Beau, the cute canine above, got away from the dog-walker who was walking him and slipped out of his collar on Thursday afternoon at 88th street and Broadway, sparking a hunt that has so far been fruitless.
Update. 3:30 p.m. Friday: Beau was found, safe and sound!
Jerry, who told us about the dog, writes that many dog-walkers he sees are not diligent (he says the dog-walker who was in charge when Beau slipped away is actually one of the good ones):
There is a missing dog in our neighborhood – it lives on the northeast corner of Broadway and 88th Street…a medium/small brown dog.
I’ve mentioned the obvious problems with dog walkers before – generally, they pay no attention to the dogs they’re “walking.” They are either on the phone or congregating with other walkers, completely ignoring the dogs they are responsible for. I have seen dogs dragged along when they had to “do their thing.” And I’ve seen sidewalks blocked by 12 to 14 dogs with a couple of dog walkers who have to get together. But I’ve always been reluctant to say anything because some of these dogs would never see the light of day if they weren’t walked.
Today, a dog walker lost two dogs. One has been found, but the dog mentioned above is still lost.
So – if someone has a dog – he (or she) is responsible for its welfare. There’s one very special thing about a dog. It heart beats true. They are indeed man’s best friend. To put your friend in the hands of these irresponsible trolls is a disservice to your companion.
It should be said – there are responsible dog walkers. They work privately and rarely walk more than 3 dogs at a time.
We have a dog and are dog lovers and we’re in a situation that one of us can walk him three times a day. But if we could not, we would be very careful about who we entrusted out best friend to…and we’d avoid these “walker mills’ who generally couldn’t care less about the little guys and gals who depend on them.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
Who is the dogwalker? They should be outed.
Really? It was an accident and from the comments this walker was “one of the good ones”, and not from a walker mill. I assume the walker is the person who admitted her dog s.lipped out of her control. I have done this a couple of times with my dogs and luckily I was able to retrieve them in a couple seconds. But, they did slip away. The point of this story is that the dog was found shortly because the walker let it be known. Good job!
While this is awful, and has been on my mind since I saw the signs yesterday, why should this person be outed? Unfortunately, this happens. (It’s a huge fear of mine as a dog owner.) However, if we were to read of UWS doctors or lawyers who botch jobs everyday, there’d be no space for any other news stories.
Let’s not pick on the walkers b/c they are easy targets.
I couldn’t agree more with Jerry if I tried. My heart breaks when I see enormous packs of dogs being dragged along by a disinterested, distracted person who is doing nothing but sharing the same air space with the dogs. When you’re walking a dog or dogs — whether those fuzzy darlings are your own or someone else’s — that time is for THEM, not YOU. Congregate with other people on your own time. Be miserable on your own time.
The huge packs of dogs, although cute to look at — oh, the variety of faces, the collection of paws, the tails, the noses! — but the dogs never look happy to be crowded together like that. The leashes look all jangled and tangled, and the person dragging them along (because it’s rarely at the dogs’ pace) invariably appears to look like he or she just wants to get it over with.
I was once on West 76th Street when a little dog escaped from his walk with maybe three other dogs. The little guy sprinted down the street, east to Broadway. I started running after him, and when I got to Broadway, he was dashing across it, through traffic. I followed him, putting out my arms and holding up my hands to stop the cars, to make sure he was safe, when he bolted across to the other lanes of traffic going north. I was shouting, “No! No!” (more at the people than at the dog) and he somehow managed (by the grace of Dog?) to get to the corner safely. I ran after him again, and he went into a building on that side of the street. Eventually his walker caught up, and I waited to see if everything was all right, talking with the doorman in the interim, The dog just wanted to go home.
I was so relieved that he was safe, and could have cried on the spot I was so upset. Had anything happened to him, I don’t think I would have been as nice to the walker as I was when he finally came panting to the doorway of his building.
We, Dog owners should gang up a bit and take care of each other’s dogs whenever possible. Because, we care
I fail to see what this situation has to do with irresponsible dog walkers when Jerry himself acknowledged that the walker in question is “one of the good ones.” Get off your soapbox and look for poor Beau, Jerry! I’ll do the same.
