Frenchtown River Dogs

The Riverdogs will be setting up a booth at the Green Fair next Saturday the 29th.

Sunday September 2nd is Frenchtown’s annual Riverfest celebration and this year’s theme is: “Going to the Dogs”. Of course this is the optimistic thinking we need and the Frenchtown Riverdogs will be setting up a table at Riverfest to make our mission know to the world!

We still need a few volunteers to meet and greet the public during Sunday afternoon, so get in touch if you have time , or just drop by to say hello and offer support. We will be set up in front of Garbo and Sasha / Pardon My French at 10 Bridge St.

If perchance you won’t be in town this weekend, don’t forget to drop in on the Frenchtown Green Fair coming September 29th at the Old Frenchtown Field. We’ll be there promoting our cause for a sustainable future when it includes Humane Education and consideration toward our four legged companions!

For more information regarding these and other Frenchtown events, go to

http://frenchtownboro.com/

and on another note, (enjoy):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFzWJ6P2iyY&feature=player_embedded

Just posted on my facebook:

Please keep a look out for this lost dog. She might be wandering around in the Flemington area.

click here for details:

lost dog in Flemington NJ area

The Frenchtown Riverdogs has been invited to participate in a “Bark Festival” this coming Saturday at the Old Frenchtown Field. Maybe you’ve seen this flyer around town:

Got Dogs?

Come to the Frenchtown Bark Festival!

Celebrate dogs and the Frenchtown Dog Park on July 28th!  Come to Old Frenchtown Field from 10:00 to 5:00 to enjoy dog games and contests, look at dog-related vendors and find out more about the Frenchtown Dog Park!

Well, this entire event has been organized by Alissa Szeplaki for her Girl Scout merit award, and she’s donated 14 , hand made, one of a kind, couture doggie coats in support of the Riverdog cause!

Of course we don’t have a dog park yet and we’re not even certain of the Old Frenchtown Field as a location, (we’re still waiting for the Green Acres office of the DEP to pre-approve our proposal), but with this kind of support the future looks bright!

Drop by Saturday and visit with some dogs; adopt a dog, (Lulu’s dog rescue will be there); have your dog tested for her Canine Good Citizen badge; or just come and have a hot dog!

For all of you who have been waiting on the edge of your seat for an update about last Thursday’s meet and greet the public, appologies for being a bit behind schedule with a report.

Just to remind all, this meeting was held to update and inform concerned individuals about what the Riverdogs propose for a section of the Old Frenchtown Field, which we have researched and found to be the only viable location for a dog park.

Our proposed lease agreement is still under review by the state and it must be accepted that on this level of government, nothing moves quickly.

The meeting was energetic, and productive. Hopefully the issues of safety, noise, sanitation and aesthetics were addressed with examples of government endorsement, (DEP / Green Acres), from many areas in NJ. (As well as the rest of the country).

Arising from the Board of Education were concerns about the hazard of vicious dogs accidentally escaping and attacking children.

While it’s our contention that fewer loose dogs will be seen once the park is created, another hazard, currently overlooked, will be largely abated.

Being a semi wild area, the Old Frenchtown Field hosts frequent visitations from deer, skunk, possum, raccoon, mice, rats, snakes, and so forth. The fecal gifts of these wild animals is harmless for the most part, maybe a bit messy when soccer balls roll through it, but it’s not unknown for deer to transmit E. Coli in their droppings. Also are the concerns of NJ Fish and Wildlife officials who now estimate the state population of coyotes to be close to double that of black bear at around 5000. They’ve been seen and heard as close as half way to Milford, and are known as extreme opportunists when it comes to food and can be nasty vermin.

As most dog owners can testify, most wild animals, (as well as postmen and meter readers), avoid areas which are frequented by dogs. If we place a dog park in this area, the wild life visits will be inevitably reduced.

The Board of Education, in response to the threat of our domestic companions playing in a regulated park in proximity to children, suggests instituting an indemnification waiver for parents consent to allow their kids to participate in PE and sports in the field. The proposal suggests that if any parent disallows their child from participating due to fear of dogs, then all the children in that class will be prevented from participating in activities in the field. In addition to this practice having no precedent, it’s radically different from earlier conversations with the school PE teacher, the Board of Ed. President and the school Principal.

