Dog Park Resolution Passed!

We did it!

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Town Council meeting Tuesday night. We had a great crowd and it was noticed! Your voices were heard and the resolution passed with support from all 9 Town Councilors (which is unusual). Thank you, also, to everyone who contacted the Town Councilors prior to the meeting. That was a vital element in getting all of their support on this resolution.

For those of you who were not able to attend, hopefully you caught the live broadcast on Channel 5. If not, they will replay it in the next couple of days and we suggest you check it out as the Town Councilors had many nice comments for our group.

So, now the big question is WHAT'S NEXT?

Our understanding is that this will now be assigned to the Community Planning Committee, of which, Joe Verrengia is the Chair. We will work with Mr. Verrengia and the Town Manager, Ron van Winkle, to identify a site for the park. We expect this process will take about 2 months. Once the site is identified, it will be fundraising time. Fundraising is going to be the big challenge for our group and that is the time we are going to desperately need your help and support!

We will keep you up to date as the site selection process moves forward and will certainly let you know how you can help with the fundraising process. In the meantime, if you have any questions or ideas, feel free to contact anyone from the leadership team by emailing us at this address WestHartfordDogPark@gmail.com.

You can also read recaps of the meeting from the Hartford Courant and West Hartford Life.

THANK YOU,

WHDPC Leadership Team

Mandy Pike, President
Liz Buczynski, Vice President
Scott Cieslak, Treasurer
Kim Thomas, Secretary
Caroline Gaetano, Fundraising Chair
Steve Bunin, Public Relations Chair
Lisa Asp, Webmaster

Photograph Courtesy of Lynn Woike

Save the Date - December 8, 2009, 7:30pm

A resolution to identify space for a dog park in West Hartford will be presented at the Town Council meeting on December 8th and we need your support!

The meeting will be at 7:30pm at Town Hall. For this to succeed, we need you there. More information will be distributed shortly, but please go ahead and mark your calendars and plan to attend this important event.

Please select the link below to let us know that you are planning on attending.
http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?event=UJHWHBRBCMNELPOLXJQV&inviteId=TEJZPLMTKKBURBBRMOXG&showPreview=false&x=726904534

Thank you!

"I Do Dog Tricks"

This is the cutest website ever!



Type in a command and see what happens... Sit, roll over, down, stand, sing, dance, shake, fetch, play dead, etc. And...it's also cute if you type in a command that's not recognized...!!
Type in 'Kiss' too, but do it last.

ENJOY!!!!!

Why Everyone Should Have a Dog

Here is a fun little video that's sure to bring a smile to your face! Enjoy.

Pooch Plunge Photos are Online!

We hope you were all able to join us Monday night for our second annual Pooch Plunge!We had twice the attendance as last year, and all dogs and people seemed to have a gret time.

Lisa Asp of Studio 970 Photography was on hand photographing the event. To see the photos and order copies for yourself, please head to our website (www.westhartforddogpark.org), click "enter", then "Photos" at the bottom right of your screen and follow directions on that page.

All orders will be professionally color corrected and printed and 100% of the proceeds from your order will go directly to the West Hartford Dog Park! Feel free to make a donation to the dog park while you're on the order screen.

Please let us know if you have questions. Enjoy!

Dog Swim was a Success

What a perfect night for our second annual "Pooch Plunge"! We had twice the turnout as last year, and both dogs and owners had a blast. Watch the blog for info on how to see photos from this year--all order proceeds will go directly to the West Hartford Dog park Coalition! In the meantime, check out this video from the Pooch Plunge:

Second Annual Pooch Plunge is Scheduled!

Join the West Hartford Dog Park Coalition for our second annual Pooch Plunge! The dog swim event will be held the evening of Monday, August 24th at Kennedy Pool in West Hartford from 5:00pm-7:30pm. Mark your calendar for the best dog event in West Hartford! Admission is just $5.00 per dog. Because this was such a popular event last year, time in the pool will be limited to one hour so all dogs have a chance to swim.


