Alliance for Animals, and without these off-leash hours, I woudn't be able to keep him. Unhappy dogs make unhappy owners and unhappy owners fill city shelters with unwanted dogs.
it is so important to be able to let the dogs run and people gather and socialize,,, my dogs are a lot healthier than when they are in enclosed dog runs that are way to unsanitary,,, and the freedom of being able to chase a ball,,, priceless
because dog owners are a large and important part of the community and deserve to use the park with the continued responsibility that they have shown in the past 20 years. Additionally, the ability to exercise the dogs greatly improves their general behavior and safety. Behavior problems will increase not decrease with the elimination of off leash hours.
Dogs and dog owners enjoy NYC and the great opportunity to be in the parks in the morning. It provides community, enjoyment, and sometimes, escape from the buys NYC lifestyle. The parks and the off leash laws make NYC a better place to live.
The off leash law has been successful for many years, and I support this law. Dog owners are respectful of property and need a place to run their dogs. Their presnece in the parks early and late, when otherwise the parks might be emptier, help make the parks safer for all. Don't change the law!
I support this petition as my dog really enjoys the free time she gets in the morning. She is well behaved physically and mentally when she has enough exercise which cannot be possible without this off-leash hour!
NYC has not been kind to its animals. There are less and less places, buildings, stores we can bring out pets to, therefore, it is imperative that we keep the 20-year off-leash policy for dogs in designated areas and at designated times in the parks. It is a very short amount of time every morning and every evening that dogs are allowed in the designated areas. Without this minimal amount of time, I think that quality of life in NYC will deteriorate further. It is a tough city to live in, why make it tougher?
The off leash law has been successful for many years, and I support this law. Dog owners are respectful of property and need a place to run their dogs.
The off leash law for specified times has become an imortant time for both the dogs and their owners.It would be quite traumatic to take away this joy from responsible citizens.
I wholeheartedly support this petition. There are not enough dog runs to exercise dogs adequately in the city, and a well-exercised dog is a well-adjusted and socialized dog. Dogs give us their devotion; let's give back a little.
responsible pet owners know how to engage their dog in proper 'off-leash' manner. It's well understood there are people who just don't like dogs, but there are no dumb dogs, just dumb people. Not everyone is irresponsible.
Because it is a GOOD thing for people, dogs and community. There are so many pro-dog people vs. the low number of anti-dog people, that the anti-dog people have resorted to low and nasty tactics to show their "manufactured evidence that dogs are dangerous" under the pretense that keeping all these dogs on leash will keep communities safe.
--Access to off-leash recreation opportunities encourages people to adopt and socialize thousands of abandoned dogs in NYC each year; --Since there are not enough dog runs available in the City, the off-leash policy enables dogs to get socialized and exercised in designated areas of City parks; -- The off-leash policy is a great compromise for dog owners and non dog-owners who use parks - it's only for certain hours (9pm to closing, and again when parks open until 9am), and only in certain designated locations
I support the petition for the simple reason that I believe that as currently structured and restricted it cannot possibly be said to constitute a threat to safety or order. Possibly the worst behaved, potentially dangerous dogs I have ever met (I grew up with and around dogs) were those whose freedom was most sharply curtailed. No one here is suggesting that dogs roam the streets in the manner of Sacred Cows, but rather that they have opportunity to avail of areas of parkland to move unfettered...which was, I thought, one of the purposes of parkland for humans, really. And dogs tend to behave better, in truth.
Dogs need off-leash time, whether in parks at off-hours or in dog parks, in order to have the opportunity to be well socialized and exercised, thus reducing aggressive tendencies.
Dogs and dog-owners are a positive presence on the streets and in the Parks and as such are deterrents to crime.
I trust that people who have their dogs off of the leash act responsibly for the safety of their dogs and other people. There are more important "rules" to be doled out in this city such as environmental fines for acting irresponsibly toward the environment.
support this petition because it dogs need some free time in nature in order to smell the flowers and be able to interact with other dogs and human beings.
I support this petition. The Off-leash program helps to make this hard-edged city more humane--and not just for the dogs & their "owners"--but for the harried, hurried New Yorkers who get to catch quick sight of happy canine creatures at play! It's free, fun and downright therapeutic!
I extremely support this petition, Dogs are animals and they need to run and exercise. IF you deprive a dog from a run and exercising, they you are really creating a problem. You don't want New Yorkers with stressed out dogs, cranky dogs woth tension and bad temper. That would be really dangerous. Off Leash has proved, that dog behave very well adn they haven't cause any danger or problem, humans do.
