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| Get Approved |
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Officially, to actually build your run, you need only the formal approval of the site's "owner" (ie, the Parks Department). But it's almost impossible to get the go ahead without approval from your Community Board. As the Community Board is a lightening rod for your opponents, this can be hard work. Be ready for complaints about unsanitary conditions, noise, odors, aesthetics, and more. Be methodical. Be patient: while most dog runs open up within a year or two of being conceived, we do know of one dog run that took ten years to get approved. Some suggestions:
- Start a public relations campaign. Contact your neighborhood newspapers (be sure to give them a list of the benefits of dog runs). Use flyers, a newsletter or a website to educate the community. Always explain that this is a "people" issue, not a "dog" issue (the, "My dog needs…" argument won't get you far).
- Make sure your supporters attend (and speak at) Community Board meetings. Call on NYCDOG to help in your testimony. Encourage local veterinarians and other community leaders who support your project to attend and speak at these meetings. Celebrity power can be extremely helpful, too.
- Start a letter-writing and phone-calling campaign well in advance of public approval meetings: target the Parks Department, elected officials, and ranking Community Board members.
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