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Welcome to Hamden R-DOG
Hamden, Connecticut
HAMDEN DOG PARK AT BASSETT
OPENED OCTOBER 6, 2002
(If you are hoping to create a dog park in your town,
you can get an overview here of the process that culminated in our success.)
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ANIMAL SHELTER UPDATE AND REPORT FROM THE SPRING MEETING OF R-DOG ON APRIL 2, 2008
Minutes of the meeting are here. Dolores Giannini gave a presentation on the activities to date regarding the Hamden Animal Shelter. This began four years ago with a group that researched other shelters, met with architects and engineers, applied for seed money to pay for initial planning fees, researched and selected a site, and are currently working with the town to apply for the funds to build it. They started another group, Happy Tails, a non-profit group to raise money for equipment, furniture for the community room, medical funds for sick animals, vaccinations/ medical exams for current stray pets, and resuscitation equipment for all fire trucks in town. NEW IN MARCH 2008 The Town of Hamden Animal Control Officer now has a webpage listing dogs needing homes, and those successfully placed. Go to http://www.hamden.com/ and find the Animal Shelter link under the Fire/Police menu item. Thanks to Joanne for taking care of this.
Article about things to do with your dog in Connecticut, including pride-of-place mention of the Hamden Dog Park in Connecticut Magazine, April 2004 (click on the article to increase the size so it's legible).
The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of getting free food donated every day to abused and neglected animals. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "feed an animal in need" for free! This doesn't cost you a thing! Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising.Here's the web site. Pass it along to your friends. http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
Occasionally a particular dog and owner cause problems at the park, such as: the dog attacks other dogs but the owner refuses to take responsibility, despite the posted park rules that state that dogs must be under the owner's control at all times and aggressive dogs are not permitted (please review the full list of rules here). In addition, whether an incident occurs on private or public property, state law makes clear that owners are responsible for any and all damage caused by their dogs to people, property, or other dogs - i.e., if another dog injures your dog and your dog needs professional attention, the other owner should pay your vet bill. |
PLEASE REMEMBER TO READ THE RULES AT THE PARK. MORE FENCED DOG PARKS COMING TO CONNECTICUT Manchester Dog Owners Group (MDOG) formed in April 2008 to work for a dog park. Check out their website and join the group at http://www.MDOGCT.com TDOG (Trumbull Dog Owners Group) has achieved its goal. The Trumbull Dog Park opened in April, 2008. Congratulations, Louise and company! The folks in Enfield are working on organizing a dog park and will welcome your participation. Check it out at http://www.enfielddogpark.com. A Stamford Dog Park is in the works! Get involved and read all about it at http://www.stamforddogpark.com/. We welcome news of Southington's new dog park, fenced and open for use in fall 2006. Contact the Southington Parks and Recreation Department for details. Thanks, Melissa! The Wethersfield Dog Park opened officially with a Leash Cutting Ceremony on October 7, 2006. Website at www.wethersfielddogpark.org. Kathy tells us "your park has been our inspiration and role model for Wethersfield." Our pleasure, Kathy! And many congratulations!!! Granby's new dog park is up and running as of spring 2006! Congratulations to the Granby D.O.G.G.S. Committee for getting the dog park created. Website at http://www.granbydogpark.com. We are thrilled to hear that Norwich now has a dog park! Their Pawsitive Park opened in summer, 2005, and you can see details at their website at http://www.pawsitivepark.com/. Congratulations to Ann and Mindy for spearheading this effort. West Hartford is working towards founding a dog park. Visit their new (2008) website at http://www.westhartforddogpark.org/. They also have a great brochure (click here for a PDF copy). Please email westhartforddogpark@gmail.com or call Tom Buczynski at (860) 983-5778 for more information. Windsor is exploring the possibility of a dog park. If you are interested, email Jody. They've started a website so check that out too. AND FRIENDS ELSEWHERE A new park in Hartford, Vermont, near Hanover, NH, had its grand opening in June, 2008. Leslie has been working very hard on this for several years. She traveled to Connecticut to see the Hamden Dog Park and consult with us, and has used our park as her model. Their website is at http://www.watsondogpark.org/. Congratulations, Leslie and friends! OUR PARK IS LISTED ON A NEW NATIONWIDE SITE There's a new site devoted to listing dog parks nationwide as well as offering interesting articles, news, event listings, and blog space for dog lovers. Take a look at http://www.dog-park-usa.com/. You can go to the site and rate your favorite, the Hamden Dog Park of course (photos are by our own Leo and Eleanor)! |
T-SHIRTS AND OTHER MERCHANDISE The Hamden Dog Park t-shirts are available. Colors are denim blue short-sleeve or black long-sleeve. Check here for details. They are now for sale at TwoSmilingDogs in the Parkway Plaza on Dixwell Avenue, Hamden. You can also purchase gorgeous sweatshirts and bumper stickers with our logo from cafepress.com/hamdenrdog/. A portion of the price goes to support the Hamden Dog Park. These items are of high quality and make great gifts.
