by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

On Sunday, June 12, LI-Dog Owners Group hosted a Pints & Paws Luau BBQ at Off Key Tikki on the water in Patchogue, NY.  LI Dog is a is a non-profit organization that works to create dog parks and increase access to public parkland and beaches for Long Island dog owners and their dogs so they can enjoy Long Island’s beautiful parks and beaches just like other Long Island families.

It is so much fun to be able to go more and more places with our dogs here on Long Island and much of that is due to LI Dog’s years of effort.  From opening more dog friendly beaches, to dog runs, making Nassau County, (nortiously one of the most unfriendly counties in the country to own a dog), becoming more dog friendly by opening up on-leash dog trails within parks in Nassau.  LI Dog has worked tirelessly over the years and their effort continues to pay off for dog owners on Long Island – especially now that dogs are more widely accepted as big parts of our families.

Cody enjoying himself at Off Key Tikki!

This event at Off Key Tikki was a fundraiser for LI Dog where you can come and enjoy the venue with your dog and friends, there were games like ‘Biggest Lap Dog’ (my dog pretty much came in 2nd place!), musical chairs for humans and their dogs, and a few others.  There were also door prizes, raffles and of course the step and repeat.  The staff at Off Key Tikki could not have been nicer and you could tell they loved having the dogs there.

Dogs dressed in their Luau gear of course!

LI Dog has many activities and events throughout the year that you can participate in, Pack Walks in various locations across our isle; beach days at dog friendly beaches; pints and paws where you can bring your dog with you to a local outdoor area of a bar or restaurant (like this one on Sunday); and regular meetings on how you can get involved in helping them continue the good work they do and make LI even more dog friendly.

Mocca! A regular at all dog events on LI!

On a total side note, you have to love all the palm trees at this venue – like we were swept away to a tropical paradise!

Cody and LI-Dog's Ginny Munger Kahn!

For more information on LI-Dog go to their website www.lidog.org and if you want to see many more Pictures – CLICK HERE!

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Last Thursday, August 4, 2011 dog owners in West Sayville rejoiced and celebrated at the brand new 1.5 acre dog park that opened officially complete with a ribbon cutting ceremony.  The ‘Cherry Avenue Dog Park’ came about due to the tireless work of Long Island Dog Owners Group (LI-Dog) to establish more parks throughout Long Island.  This dog park with was sponsored by Legislator Bill Lindsay was the third dog park created under the Five New Dog Parks initiative that LI-Dog championed and Leg. Lindsay supported the passing of the initiative in 2007.  There are now five Suffolk County Parks Department dog parks: West Hills; Bydenburgh; Robinson Farm; Mud Creek (off-leash beach) and now Cherry Avenue.

These parks, since they are Suffolk County Parks Department dog parks means anyone in Suffolk County can bring their too.  There are no town limitations like at other dog parks, but LI-Dog encourages dog owners to be responsible, clean up after their dog at the park, and to be mindful of other dog owners while your pooch is romping around in the runs.

I for one love the fact that there is a dog park at Blydenburgh – it has helped tremendously because there are less loose dogs throughout the trails of the park.  Blydenburgh has wonderful hiking trails that many local horse owners also utilize, and for years walking there with my dogs we would encounter loose dogs in the trails – the dog park has decreased the amount of loose dogs ten fold.  We hiked there with our dogs numerous times in the spring and I didn’t see one off leash dog, it is a great thing.

LI-Dog is currently helping Nassau dog owners try and get more parks in their county as well.  To find out more information or how to get involved to help go to www.lidog.org.

from l to r, Ginny Munger Kahn, president of LI-DOG; Joe Montuori, Suffolk County Parks Commissioner; Legislator Bill Lindsay, Julie Finnegan, LI-DOG member and her dog Oakley