Breaking News:
NYC Health Board Hearing Held Nov 1st. Decision
to Amend the "Leash Law" Now Up to the Health Board.
Background A brief review of what
got us to this point:
• In May 2006, a small Queens civic association filed a lawsuit in
State Supreme Court seeking to end the successful 20-year policy of allowing
dogs off-leash during the limited hours of 9pm-closing, and opening to
9am in designated locations in NYC parks that donít have a dog run.
• On August 29, 2006 the case was heard in State Supreme Court and
the judge has said he would rule in the case. Typically, rulings are issued
within 12 weeks of hearing oral argument.
• In September 2006, the NYC Parks Department asked the NYC Health
Department to amend Article 161.05 of the Health Code (commonly called
the "Leash Law") to clarify the power of the NYC Parks Commissioner
to allow dogs off the leash as per Section 1-04 of the Parks regulations
(Click here to view the Health and Parks regulations). The Health Department
began the amendment process by publishing their proposed amendments (Click
here to view the proposed amendments.)
• If the Health Board passes the proposed amendments to the "Leash
Law", clarifying the power of the NYC Parks Commissioner, it will
likely render any legal judgment from the State Supreme Court moot. Most
likely, the judge wouldnít even issue a ruling.
Health Board Hearing On November 1st, 2006 the NYC Health Board held a
public hearing from 2pm-5pm at the Health Department at 125 Worth Street
in Manhattan. The NYC Health Board is a group of public health professionals
that work for the NYC Health Department who have the power to amend the
City Health Code.
Prior to the 2pm hearing, the New
York Council of Dog Owner Groups (NYCdog.org)
held a news conference in Foley Square Park, across the street from the
Health Department. TV crews and reporters from NY1, CBS, NBC, FOX, UPN,
Daily News, 1010WINS, and 880 WCBS Radio attended, in addition to several
other smaller news outlets. NY City Council Member Gale A. Brewer, among
others, spoke at the NYCdog press conference strongly in favor of the
proposed amendments. News coverage has been extensive and generally supportive
of the amendments.
Inside the Health Department 2nd floor auditorium, the Health Board brought
the hearing to order at exactly 2pm. Health Department Commissioner Thomas
Frieden, a supporter of the amendments, attended part of the hearing...
[ read
full article on NYC Offleash ]
 |
Parvene Farhoody, a noted animal behaviorist from Manhattan, is interviewed by the news media at the NYCdog press conference. Inside the Health Board hearing Ms. Farhoody spoke strongly in favor of preserving and strengthening the park Offleash Hours policy. |
# # #
Parvene Farhoody provides private consultation with pet owners every day,
instructing them in how to be attentive, engaged, and effective with their
pets, for a whole new relationship with the animals they love most. She
owns and operates Behavior Matters, Inc., an Animal Behavior Consulting
and Training service in New York City. She is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer
(CPDT), Vice President of the Certification
Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), as well as a Certified
Animal Behavior Consultant (CABC) and a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant
(CDBC) through the International
Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Ms. Farhoody holds a Diploma
of Canine Behavior from Cynology College. She is Assess-A-Pet and Train-to-Adopt
Certified by the Community Animal Shelter Association for both evaluating
rescue dogs for placement and teaching staff and volunteers at rescue
facilities about quality-of-life issues for rescue dogs. In addition to
consulting with shelters, volunteer groups, professional trainers, and
the public, Parvene has been featured on local and national television-The
Learning Channel and NickelodeonJr. For more information on The Protected
Pet Initiative, Parvene Farhoody or Behavior Matters, Inc. please visit
www.behaviormatters.com
or call 718.424.7556.