What we would consider more appropriate is compromise by simply coordinating the dates and times of school athletics, and close the park.

Thanks to everyone who came out to ask questions, offer wisdom, or just lend support. Special thanks to Marisa Tiberi for the outstanding graphics, which served as an educational focal point throughout the evening! And again, if your receiving this email twice, also through our Riverdog website: www.frenchtownnjdogpark.org , eventually updates will only be sent out from the website and so don’t forget to go the site, subscribe, and important!- confirm your subscription!

and FYI, an interesting (and germane) study:

http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2012/06/study-dog-dander-protects-children-from-common-cold-virus-and-asthma/

The following invitation / bulletin will be seen in various media over the next few weeks, which invites the public at large to comment about the Frenchtown Riverdog’s attempts to further evolve and civilize the Frenchtown community with the creation of an off leash, dog socialization park at the Old Frenchtown Field.
Anyone who has time, interest, spirit and/or an opinion about our desire to dedicate a small piece of Frenchtown for our canine friends is encouraged to attend!

"An information session will be held at Frenchtown Borough Hall on Thursday, June 21, at 7:00 pm. to share updates on the proposal to create a dog park at Old Frenchtown Field. The Frenchtown Parks Committee, Frenchtown River Dogs, and the Frenchtown Elementary School Superintendent and Board of Education President will be in attendance to address comments and questions from the public. A copy of the original proposal is available for review on the Frenchtown River Dogs website, http://frenchtownnjdogpark.org/ If you would like to submit comments or questions prior to the meeting, please email them to Councilwoman Cathy Leach at cleach@frenchtownboro.com

Lost German Shepherd 5/23/2012, 1154 Route 12, Frenchtown – Celtic Run Farm.   His name is Shadow, he’s about 2.5, friendly but timid.  No collar, microchipped.  Ran off about 7pm tonight.  Heartbroken  Please pass the word and call 201-306-1661 if anyone knows where he may be.  State Police notified as well.  THANK YOU!

UPDATE May 24th

Great news!

Shadow was found by Kingwood animal control officer: Tracy Fleming. He was found outside Frenchtown and was returned home this morning.

Many, many thanks to all those who helped out this big weekend at our Riverdog booth, as we advantaged ourselves of the thousands who came to Liz Gilbert’s book signing! (And thanks also to those many Riverdog people who wanted to help, but had other commitments).

We managed to raise almost $400.00 dollars from T-shirts and donations, especially cool considering that most donors this weekend were from out of town.

Did I mention we have some awesome new summer colors for our Riverdog T-shirts? You can check them out at Yellow Dog Pet Supply or Two Buttons, and starting in a few weeks, Janet at Yellow Dog has offered a space for a Riverdog tabl, in front of her store, where we can establish more of a regular weekend presence with our literature and shirts!

I must add, on a sober note, that it continues to be fascinating, (to me anyway), to engage with people who are adamantly opposed to our purpose- individuals who are convinced that dog parks are unsightly, noisy, smelly blights upon any community. Other than those who don’t read our literature and complain about inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars, (why are we selling T-shirts)?, I’ve come to understand more of the point of view of “non-dog people”, when they complain of unsightly, mosquito and parasite breeding dog feces, strewn about the river path, front yards, roadways and sidewalks.

This is a great lesson.

Just as I believe there are very few misbehaving dogs, but rather many  inappropriately behaving / miscommunicating owners, I would say that as dog owners, we are responsible for the impression / opinion which the rest of the world develops about our dearly beloved companions. When our non dog owning neighbors see nothing of our dog’s loyalty, unconditional love, unswerving companionship and dedication, but instead see only a pile of rancid excrement on their front yard, how can we fault them for being wary, or outright antagonistic about a park which may bring nothing but more of the same?

Don’t add fuel to the fire of the opponents of a Frenchtown dog park, (and don’t offer food to mosquito larva),- always pick up after your dog!

