The person who submitted this has asked to remain anonymous. The content has been lightly edited for purposes of grammar and clarity. Feel free to leave a comment below, but please keep it civil.
Riverside park is truly a hidden gem in the city. While Central Park serves tourists and locals, Riverside is reserved more for west side New Yorkers. Despite some rise in crime, the park remains a family favorite, with some outdated playgrounds scattered along the way.
But my children, 4 and 7 year olds, shudder when I mention going to Riverside park.
We live on West End Ave and consider Riverside Park our backyard. However, many dog owners have recently been letting their dogs go leash-less in the park. Indeed, Riverside is fabulous for dogs as well, and has dog parks for them to run free in. Possibly because of the neighborhood feel, some owners feel more comfortable letting their dogs run free throughout the park, despite the clearly outlined rules about it.
Most people follow the rules and keep their dogs leashed. But if you walk down any path in the morning, you’ll find multiple dogs running off leash. Sometimes, large groups of them take over areas that are not designed for dogs, though you’d think they were by the looks of it.
The other day, a huge dog jumped the gate to one of the Tot Lot playgrounds and ran free as children half its size played. My children no longer want to go to Riverside park. They are simply afraid.
From the looks of things, this “unleashed” behavior is coming from responsible dog owners. These are dog owners who clean up after their dogs, as opposed to many others on the streets of NY who clearly don’t. Maybe COVID has made everyone more lax about rules which feel trivial – or maybe these rules are simply no longer enforced as they once were. But I beg, for the sake of having a safe park for all, please follow the rules and leash your dogs.
Certainly dog owners should not have their dogs unleashed if their dogs are running after children on scooters, and I’m sorry to hear about the experience of this person and their kids.
One minor clarification for those reading the post who may not know the rules, though: dogs are allowed off leash before 9am and after 9pm in certain parts of Riverside park, which is a great joy for those of us who have dogs and live nearby.
This is factually incorrect. Dogs must be on a leash at all times when in the park, except for designated areas. Here it is on the NYC Parks website.
“Dogs must be on a leash (no more than six feet long) at all times, except in dog runs and designated off-leash areas at the prescribed times.”
https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/dogareas#:~:text=Dogs%20must%20be%20on%20a,%2C%20squirrels%2C%20and%20other%20animals.
For as much have people have enjoyed telling each other about the 9 o’clock norm, it has never been true in the last 15 years.
But the same website you link to also says this:
Designated Off-Leash Areas: Some park areas allow dogs to be off leash from the time the park opens until 9:00 a.m. and from 9:00 p.m. until the park closes. The off-leash policy in certain parks may be subject to changes in consideration of resident or transient wildlife.
Designated Off-leash Areas. That’s pretty clear.
I said “certain parts of Riverside park”. The designated off leash areas are well specified on maps throughout the park and are most certainly not limited to just the dog runs. Annoyingly there are some discrepancies between the maps and the signage but not many
it is factually correct, he said “certain”
He said “certain areas” I don’t see how that is factually incorrect… we take our dog to off leash hours between 79th and 83rd street every morning. This is a designated offleash area before 9am and after 9pm. There are paths around the off leash areas pedestrians can walk if they don’t want to encounter an offleash dog – either the sidewalk on the street or along the river.
You can ask any parks person or look at the link with map posted in comments below.
Being part of a community means that everyone should be aware of the rules rather than assuming the other aide is wrong. If you are ever unsure the parks people meet every Thursday at 8am at 81st in riverside park – they are very nice and can clarify what areas dogs are allowed off leash if you are trying to avoid them.
Here is the map:
http://nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/vt_riverside_park/images/dog_owners_guide_riverside_park.pdf
THANK YOU FOR THE MAP. I WAS WALKING WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD ON THE BOULEVARD IN RS PARK NORTH OF 104 AND SOMEONE’S LARGE DOG CAME RUNNING FAST TOWARDS MY SON, WE WERE ABOUT 12′ AWAY. I ASKED THEM TO STOP THEIR ANIMAL AND THEY JUST SAID, ‘DON’T WORRY, HE WON’T HURT YOU’. (THE DOG WAS OFF LEASH). I LOVE ANIMALS, BUT I DON’T WANT TO INTERACT WITH THEM EXCEPT AT MY BEHEST AND WITHIN MY OWN HOME, ETC. I GRIPE AT BIKE RIDERS TOO WHO COME BARRELING DOWN THE ENTRANCES TO RSPARK , PAST THE NO BIKE SIGNS. LET’S RESPECT EACHOTHER.
“Rules are for other people” is the mantra of modern America.