For those who did not participate last year, we hold the event the day after the pool closes for the summer. Dogs are given open access to the pool and get an opportunity to socialize with other area dogs. For pictures from last year's fun event (courtesy of Lisa Asp with Studio 970 Photography), see the slideshow!





Make Sure Your Dog is LicensedPlease note that only dogs with a current town license will be allowed to participate. If you are a West Hartford resident, click here for details on getting your dog licensed.


Event sponsors will be on hand this year, so be sure you visit and thank them for their support! Sponsors will include:
West Hartford Pet Sitters
UberDog
CT Pet Pros

June is Dog License Renewal Month

June is dog license renewal month in Town Clerks' offices throughout the state, and the West Hartford Town Clerk’s Office mailed postcard reminders to over 3,000 dog owners, urging owners to make their pets “legal.”

Town Clerk Essie Labrot says that according to state law, all dogs over 6 months of age must be registered and receive a dog tag annually. The numbered tag serves as identification for any pet that may wander away from home. The annual cost for dog licenses is $19.00 for unaltered animals and $8.00 for neutered or spayed animals.

In addition, all dogs must be vaccinated against rabies and a certificate from the veterinarian must be presented in order to purchase a license. If a pet is being licensed for the first time and has been altered, a certificate from the vet again must be presented.

Applications for dog licenses may be made through the mail or in person at the Town Clerk’s Office. You may reach the Town Clerk's office at (860) 561-7430. The office is located in Town Hall, Room 313, 50 South Main Street. The office hours are Monday and Wednesday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Tuesday, 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Thursday, 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM, and closed Friday.
http://www.west-hartford.com/TownServices/TownDepartments/TownClerk/DogLicenses.htm

Memorial Day Parade

Thanks to everyone who came out to help us march in the parade! It was a great day, the dogs were very well behaved and everyone had a good time. Enjoy the photos...

Rocky Hill Dog Park Spring Fest

Join the Rocky Hill Dog Park in their upcoming fundraiser "Paws for the Park Spring Fest". It will be held at Veteran’s Memorial Amphitheater in Elm Ridge Park, Saturday, May 30 (rain date 6/6), 10:00am–3:00pm. Fox 61's Joe Furey will host the event.

Admission is $10 per person or $20 per family, and dogs are welcome to attend! Activities will include:

Demos (Agility, Service Dogs, K-9, Dancing Dogs)

Pet Psychic

Microchipping

Local Vendors

Adoptable Animals

Dog Tag Engraving

Dog Games and Photos

Food and Beverages

Silent Auction

More information can be found at: http://www.rhparkrec.org/

Please join us to walk in the West Hartford Memorial Day Parade!

We are seeking volunteers (and their four legged friends) to walk in the Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 25th. If you are interested, please respond to this email or contact our leader for this event, Caroline Gaetano at barkeater@sbcglobal.net.

This event was so much fun last year, that we decided it would be a great event to do again this year and a great opportunity for dog park supporters to get together and continue to show the town how much we support this project. We hope to see you there!


Details for the event:
- Well behaved dogs are welcomed to walk with you, but they must be on a leash.
- We will meet at Farmington Avenue, west of Newport Avenue at 9:45am on Monday.
- Please wear your WHDPC green shirt or another green shirt (shirts will also be available for sale for $10).
- Make sure you bring bags to clean up after your dog and water for your pet.

Also, as an update on the dog park, the project is still kickin and has been re-energized through the support of Town Councilor, Joe Verrengia. Joe is working closely with our organization to identify a site for this park and has been extremely supportive. Though we have not finalized a location, a potential site has been identified and is currently being vetted.

As always, we thank you for your continued support of this project. We hope that you will be able to join us on the 25th and display your support to the Town.