This coming Saturday and Sunday, May 19th and 20th, the Riverdogs has been invited to participate in the “all town” celebration of the republication of Elizabeth Gilbert’s great grandmother’s 1947 cookbook: “At Home On The Range”. Liz will be doing a book signing at Two Buttons from 1 to 3 pm both days. We’ve been invited to set up a table outdoors, sell some T-shirts and smooze with the public about the mission of the Frenchtown Riverdogs!

The Frenchtown Riverdogs had their first fundraiser at the Frenchtown Riverfest over the labor day weekend and it was a great success selling over $700.00 in tee shirts! A big thank-you to all that came out to support the Riverdog’s goal of establishing a great dog park in Frenchtown, N.J. A very special thanks to Molly Sumner for providing her time and educational materials relating to our canine buddies. Molly also provided Canine Good Citizen testing to 10 dogs or more! Also a bigs thanks to Elise Pear, Eileen Lewis and Skye Van Saun for donating their time at the booth!

Just a few pictures from the days events !

Bodhi checking things out!

A happy new Riverdog tee shirt owner

Molly’s therapy “fox”, Saphira  (Shiba Inu)

Diane’s pooch

Inspecting the tee shirts

Today was the grand opening of the Readington Dog Park- our next door neighbor, right here in Hunterdon!

Readington dog park founder Kevin DIvine has assisted with much of our own preliminary dog park proposal work.

The happy canines bounding in all directions at the one acre park must have been very satisfying for the makers to see- especially after all the hard work which went into creating, this tribute of human consideration toward his closest ally.

The event welcomed sponsors, pet related vendors, veterenary clinics and animal rescue groups.

Ambassador Milo reposes after extensive congratulations to his fellow canines.

at the Unionville Great Wine and Vineyard walk!

We made our mission known to the many visitors to the Unionville winery on Sunday- why, how, where and hopefully when a dog park might come to Frenchtown.

It was such a pleasure to see so many beautiful Greyhounds, all rescued and /or fostered from a life of racing for a living. The dogs who visited owe their their present “good life” to the indefatigable efforts of the Greyhound Friends of NJ- one of the many groups who work so hard to find these majestic dogs forever homes.

…and for a brief update about our own efforts to create a Frenchtowndog park:

the Frenchtown Parks Committee has reviewed our proposal for a dog park and with a little tweaking of details, has agreed to vote in favor of it’s procedure before town Council 11/2.

This is great news!

We need to rally and have a general meeting to establish a game plan for the upcoming year. Especially in the arena of fundraising and outreach committees and activities. Please respond with suggestions and ideas by subscribing to our website.

Even if you have no suggestions or input right now, please  subscribe to be kept informed about the activities of the Frenchtown Riverdogs- making a dog park right here in FrenchtownNJ!

Winter's Back- Hurray!

Hi Everybody,

Mark your calendars and come on out to a meeting of the Frenchtown Riverdogs!

Monday November 14th, 7:30 pm at a location to be confirmed. (I’ll try to reserve the Borough Hall as we’ve done in the past, but that’s not for sure at this point). Quite a few people have requested earlier in the week and so we’ll see if a Monday works better than Thursday as we were using for a while.

I’ll post an agenda for our meeting in a week or so, once it’s finalized- any and all suggestions for discussion and / or action plans are welcomed, just let me know. Send your ideas for topics back here so we can share with the rest of our group.

Near the top of our list needs be the creation of a fundraising committee and the establishment of long term goals. Mindful of our mission statement of public education concerning canine “citizens”, an outreach / education committee may also be able to work creatively with fundraising activities.

There’ll be more specifics on the agenda, but in the mean time the big question on everyone’s mind is: “Where will the park be located? What’s up with the official approvals and legalities? When will the fence go up somewhere?”Well, I wish I could say in a nutshell, but I can’t. (I could give you an idea outside of a nutshell, but that would exclude the nuts and we can’t do that).

If you want an idea of what might be happening, come tomorrow night to the meeting of the Frenchtown Council at the Borough Hall, 29 2nd St., 7:30 pm.

All citizens should always come to these meetings on the 1st Wednesday of every month in order to be better informed about the way their community is being run and to inform those who are struggling to run it, about how it might be run better.