We’ve become a nation of entitled, spoiled, children.
I’m a dog trainer, and highly discourage dogs being off-leash. That being said, all parents should teach their children to get off the scooter and walk when approaching a dog. Dogs can be very reactive to things on wheels (scooters, skateboards, roller bladers), and training a fog not to react to such things is not a part of standard puppy/dog training, and requires specialty behavior tweaking that many owners, even responsible dogs owners and their dogs do not receive. Parents should be just as proactive as dog owners in ensure these kinds of unfortunate interactions don’t occur.
Agree, it’s part of childhood to learn to deal with dogs and parents can use it as a teaching opportunity instead of caving into fear. I get it that a dog can be scary but I grew up with stray dogs and learned what to do around them. Animals should be part of life not avoided
Honest question: Why should kids have to be taught to change their way of scooting or biking, just because dogs are reactive? It should be up to the owner of the dog to keep it away from the kid. I don’t think kids should be expected to get off their bike and tiptoe around every dog in a park. Learning to deal with dogs in general is fine, but that’s just too much. The park is intended for humans first, not for dogs, cats, rabbits, and other domesticated animals.
the off leash times at riverside take place further uptown, not along west end.
I’ve seen this trend also. new dog owners who don’t understand leash laws and why they exist.
They say “oh I know my dog is harmless” but how do they know how my leashed dog or a leashed blind or deaf dog will react to a sudden unexpected bump ? let alone frightened children who will forever be afraid of the dog even though it just meant a friendly crotch slobber. how should we remedy this?
Where do you mean when you say West End and uptown?
As far as I know, the first off leash area heading uptown is the unfenced area between 79th and the start of the first promenade. The fenced off areas are excluded.
correct. west end stops around 72nd
Is this a thing? I assume you’re not referring to West End Ave., which goes up to 107th. I’ve lived on the UWS for 10 years and never heard of an area called “West End” that only goes up to 72nd.
Have others heard this?
Yes that’s true and there is a sign and a map located on the walkway down into Riverside where you enter on 84th street. There are designated areas before 9 am and after 9 pm
Same thing happens in Central Park. I was knocked down by an off-leash dog in an area that is never “off-leash” and, in any event, after unleashed hours. Dog owners should be responsible for injuries and should, as a matter of course, obey the rules. If you don’t like them, don’t have a dog in the city.
I always say that about people who don’t clean up after their dogs on the sidewalk. If you can’t pick up whatever it is, you should lose your right to own a dog in NYC.
I endorse this writer’s views. Not a child, I walk with a cane. One afternoon, I was nearly knocked over by unleashed dogs cavorting and chasing each other while I was walking on the promenade in Riverside Park between 83rd and 88th Sts. The owners looked like responsible people but seemed not to care that they were breaking the law, or that their dogs were creating a hazard for people walking on the promenade. There are signs up, but people don’t pay attention to them.
One might ask what “responsible people” look like, but we all realize you mean white people who do not appear to be homeless.
So if someone is senior-to-elderly, or simply disabled and getting around with a cane/wheelchair, etc., it’s ok for them to be knocked over or otherwise harassed as long as they are white. Because they are obviously “privileged.” Got it. Incredibly ableist of you.
No, saying “owners looked like responsible people” is a judgment about people based on their appearances, which is a recipe for bias and discrimination. What does it mean to “look responsible”? Many people, myself included, would find a likely racial hint or tinge to that, and we should point out that language.
Pointing out biased language isn’t ableist, because it in no way excuses what happened to Dana, which is of course unacceptable.
Anonymous’ remarks are completely justified.
My dog and I are frequently – a few times a day – in Riverside Park, never ever off-leash. Our dog is friendly and likes to say hello to everybody – but not everybody wants a dog greeting them. That is their prerogative. Humans first, then dogs. Dog-owners – exercise discretion!
It is unfortunate that your children have become fearful of dogs as a result of their unfortunate experiences. They can learn to interact with dogs – if and when they choose to. Kids first, then dogs.
Off-leash dogs can also have a negative effect on leashed dogs.
There is no reason – none – for a dog to be off-leash in the park other than in the places and during the hours when it is permitted.
There are excellent doggie playgrounds in the park – 87th Street and 105th Street.
As for how might remedy all this — off-leash-shaming? Is that a thing?
When I dropped my kids at PS9 2 years ago, a family brought their puppy to the drop off. Drop off is chaotic, full of people and kids bumping to each other. Someone stepped on the puppy and it bite my son who was next to him.
Since then, he is terrified of dogs. We have spend many hours of therapy with a friendly dog and he hardly manages to touch it.
