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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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DAWN'S REPORT ON THE SUCCESSFUL WORK PARTY ON MAY 16, 2009 IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM HAMDEN R-DOG PRESIDENT
A friend has made a video about the Hamden Dog Park and a recent fundraiser at TwoSmilingDogs in Hamden. Watch it on YouTube.
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.
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. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
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).
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DONATIONS NEEDED! The dog park is supported by our citizen's group, Hamden R-DOG. Our main expense is the Dogipot bags; for one year the cost is around $1,200, and we have a few other minor expenses as well. We are rapidly depleting our account and urgently need your tax-deductible donations. You can find donation information here. PLEASE REMEMBER TO READ THE RULES AT THE PARK. LOTS MORE FENCED DOG PARKS COMING TO CONNECTICUT! YOUR HELP IS ALWAYS WELCOME. Middlefield Dog Park is open! Mi-DOG, along with the Town of Middlefield and local Boy Scout Tyler Sibley, is pleased to announce that phase one of the dog park opened in March 2009. Learn more here; contact them at midog@comcast.net, get their brochure here, and a map of the park here (PDF). Extra special: an interview with Tyler and video of the park on WTNH New Haven; click here to go to WTNH. Congratulations, Tyler and Mi-DOG! The Rocky Hill Dog Park Committee is working on a dog park. The 2-acre location in Elm Ridge Park has been designated and fundraising is going on now. They meet the third Wednesday of the month at 6:30pm in the Rocky Hill Community Center. Go to their web site http://www.rhparkrec.org or call 860-258-2772 for information. A group in Cheshire is working on a dog park and has a tentative location. Their meetings are at 7 pm on the third Monday of each month in the Tabor Room of the Park and Recreation Department. Email them with questions or thoughts, or to volunteer, at cheshiredogpark@yahoo.com. A group has formed in early 2009 in Guilford to work towards a dog park. If you would like to be involved, please contact Eileen. North Haven is beginning the process. Their working group meets next on March 5, 2009, from 7 to 9 pm at the Recreation Center, Room 3, on Linsley Street (snow date is March 12). For information about their effort, please call Marilyn at 203-248-6466. Windsor is going to have a dog park! They just got approval from the Town Council, with a site at Northwest Park and partial funding. If you are interested in helping, email Jody and visit their website. 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.
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)! A NEAT SIGN FROM OUR NORTHERN NEIGHBORS...
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T-SHIRTS 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.
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. (Minutes of the April 6, 2009, meeting are here, PDF.)
PETFINDER (HAMDEN ANIMAL SHELTER) 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. HELP WILLY'S FRIENDS First Annual Durham Pet Fair, jointly organized by Durham Veterinary Hospital and Help Willy's Friends. This event will be held at The Durham Veterinary Hospital, Located at 178 Parmalee Hill Road on Sunday, May 17th, 2009 from 11:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. Help Willy's Friends is a non-profit animal welfare charity that collects food, supplies, donations and distributes amongst the community’s animal shelters, rescues, and organizations. Help Willy's Friends not only partners with the community, but also with local businesses and veterinary offices. Help Willy's Friends is a 501(c)(3) publicly-supported charity, that will help more than 40 shelters, rescues and organizations this year and relies heavily on the support of the public and generous volunteers. Details at their website at http://www.HelpWillysFriends.org 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 HAMDEN BUSINESSES FOR OUR PARK Erin Andrianoff owns Little Shop of Howlers Pet Salon and Spa in Hamden and is interested in working with us on future events. Check out her website at http://www.LittleShopOfHowlers.com. 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! doggedhealth see especially sections on safety tips for dog park visits and first aid for dogs
www.dogpark.com
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| 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. |
ENTRANCE TO SMALL DOG AREA 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. |
Improving the quality of life in our town
Hamden R-DOG is a committee of Hamden Community Playground, Inc.