"Hey...I want to come too!"
by Rosemary Serluca-Foster
Though signs were posted at the May Street Fair, I apparently did not notice that pups (or any other animal, amphibian or reptile) were banned from our local street fairs.
Come on, really? I see people with their dogs all the time!
If you’re like me, every time you leave the house without your favorite, furry friend (and I don’t mean your spouse or partner), you feel a pang of guilt for not taking her with you. Ginger, our Buddha-natured Shih Tzu, follows me to the door, sits on her haunches and stares up with yearning eyes that resemble gargantuan, chocolate-malted milk balls, making my exit even more heart wrenching.
So, whenever there’s an opportunity to bring her somewhere, especially to an outdoor event, I get very excited, my disproportionate guilt assuaged for the moment. Such opportunities come right here in Nyack whenever there is a street fair. Or so I thought.
I have taken her a few times now and here’s how it goes: she doesn’t like to walk in crowds; people nearly always accidentally step on her; I inevitably end up carrying her because she tires out; my arms begin to ache and get sweaty from transporting her.
So, who’s having fun? Certainly not Ginger. And at the last fair, I was very graciously informed (and not given a ticket) that even though Ginger is adorable, and yes I was carrying her, I was still breaking the ordinance.
“Didn’t you read the signs?”
“Signs? What signs?”
“The ones posted all over place that say no animals allowed.”
I guess we see what we want to see, when and if we want to see it.
So now I know. And, guess what? I totally agree. Here’s what Chapter 17 Article III of the Nyack Village Code has to say on the matter of dogs and street fairs:
The Village Board, having reviewed the matter of the presence of dogs and other animals at street fairs and other authorized assemblies, has concluded that recent experiences wherein domestic animals have been brought by their owners to street fairs and other places of assembly which occasion high degrees of pedestrian density have involved a potential for accident or danger which is unacceptable.
So this Sunday, July 18th, as you head out the door to our fun and fab street fair, please leave your pets at home. In the end, they’ll be glad you did. I know Ginger will be. Better still, I will bring her back a special treat for having retained her Buddha-like tranquility while I was away. There will be quite a few vendors with lots of pet goodies to choose from:
- My Buddy ‘N Me on South Broadway, a pet shop specializing in organic food and holistic pet care and supplies, plus the new pet grooming station.
- Dognique featuring dog products and pet accessories will have a booth on Main St.
- Natural Herbal Supplement for Dog Tears to remove unsightly stains will have a booth on Main St.
- And if you want to help an animal in need, stop by the Hi-Tor Animal Care Center’s booth on Main St. and learn more about pet adoption.
Please spread the word to your out-of-town friends and family who may not be aware of the ordinance. We certainly don’t want folks coming to enjoy the fair and not be able to because they unknowingly brought their pets.
During street fairs signs stating dogs are not allowed are posted all across the village on every street crossing Main St and Broadway where the street fair takes place. I live here, pay lots of taxes and on a street fair day, I can’t walk through the village I live in from 10 AM until 6PM with my dog. This village is very dog unfriendly. The rights of taxpaying dog owners in this village are not recognized and trampled. What about a dog owner that lives on Main St? I spoke to a young lady with a dog during the street fair and she told me she was harassed about walking her dog out of her apartment above Main St. onto the street and then away from the street fair. She told the Officer, “What am I supposed to do????”. He recognized the idiocy of the ordinance in her case and let her go.
Most people aren’t going to bring a dog to a crowded street fair. They might want to walk to our local Dog store, My Buddy and Me and should be allowed to do so. They might want to cross Broadway to get back home on a walk like me and not have to violate the law in the process.
As far a I am concerned the street fairs do nothing for me. If they went away, I would be happy. The crowds, debris left behind and inconvenience to residents outweigh the small benefits to some of our businesses. Other businesses like the hardware store and any business that needs someone to be able to drive to it and park nearby to pick up what they buy are hurt by these affairs.
The farmers market is a great addition to the village and is appropriately sized to not disrupt Village activities and to add enjoyment to all. Keep a downsized street fair in the parking lot and leave the rest of Nyack alone.
I have been wondering the same thing myself. Also, if we are being asked to follow this law, which I agree is a good one (for the many reasons you single out), but it’s not enforced on the actual day of the event, what’s the point of having it in the first place? It does seem like it is to protect the village from lawsuits.
I have seen the signs, and yet there are still a multitude of dogs at the street fair (yesterday included). I don’t think it’s a wise idea to bring your pooch to where it is very crowded, very hot, and where they may run into another dog that is not so friendly. But I have also wondered, how does this get enforced if you happen to live on Main Street or Broadway and need to take your dog out, let’s say for a walk, during the street fair hours? Are you not allowed out of your house/apartment? Are the signs posted to simply protect the village from any lawsuits? just wondering….