Thank you,
West Hartford Dog Park Coalition
Website: http://www.westhartforddogpark.org/
Email: westhartforddogpark@gmail.com

Pet Fundraiser for Our Companions

If you missed having your pet photographed, you can still get in on the fundraiser by voting for your favorite pet. The winner will grace the front of the 2010 Our Companions calendar, with the next 12 inside. Enjoy the slideshow, then visit http://studio970.com to vote!

Cocoa Mulch Warning

Spring had FINALLY sprung! Thank goodness...it's been a
L O N G winter, huh? Now that the flowers have started blooming, many of us are out in our yards and working in our gardens.

If you're on your way to the garden center to pick up some mulch, be careful of the type of mulch you select. Here's an email I received:


"Over the weekend the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. They loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog Calypso decided that the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn't acting lethargic in any way. The next day, Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk . Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died instantly.

Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company's website, this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats. Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that 'It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it'
This Snopes site gives the following information: http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp

Cocoa Mulch , which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores , contains a lethal ingredient called ' Theobromine'. It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker's chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine."

St. Patrick's Day is Tuesday!

Need something green to wear for St. Patty's day? We suggest your West Hartford Dog Park t-shirt! Show your ongoing support for the WHDP, help spread the word, and celebrate your Irish roots (or honorary Irish roots) all at the same time. Enjoy your St. Patrick's Day, and watch for upcoming WHDP activities.

You're Invited!

You and your dog are cordially invited to a West Hartford Dog Park Coalition Yappy Hour . . .

Wednesday, February 18th
6:00pm – 7:30pm
at Three Dog Bakery
967 Farmington Avenue - West Hartford Center

Points of interest:
Donations greatly appreciated
Popular green WHDPC T-shirts will be available for $10
Refreshments available for both dogs and their humans
If you try to join us and it is too crowded, we suggest a stroll around the Center, then stop back!

Contact: Caroline Gaetano – WHDP Coalition Fundraising Chair, 860.521.1940, fundraising@westhartforddogpark.org

It's been a slow winter thus far, but now that the holidays are behind us, the Dog Park Coalition is planning events for the new year. We're hoping for big things this year, and with your help we know we can see some results! Congratulations to the town of Windsor for their newest addition--the article from the Hartford Courant is below...


Woof!

Site Approved For Dog Park In Windsor
By STEVEN GOODE The Hartford Courant
January 8, 2009

WINDSOR — - After two years of searching for a suitable site, proponents of an off-leash dog park in town finally have a home. The town council earlier this week approved a 15,000-square-foot site in the western end of the overflow parking lot at Northwest Park. The council, which approved the proposal 7-2, also appropriated $6,800 from the capital projects fund to develop the park. "I'm not a dog owner, but these places really do flourish," said Mayor Donald Trinks, who estimated that the town has more than 4,500 licensed dogs. The park, which will result in the loss of 35 to 40 overflow parking spaces, is expected to cost about $25,000 to build in two phases. When completed, it will feature a 4-foot-tall fence, dog waste stations and garbage cans, play apparatus, shrubs, shade trees and wood chips.

The first phase of the project — expected to total about $16,000, including a contingency fund — would install about 650 feet of fencing, four waste stations and mulch ground cover. Park advocates will be responsible for funding 40 percent of materials and construction costs for phase one. The remaining costs in the first phase would be shared by the town and the Citizens for a Windsor Dog Park, with the town's construction commitment capped at $4,800. Also, the town is providing the group with $2,000 in seed money to offset costs associated with fundraising, such as printing and postage.

"We've got the land; now we're raising money," said Ina Forman, a founding member of the Windsor Dog Park Committee. The site benefits from plenty of parking, Forman said, but the parcel is much smaller than the 1-acre plot advocates originally envisioned. Forman said the group is hoping people who had committed to the project in its early stages will follow through with their support and that many licensed dog owners in town will contribute. "That would go a huge way," she said. Forman said she expected to solidify plans for a fundraising campaign in a few weeks and was hopeful that the park could open by the fall. Forman can be reached at aliforman@comcast.net.