Tomorrow night, a resolution of the Parks Committee will, (to the best of my knowledge- it’s on the agenda), be officially presented to the Town Council, approving the proposal of the Frenchtown Riverdogs for a dog park, but less the certainty of our proposed location at the Old Frenchtown Field. There still seems to be some issues surrounding that location, despite our considerable research, our courteous inquiries and lack of reasonable options. This will, I believe, be resolved soon.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our website: www.frenchtownnjdogpark.org, so that eventually we will not need this mailing list. (Apologies if you recieve this notice twice- if you are already subscribed to the website and email.

Of course no one need’s reminding- November 8th is election day. Remember the only thing worse than not making the difference you wanted, is not making any difference at all.

ciao,

Hello Riverdog Supporters,

Hi Everyone,

I’ve had a number of requests to change our scheduled Monday night meeting to Tuesday, November 15th, 7:30 pm, and still at the Borough Hall.

The location will be confirmed toward the end of next week so check back in to the web site occasionally.  If your recieving this update via email, the website address is :

frenchtownnjdogpark.org

We have a lot to talk about along with several action committees to establish. As always, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your ideas and suggestions and we’ll put then on our agenda.

The town Council meeting the other night brought a unanimous vote from the Council of the Park Committee’s resolution to support the creation of a dog park here in the Borough- but the location remains uncertain.

Even though we may have thought we were a bit further along in scrutinizing all of the few areas in town for an appropriate location, that’s ok.

We all know that the value of something is directly proportionate to what you pay for it. We’ll just have to pay with a bit more patience.

And for all you responsible dog owners who are keeping up with the latest revelations in Evolutionary Biology as well as  Comparative Neuroanatomy, check this out:

Do Animals Know Right From Wrong?

See y’all Tues, the 15th,

and don’t forget to vote!

Our meeting for Tuesday, November 15th, at 7:30 pm is on, BUT THE LOCATION HAS CHANGED!, Since the borough hall is  not available we’ll meet at 501 Harrison Street, N/W corner of 5th Street and Harrison. Watch for the enchanting star shaped porch lights, (Liz Gilbert’s guest house- thanks Liz), and come to the entrance on the South side of the porch.

A guy was looking at the classified ads in Florida and saw an ad that says “Talking Dog $20.” So he goes to the house listed in the ad and asks the owner what the deal was with the talking dog.  The owner said he was in the back bedroom.

Sitting on a bed with a tv remote in hand, the dog looks up and says, “Hey, how you doing?”

The guy is flabbergasted, “You’re really a talking dog! What heck are you doing here in Florida?”

“Well,” the dog says, “let me tell you.”

“I was at Ground Zero on 9/11 and helped save people who were buried in the debris. Then I was in the Gulf War for a while bringing medicine to injured soldiers. Then I helped sniff for terrorist bombs at the JFK. Then I was on Broadway in Riverdance. Then I helped patrol the border and sniff out drug runners before my partner got shot. It all just got to be too much.  So I retired down here.”

The guy goes out into the other room and says, “This is amazing. How can you sell a dog like that for only twenty dollars?”

The owner replies loud enough for the dog in the other room to hear, “Cause he’s a BIG LIAR!”

An invitation is offered to Frenchtown NJ residents, as well as those of the surrounding area, who may have questions or comments about the matter of the creation of a local dog park. Extensive consideration is being made regarding the suitability of the following locations:

The western edge of The Old Frenchtown Field. (Harrison and 10th to 12th Streets.)

The east and or north sides of the Frenchtown Borough Park. (just off Creek Road).

The riverside edge of the future sewage treatment plant. (South end of River Road).

The riverside tract donated by the developer George Michael on the north side of Bridge Street and to the riverside of the walking path.

The Frenchtown Riverdogs, Inc, a not for profit corporation, represents a large number of local dog owners who are desirous of creating, maintaining and promoting the communal benefits of a fenced, legal off leash area for dogs and their guardians. Frenchtown Riverdogs President, Michael Flood will address inquiries at the Frenchtown Borough Hall, Tuesday, November 22,  at 7:30pm.

Some may ask why talk about dog park etiquette well in advance of the opening of our park here in Frenchtown?