Contact Leo
Contact Dawn or Veronica (two of the founding members)
We meet irregularly. Meetings are open to everyone interested in the dog park and our further goals. Contact Dawn to find out when and where the next meeting will be held.
COLLIE RESCUE & VACATION RESORT
For an overview of 2002, the year we realized our vision of the first dog park in Hamden, please read our Annual Report and look at the pictures of park construction and use.
What are they saying about the Dog Park? Read the opinions of sixty visitors and one (dare we mention it?) cat. Henri's own web site is here and features news and views as well as his (funny feline) reports on Dog Park happenings. You can add your opinion by e-mailing Veronica, the webmaster. Tell her at the same time whether you'd like to be added to the Hamden R-DOG e-mail update list. DOG OBEDIENCE AND TRAINING CLASSES Martha Bailey of the Connecticut Valley Dog Training Service offers classes at the North Haven Recreation Center. Check her website for details: http://www.smartydog.com/nhadv.htm SUPPORT FROM A HAMDEN BUSINESS FOR OUR PARK Susan Kordzek and her pet bakery/boutique, TwoSmilingDogs, in the Parkway Plaza on Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, are active in the local community of people concerned with animal issues, including working with the animal control officer and supporting the planned animal shelter and the Hamden Dog Park (she has already shared several fundraising events with R-DOG, such as Photos with Santa and bake sales. You can learn more about her interests at http://www.twosmilingdogs.com/, under About Us. Good luck with your business, Susan! |
| ABOUT THE DOG PARK
The Hamden Dog Park is completely fenced, has a brick path and patio, separate small dog area with separate entrance, benches and picnic tables (mostly for the dogs to play on or under!), a compressed gravel trail, and is accessible to wheelchair users. There are two handicap parking spaces. Take a look at pictures of the site and a work party in 2001. Pictures of everything that happened at the park in 2002 are here. Click here for pictures of dogs doing the usual doggy things in snow. Pictures of the Grand Opening here. Sketch of the park layout here (PDF). Tips for park use. Informational brochures about using the park and also about the effort to create dog parks in Hamden are available in the dispenser on the park bulletin board. New park pictures here.
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WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP AT THE PARK We depend on regular users to check the park and pick up any litter and dog droppings (from their own dogs and also from occasional dogs whose owners haven't yet seen the light). Bring your own pickup bags, but use one of ours if you forget. Please read the rules and observe them. They are intended for your and your dog's safety, and a pleasurable park experience for everyone. View the Dog Park Rules. Remember, the small dog area is primarily for small dogs or for timid dogs visiting the park for the first time. If it is not being used for one of these purposes, it may be used as a time-out area for over-excited dogs. We need to continue to fundraise to cover such expenses as keeping the waste bag dispensers filled, adding amenities such as a water faucet, additional tables, etc. Watch for fundraiser notices at the park every few months. Take a look at some of our past fundraising activities here.
Thanks to the Hamden Dept. of Parks and Recreation for creating a separate, double-gated entrance to the small dog area, which is available for the use of small or timid dogs. The entrance is to the left of the main entrance and will accommodate those whose dogs are uncomfortable with the sometimes rambunctious "welcoming committee" of larger, curious dogs who may gather at the main entrance to greet newcomers. |
LINKS FOR FUN AND INFORMATION
Dog Fancy magazine
www.dogpark.com |
Improving the quality of life in our town
Hamden R-DOG is a committee of Hamden Community Playground, Inc.