Sunset Parkers are demanding the neighborhood get its own dog run after Parks Department employees padlocked one of the green space’s few seemingly pet-friendly space.
Photo courtesy of Henry Stewart
Locals’ outcry for a dog park is growing louder after a former seemingly pup-friendly part of Sunset Park was padlocked last week, keeping pet-owners and their dogs out.
Dog owners have had it “ruff” when it comes to getting a dog run in the area. They say they’ve been asking for a dog-friendly green space for years. Though their wishes haven’t been granted, they’d been pacified with a substitute semi-fenced-in area in Sunset Park near 41st Street and Sixth Avenue.
But on March 26, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation put chains and a padlock on it, leaving them with no space to let their four-legged friends run free.
Sunset Park allows for off-leash hours in dedicated park sections, NYC Parks press officer Chris Clark told Brooklyn Paper, but once the agency found out that pets were being allowed to roam free in the fenced-off garden area, Parks put padlocks on the fence to protect the garden.
“We encourage all New Yorkers to take advantage of our parks for fun, play, and relaxation – and that includes our four-legged friends,” Clark told Brooklyn Paper. “At Sunset Park, dog owners and their canine companions can head to the lawn at the center of the park for off-leash hours.”
The lockout has recharged calls for a dog run in the community, or at the least a formal off-leash area in the park — something southern Brooklynites have been formally petitioning for as far back as 2021. Later that year, community leaders joined pet owners at rallies in support of their demand.
For 10+ years the Sunset park community has been fighting for a dog park.
We’re tired of the red tape excuse, and were tired of no one listening. It’s time for #PeoplePower (& #PuppyPower )
Proud to join my neighbors…
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