That family thought it as a nice idea to walk the dog to the school but they didn’t think of the consequences of it, from the poor puppy that was probably injured to the other kids and families.
Even if there wasn’t a sigh not allowing dogs during drop-off, you can image why it wasn’t a good idea
We all love dogs, but please be responsible, follow the rules and use common sense !
It’s not just dogs that are allowed to run free in Riverside Park, there are also electric bikes, electric scooters, mopeds and professional bikers all using the promenade. Taking a stroll is frightening. Can we all take a deep breath and get back to treating one another with some kindness and courtesy?
Unfortunately New York State legalized electric bikes and scooters and then prohibited them specifically from the Hudson River Greenway. As a result my interpretation of the law is that I can get a ticket for using a scooter on the river bike path but not on the promenade!
People using scooters and ebikes should not be prohibited from using them on a grade-separated bike path. Bizarre.
My dog, a tiny 7 pound Yorkie is a ding bat. He goes insane barking at some dogs and will literally go for the jugular with others. So he doesn’t play well with others. He’s great with humans. I keep him on a short leash. He is NEVER off leash. I cross the street when a dog is approaching or if I can’t move, I announce loudly my dog isn’t friendly… sometimes I just pick him up. I really get angry when dog owners have their dog off leash on our block, or in parks past 9am when all dogs are expected to be back on leashes. I’m always annoyed when I ask people to put their dog on the leash or keep their dog away from mine. Amazing how the owners are arrogant, laugh in my face, and do not care. It’s their dog that will get hurt, they don’t get it. There’s a $250 fine for a dog off leash. Wish the police would enforce it more often. My own son was phobic of dogs as a child because while in a stroller a huge dog off leash on our block ran up to him and was growling in his face scaring him half to death!! In a stroller you can run away! You’re strapped in!!! Couldn’t get him out fast enough to stop the dig from nosing around . Not ok. So please keep your dogs on leash. My heart goes out to the author of the article that her kids are afraid of going to the park. Me too.
One time I was in Riverside Park and a dog-walker was there with a bunch of the dogs he takes out. Another dog-walker friend came up and they laughed as they got the dogs to fight each other. It was horrid. I wondered what the trusting owners would say if they knew what was really going on when they thought their pets were getting a chance for some exercise and the chance for some peeing and whatnot.
This is horrific! Where did you see this? They both had groups of dogs?
It was in this area between the walkway in the park and Riverside itself. But right there, by the walkway, so it’s not like they were hiding it. And yes, they both had dogs that they were walking and supposedly taking care of.
I think a lot of people got into bad habits this past year during the pandemic. I saw more and more people having their dogs off-leash, and even taking some fenced-in areas of parks as defacto dog parks – they just cut the fence open and lots of people go in. Not only does it make these areas off-limits to most other people, I really dislike seeing the dogs running around chasing the squirrels. Now, I love dogs, and I know they really don’t have enough space in NYC to run and just be a dog – this is why I don’t have a dog for now, and why I plan to move soon so I can have one. All the said, although I feel for them, I don’t think living in NYC is a horrible fate, but there are rules and laws for a reason.
Aside from terrorizing children, senior citizens, and anyone else who doesn’t feel like getting chased or approaches by a dog, the squirrels are also getting it, right on their turf They live in the parks, that their home and they can’t go anywhere else. They should be able to come out of their trees, look for food, exercise, and fresh air like any other animal. Like dogs, they are intelligent, social animals, not dog toys – people should be mindful of that. If someone let a playful bear into a dog park, people wouldn’t find it so amusing or benign to see it chasing the dogs around as they are desperate to escape – even if the bear couldn’t catch them.
Unleashing a dog in any urban or suburban environment not specifically desiginated for off-leash is foolhardy, irresponsible, and dangerous.
Sorry to hear about your kid’s experience in Riverside. Our 5-year-old granddaughter was afraid of dogs until she met ours. She learned to like dogs by walking our little 10 lb poodle. Now she is almost 13 years old, and her family got their first dog. The whole family loves Lulu.
One of the other readers mentioned that there are areas in Riverside Park and Central Park where dogs can be off leash until 9:00 in the morning and after 9:00 at night. We have taken our dogs do the area around 104th Street which is designated as off-leash before 9:00.
I hope these poor cherubs will be ok after their terrible experience
I forgot to say something. I hate being in the park and having to watch out for kids on scooters, careening around, sometimes bumping into people or clipping them on the ankles. Sorry, but little kids on scooters are scarier to me than unleashed dogs. They shouldn’t be on sidewalks or on walkways in the parks where they might bump into people and hurt them.
