TAILS. . . from Hermon Dog Park (#61) - Wednesday, April 14, 2010

WOW. I just got my June issue of DOG FANCY magazine in the mail. L. A. City has never had any of their nine dog parks listed in the magazine’s five previous years of naming the nation’s " Best Dog Parks."

Until now. Check out their " Top 40’s" number 7 for 2010 . . .

[News Release] DOG FANCY Magazine Names America's Best Dog Parks; June 2010 issue highlights the nation's top 40 parks

IRVINE, Calif., April 13 -- Dog Fancy, the world's most widely read dog magazine, announced its picks for its annual America's Best Dog Parks contest. This year's best dog park is Jackass Acres K-9 Korral, in New River, Ariz.

" In an age when keyboards and touchpads connect us, off-leash parks flourish across the country because they are great gathering places for both dogs and dog owners to come together and enjoy each other's company," says Dog Fancy Editor Ernie Slone. "The best parks offer opportunities for socialization and exercise, but also strive to create a special bond and a sense of community."

In celebration of Dog Fancy's 40th anniversary, the magazine named the country's top 40 parks. Rounding out the top 10 dog parks are:

Each year, Dog Fancy calls for readers to submit nominations for what they believe to be America's best dog parks. To be considered, parks must have fencing, double gates and free clean-up bags. Parks are then considered based on a list of criteria including: water for dogs and their people, shade, lights, parking availability and accessibility, support organizations and special events, among others. This year, extra points were awarded to dog parks with an active community group and parks that hold educational workshops or low-cost health clinics.

For the complete story on America's Best [40] Dog Parks, pick up the June issue of Dog Fancy, on newsstands April 27.

(And then, here’s what the June issue has to say about Hermon Dog Park being #7 of its " Top 40" ):

7 - HERMON DOG PARK
Los Angeles
www.HermonDogPark.com

HIGHLIGHTS: Monthly Yappy Hour with vet-care specialist; dog adoption drives; Halloween party features a Peanut Butter Lick-Off contest.

THEIR SECRET: Embrace social networking. Hermon Dog Park understands that dog parks are important not just to dogs, but also to people. Popular park events include monthly Yappy Hour parties, and the park’s Santa Paws Squad appearance in the local Christmas parade draws fans. But the park is also great at organizing dog lovers online via a regularly updated website and Facebook page.

(Watch for it online at the magazine’s website in the coming days, too).

AS YOU KNOW, the Friends of Hermon Dog Park (FHDP) are always looking for ways to make a difference at the dog park and your experience here. As we follow the news of City cuts we had to know that the Department of Recreation and Parks would be cutting maintenance positions in the Hermon Dog Park’s Arroyo Seco Division. Sure enough, that’s happened and now we can help out to keep our dog park clean.

We’ve begun a FHDP volunteer monthly clean-up, the morning of every third Saturday of the month. That is THIS Saturday, April 17, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. One hour, once a month, is what we’re asking our " Friends" to volunteer, to keep our dog park the welcoming respite it has become for all of us.

So, here’s how we’ll do this. You can pick how you volunteer. Like to sweep -- bring your broom and scoop to sweep off the benches, entries, and sidewalks. If you’ll disinfect trash can lids and bench seats -- bring your pail, disinfectant, and rags. Or, maybe you’ll be on poop patrol . . . we can all do something.

Please step in, volunteer for your dog and your community (and have fun!)

HERE ARE A COUPLE of other dates for your calendar: April Yappy Hour, Sunday the 25th, from 3 p.m. 5 p.m. at the dog park. This is our annual " Doggie Spring Bonnet" contest with prize category details to come this week -- so you can start on your dog’s chapeaus. We will also be collecting your dog and cat food donations that day to take to our North Central Animal Shelter on Lacy Street.

At next month’s monthly clean up on Saturday, May 15, join us in beautifying our dog park by helping to fill the tree wells of our six happy new trees with a pallet of river rocks -- in keeping with our area’s nod to the Arroyo Seco and the many river rocks collected from its banks dating back a hundred or more years. The Department of Rec and Parks will be on hand for direction. Rock on.

AND, REMEMBER to check out our website where you can now support FHDP with donations and pay your membership fees directly through PayPal or with credit cards. It all adds up.

because it’s all about the dogs,

Wendi Riser
Co-President - Friends of Hermon Dog Park, Inc.