There are a number of things about New York that have surprised me. I knew there were a lot of foreign born people, but as you walk down the streets you hear just about every language BUT English. Maybe that’s an exaggeration. If so, all the foreigners are just talking louder than the rest of us. A hell of a lot louder.
Another thing that surprised me was how many dogs there are in Manhattan. It can be a tough place to raise a pup but it says something about America’s love of dogs that even in these less than ideal situations, you still see canine companions all over town. Being a dog owner, I can appreciate this… just as long as you’re not keeping an Alaskan Husky in a studio apartment.
Believe it or not, there are plenty of so-called Dog “Parks” spread across Manhattan, so dog owners have a place to bring their pooch to stretch his legs while they sit on a bench and play Facebook games. I call them so-called and use the little quotes around “Park” because the last thing you would call one of these places is a park. That is unless you really hate grass, but just can’t get enough cement in your life.
Take a look:
“Hey Fido! Lets grab your leash and go run around on a big ass slab of cement! You love that don’t ya buddy!! Then we’ll go for walk through the laundromat! Fugettaboutit.”
I’m a little torn by this. Again, as a dog lover I can appreciate people just wanting to have a furry friend to share their lives but at the same time it just doesn’t seem fair to the dog. The funny thing is, the kids playgrounds in Manhattan aren’t much better. Swing sets? Yes. monkey bars? You bet. Slides and see saws? Absolutely. Grass? NOT A CHANCE! Just more concrete and some weird rubberized material that reminds me of a high school running track.
Bottom line here… this isn’t a great place to raise a kid or a dog. If you really need to feed your pet-parental instincts, get a goldfish. Or a ficus plant. Neither of them will pee on the rug.
~JH