From the CDC: There are approximately 800,000 dog bites each year that require medical attention. More than 50 percent of all dog bite victims are children. 26 percent of all children bitten by a dog need to go to the emergency room or see a doctor. Dog bites are a greater health problem for children than measles, mumps and whooping cough combined. They are more common than injuries from bike accidents, playground injuries, mopeds, skateboards or ATVs. Dog bite treatments cost more than a billion dollars each year. Do the math and keep your dog on a leash, and away from all children.
Here is the report for others:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5226a1.htm
This whole discussion reminds me to say that bite inhibition is the #1 training task for a new puppy owner. If you’ve trained your dog correctly, it is supposed to be able to be stepped on, have its tail pulled, have its bowl taken away without even touching your skin. With my dog specifically she even closes her mouth if I put my hand in it. (I’m not saying I succeeded – just that it was my first objective.) Any new dog owners (so many this year!) need to be reading about this ASAP from Ian Dunbar. Free pdf download at the bottom of this page:
https://www.dogstardaily.com/storefront/after-you-get-your-puppy
The stats about people being hit by cars are far higher than these stats; which is why parents teach their children to avoid running into the street, or riding their scooters in the street, just as drivers must stay alert. It’s the same concept here — avoiding dogs while on scooters is no different than “don’t ride in the street.” This is a two way street in terms of responsibility – even leashed dogs can be reactive to wheels (scooters, skateboards, etc.), so just as it’s the responsibility of a dog own to do their best to train or restrain the animal, it’s the responsibility of the parents to teach their children what the potential hazards are and how to avoid them.
Thank you for writing this. I’ve been saying it in my head for years….since before the pandemic. It’s scary for children, dangerous for runners, and also dangerous for other dogs. The “one dog on leash; one dog off leash” creates a tenuous power dynamic that, no matter how well you think you know your own dog, could prove disastrous. And almost did for my dog once when an off leash dog came after her.
We should create a Community Page where we can post fotos of Offenders: Unleashed dogs and poop left on street/ walkway; help the Precinct to Identify/ mail them Fine!
Why should anyone have to defend why they think people should have to follow the law? Or be put in the position of asking people to follow the law? New York City law clearly states that dogs are allowed to be off-leash in certain areas of the park between 9pm and 9am, and must be on a leash, no longer than six feet, at all other times. If you don’t like the law speak to the city, but be polite and respectful of those that ask you to follow the rules. Issues with bikes and children on scooters are a different conversation, though is should go without saying, everyone should be mindful of our shared space.
https://www.rover.com/blog/5-nyc-dog-laws/
Hi , In the park in my neighborhood in Queens , it seems that almost all the dogs are Pit Bulls, and I feel they are a more dangerous “design” ,So we take our kids for a ride to a nicer park. There seems to be a larger problem than dogs in the crowded parks,… Bikes . There is an epidemic of kids that will run into you at a fast speed. I witness this often. My theory is that the computer took away a piece of the responsible part of the brain ? . Many of these bikes and scooters are electric ,and effortlessly go very fast. No one seems to care [Probably because they are quiet]. I am sure that if they carried a Brand name,and were made here, there would be rules ,laws ,lawsuits,etc.
“From the looks of things, this “unleashed” behavior is coming from responsible dog owners. These are dog owners who clean up after their dogs, as opposed to many others on the streets of NY who clearly don’t. ”
UWS white nonsense.
Riverside like Central allows dogs off leash before 9AM and 9PM but not any/everywhere. It’s the responsibility of the dog owners to know where this and isn’t allowed. Large swaths of riverside are NOT available for off leash at any time.