Well although we’re making great progress in establishing an area in Frenchtown for our park, more to the point is the opening of a new and nearby off leash area- just a few miles out of town in Horseshoe Bend Park, in Kingwood Township. (Directions and details are available on the Kingwood web site).

This 7+ acre, “Off Leash Dog Area” is found within a beautiful tract of hundreds of acres of what was once equestrian farms, and is now open for the public’s enjoyment. More and more people are discovering this huge, beautiful area to let their dogs run.

Be advised however, this magnanimous offering relies completely on the good judgement and conscientiousness of those who visit (and not their four legged charges).

Of course foremost on the subject of dog park etiquette is the understanding that dog waste is not good fertilizer- regardless of the size of the property, it can spread disease, does not feel good to squish underfoot and track back home into the house.

There are presently no poop bags provided, or trashcans. Come prepared with your own bags and carry it out.

Provide your own drinking water- this area will be very hot in the summer and offers no shade.

Make sure that your dog is up to date on immunizations and of course always try to learn more about canine language. Sometimes it may seem as though a dog is enjoying him or herself, but may be stressing because of other, overly assertive dogs. Not all dogs enjoy each other’s company… Just like us.

Always pay attention to what you dog’s up to. This can be a challenge in a park of this size, but a great way to keep fit!

Raptors are beautiful but also present a real threat to little dogs. The other day I saw a fledgling bald eagle sitting on a fence post at this park. He was waiting for an unsuspecting ground hog or rabbit for breakfast. I’m sure a Chihuahua would suffice.

Ground hogs will present less of problem however, after this weekend’s labors by Kingwood resident volunteers, who with their tractors, rounded up and filled in dozens and dozens of holes. Click on the video below for a quick and sketchy little peek at their work.

A reminder:

RiverDog meeting next Wednesday April 11th, (which is the 2nd Wednesday of the month), at 501 Harrison St., 7:00pm.

As we continue to lay the groundwork for a sustainable community organization, we need a firm commitment from individuals, however modest, to help with various aspects of creating an off-leash area here in Frenchtown.

On the agenda will be various committee appointments. ie: Fundraising, Community Education, Public Outreach, and Park Location.

Email if you have any new or interesting subjects to add to the agenda, and most certainly if you can’t attend, call or email to join a committee!

Dutch and Sati can’t wait for a dog park…

The Frenchtown Riverdogs are saddened  to learn of the passing of Chuck Quinlan, devoted advocate of the Frenchtown Riverdogs and as his future daughter-in-law Missy says: “ He was always about ‘all things dog’.”

Most days, Chuck and his wife Sue would come down to Frenchtown from Milford to walk their Golden- Cooper by the River.

Our Riverdog mascot, Milo knows Cooper well as he did basic obediance training with him a few years back.

Chuck’s family has decided that it would have been his wish to offer any memorial in the form of a donation to the cause of the Frenchtown Riverdogs. This is sincerely appreciated and may be done online or to our P.O. box.

Our sympathies and condolences go out to Chuck’s family and of course to Cooper as well.

A link to Chuck’s obituary may be found here:

http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2012/04/dr_charles_quinlan_retired_exx.html

April showers bring May… dogparks?

Well, maybe not May, but we’re making some progress toward our goal of creating a dogpark here in Frenchtown.

At present, our draft lease proposal is before the Green Acres office of the D.E.P., who’s approval is required for our stewardship of the area within the Old Frenchtown Field.

It’s hard to know how long this process might take, but in the meantime our last meeting was directed toward recruiting time from people for various committees.

These committees are small, often meeting on an ad hoc basis, and as always, all are welcome. For example Molly Sumner and I will be meeting at 7:00 on Friday, May 7th at a location to be determined to discuss educational opportunities which the Riverdogs might implement here in town.

On the fundraising front, we might be having a T shirt sale on May 19th and 20th. (It will be a busy weekend in town with Liz Gilbert’s book signing of the republishing of her grandmother’s cookbook: “At Home on the Range”). We might need some help to sit at tables for an hour or two during the weekend. If your available, or have some ideas, just get in touch.

We could still use a committed volunteer to help liaise with the Green Team and document efforts toward promoting sustainable, Humane Education here in Frenchtown.

We’ll keep you posted.