FYI, Dave – when I met the dogwalker who had lost Beau, I was in Riverside Park at 10:30 that night with my dog and a flashlight…looking for Beau. So who’s on the soapbox now?
Who Cares – It would be nice to find the dog but I don;t think it’s that newsworthy
Well, Dave, it ain’t rocket science. The lost dog was a venue for a subject I’ve often thought of – irresponsible dog walkers…so it all kind of came together. Go to press!
Great news beau the missing pup was found earlier yesterday, he is safe and sound at home, also to clarify the dog walker in question is one of the good, experienced, and caring dog walkers in the neighborhood for many years he has always done beyond his due diligence to care for our pups and our neighbors pets .
Why blame the dog walker when this seems to be the fault of the owner? If he ‘slipped out of his collar’ it’s cuz the owner didn’t buy the right kind of collar/harness. Glad to see he’s found, tho.
a lot of assumptions are made in these comments, particularly about the characters of the dog walkers.
so, i’ll make one: dog-walkers love dogs and are happy to be able combine their love of dogs with a job that brings them together. all that and a chance to be outdoors, because both the dogs and the walkers love that, too.
that leaves me with the sense that groups of dogs (i agree, they usually make for a great group photo) are happy and carefree, that the pace is set by consent and when the walkers stop to chat, the dogs do their version of the same thing.
escapes are by accident and it is possible that both the dog and the walker are equally surprised.
no anthropomorphizing.
I agree with dognut. Give the dog walkers a break.
I walk my dog three or four times a day (i’m lucky enough to work at home). I see groups of dogs with walkers all the time, generally trotting along at a happy pace for their size. In the dog run (no more than three allowed per walker) I see the walkers playing with the dogs, throwing balls, etc. I’ve never seen more than six in a group.
So what if the walker wants to talk on the phone while he walks them It’s hard to believe the dogs care. And it has to be a pretty boring job.
I do wonder what it’s like inside those vans that drop the dogs off at Riverside Park, presumably from the East Side. Anybody know? Are the dogs in crates? They always seem jumbled together.
Dog walkers who work for companies are paid about 7.50 to 8 per hour. I think most of these comments are actually quite offensive and elitist. I think most of these folks care more about their animal’s welfare than their fellow New Yorker’s.
I totally agree with comment’s about not paying attention or caring about the dog’s these walkers are walking. They are texting and on the phone 95% of the time they are walking dogs. When the first dog is picked up he or she usually gets dragged into a strange building to pick up dog number two, then poor dog number two gets dragged along with dog number one to pick up dog number three and by the time they get to dog number five it’s time to bring everyone home and the process begins again. None of the dogs get a normal walk but get dragged from one building to another in the same area. If you ask any dog walker they will tell you they only work with in a 10 block radius. Not that I asked for myself because I am one of the fortunate one’s who work from home and walk my own dogs. I hope the owner put posters out.
Dogwalkers–please take your eight charges to the curb to piss so we don’t have to walk through it all day. Owners do the same.
I just saw something HORRIBLE and I had to comment. In the park there were two walkers with probably 10 dogs. One got off the leash and she grabbed the dog by it’s skin lifted it up, hit it and the dog was crying out in pain. I’m sure it doesn’t narrow it down but she had short brownish hair with an accent. Please know/trust your walkers- these walkers take too many dogs- it wasn’t the dog’s fault and even if it was that is no way to punish!!
Lauren, I think I know the walker you’re talking about. If it’s the one I’m thinking it is, she usually leaves a huge pack of dogs outside The Schwab House on West End at 73rd, then drags them all to Central Park with the most miserable scowl on her face.
Is she tough looking and about 5’7
Yeah- that sounds about right. There was another lady with her with blond hair. I was too busy screaming at her to see details but I wish I had taken a picture. It was so upsetting. Please guys pass this along to anyone you know with a dog walker. I think people are too trusting. Furthermore if you know this woman please out her!!