https://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/vt_riverside_park/images/dog_owners_guide_riverside_park.pdf
On one hand, the inner rebel in me wants to say to relax and take it easy, let people take a stroll or jog with their dog if they have control of the animal. Stop “monitoring people’s activities” and mind your own beeswax. Signs, signs everywhere there’s signs.. If you were so concerned about this you could form another association or if you didn’t like dog poo on the ground then start picking it up yourself every day or carrying your own poop bags and become the UWS poo Batman and save the world from all the dangerous poo (and yes, we pick up ours unless he takes a freebie in the woods once in a while). I think though we all can see over the years (depending on how long you have been on UWS) that some people only consider themselves. We have a system, we all chip in as neighbors and respect all people (dogs, birds chupacabra aliens – whatever you have going) and use common sense which unfortunately can’t be bought or sold. Our dog is 14 and not fixed, he has not one hostile bone in his doodle body. We never let him off the leash. Many dogs ears bolt upright and clock him from a distance and motor over to him. I have had to tell many dogs (the owners are mostly useless in these off the leash instances) with my body language that I am not messing around & no funny business.. insert hand gestures and my readiness to make sure my bro doesn’t take a hit. People for the most part are respectful, but they simply can’t catch their dog in time before something bad happens (luckily it hasn’t because I utilize the ancient art of direct communication and can handle myself). I think the rules are there for a reason, people should respect them. I don’t want to be the grouchy old UWS guy one day who gets all spiced up in Zabars because his pickles aren’t there and he takes his day out on someone because he thinks they jumped him in line or what not. Cmon gang, leash the dogs up and as “Dr.” Phil said “it’s not about you!” Wait, this is strangely comparative to the vaccine and anti-vax people- I am curious if the dog off the leash people who don’t care about anyone else are abiding rules and common sense practices like getting the vaccine and following traffic rules when they drive a motor vehicle so they don’t kill someone. Ugh, here I go again going all “that guy” again. Oh well, as the song goes.. “Some people.. aren’t people.. some people are Rats! If you have to look that song up please feel free, one of the best albums you will ever rock out to remembering the old days and relevant to this day.
I wish that the city would enforce the rules with regard to dogs. The sidewalks are covered in dog excrement and urine. I frequently see dog owners violating the rules by allowing their dogs off leash. Not everyone likes dogs, and dog owners have become increasingly inconsiderate of others.
There is no one to enforce the leash law. I was in the park and saw a family walk a huge dog without a leash and when I said “your dog should be on a leash” they quickly responded, “what are you, the leash police?” because THERE ARE NO PARK EMPLOYEES to enforce this rule. The park is like the wild west theses days. Speeding bicycles and motor bikes in no-bike areas too.
I was in Riverside Park between 100th and 112th for about 2 hours yesterday and there were at least 15 dogs that were off their leashes during that time. The dogs were chasing squirrels, people, other dogs, etc. I am not afraid of dogs, nor is my kid afraid of dogs, but that is not the point. While most dogs are friendly, the person or other dog they are approaching may not be. A person may be allergic to dogs or scared of dogs, the dog may be scared of the approaching dog and try to attack it, etc. It’s irresponsible for anyone to walk their dog without a leash and I wish there was a way to penalize this reckless behavior.
Over the past few months have noticed a number of West Siders walking on sidewalks with their dogs unleashed…
Also, since Covid, people seem to be bringing their dogs into food markets and drugstores. This seems to be routine now. In one food store, a guy had 2 dogs with one in the cart. Recently saw a dog pee in a bakery.
What’s up?
How about stop being selfish and having dogs in small apartments in Manhattan. Then, no problem in Riverside park.
Dogs mostly sleep all day at home. Apartment size is usually irrelevant as long as they can get exercise. And ironically, when I go to the suburbs my dog has less legal space to run around than in NY because of the dog runs and park.
Also: most of the world (full of dogs) have even smaller housing units than we do.
I find the rat situation by riverside park south of 72nd street, Riverside Blvd and Freedom place getting worse. There’s more and more trash being left out and after the sanitation department comes by lots of busted bags and food laying about. It’s a rat smorgasbord.
I suspect the city agencies are not policing and enforcing.
Now that the weather is nice and Covid situation is improving, lots more people out and with Starbucks, food, picnicking etc –
Sadly people are reverting to old ways of leaving trash everywhere, piling on top of already full trash cans. (Too much trouble to take that pizza box one more block…)
Folks apparently do not believe in climate change or need to protect the environment. Starbucks and Sweetgreen trump all
Allowing a dog to run off-leash in an enclosed dog run area — is one thing. But allowing dogs to run off-leash in open areas, in a city park adjacent to a main road — is something else entirely. Recently I saw a dog (who was off-leash on the top level of Riverside Park) dart off from the owner and run directly into oncoming traffic. The dog was hit by a car and very badly injured. Heartbreaking.
I agree with this article and, unfortunately, it’s not just Riverside Park but Central Park and also along the streets in the UWS that some dog owners are much too lax about having their dogs on a leash. In The Ramble in Central Park, where dogs are meant to be leashed at all times as it is a bird sanctuary, many dog owners ignore these rules. It is very frustrating walking past them with my toddlers on their scooters and them insisting that their pit bull terriers are harmless. I always think of the poor 7 year old girl who was viciously attacked by a pit bull on the UWS side early last year as it was not on a leash.
I don’t understand the discussion. The rules are clear, no dogs off-leash. The big question is how to enforce it, because dog owners know how to read the signs, they just choose to ignore them.