A place for furry friends to play

About 10 members of the Long Island Dog Owners Group, also known as LI-DOG, gathered in a small room at the East Meadow Public Library on Aug. 15 to discuss the ongoing construction of a dog run at Eisenhower Park, near Salisbury Park Drive and Stewart Avenue.

“It looks like everything is going wonderfully,” said Christine Laubis of East Meadow, an LI-DOG volunteer who spearheaded the planning of the dog run, whose construction began last month. Laubis has dreamed of having a grassy plot of land for her now 5-year-old mixed-breed, Casey, since 2007. Since then she has met with Nassau County officials many times. The park, she said, should be completed in September.

The dog run will feature two fenced areas, for small and large breeds, several water fountains, garbage receptacles and shelter from the elements. Richard Infield, who advocated for the Valley Stream dog run that opened in May, said that the county budgeted more than $100,000 for the project at Eisenhower Park.

To help fund it, Laubis and Infield managed to secure Pet Supplies Plus as a sponsor. The company, Laubis said, will provide benches, water fountains and garbage bags at the dog run.

The Valley Stream dog park was a major topic of discussion at the LI-DOG meeting. Infield said that dog owners are no longer visiting the facility because the large rocks on the ground are painful for dogs to walk on. He added that this would not be a problem in East Meadow because the facility will have a grass surface.

The attendees also discussed the importance of dog-park etiquette. According to Rob Frein, who visits the Massapequa Dog Park, owners do not always follow the rules.

“The only issues that we have are dog-owner issues,” said Frein, who rescued a black Labrador mix from the North Shore Animal League. Some owners do not take off their dog’s leashes and fail to pay attention to them, he said, while others don’t bother to pick up after their dogs.

“If you don’t keep the irresponsible dog owners out, they will ruin it for everybody else,” said LI-DOG President Ginny Munger Kahn. She added that teaching and encouraging dog park etiquette is essential to a park’s success.

Frein said that asking “lazy” dog owners to follow the rules has reduced some of the problems in Massapequa. Owners either modified their behavior or did not return after being confronted, he said.

Some attendees questioned how LI-DOG would promote the Eisenhower Park dog run once it opens, but Infield said he was sure that dog owners would find out about it whether or not it’s promoted. “Dog owners are a very loquacious breed,” he said. “The dogs will just come.”

Dog lovers said they are looking forward to frequenting the park with their four-legged friends. “I’ve been waiting since I was told about it being approved over a year ago,” Mike Whitnum wrote on the East Meadow Herald Facebook page. He owns a 7-year-old yellow Lab.

“I live in that area and go past it daily. It’s looking good,” added Bonnie Oettinger Healy, who said she will visit the facility with the tan Labrador mix that she rescued. “Now let’s all hope that all dogs and dog owners will have the proper doggie etiquette to help make this facility a great place to visit with man’s best friend.”

“We’re coming to the finish line,” said Laubis. “Well, hopefully.”