Leptospirosis Reports Have Brooklyn Dog Owners on Alert
WILLIAMSBURG - Reports of leptospirosis cases linked to the McCarren Park Dog Run have been circling social media this week. The reports were confirmed by Council Member Lincoln Restler, who represents District 33 in Brooklyn, and have since been reported by Greenpointers and NY Daily News.
According to Restler, the bacterial disease, which is transmissible to humans, has already claimed the lives of multiple dogs in Williamsburg. Realizing the severity of a potential lepto outbreak, local dog owners took it upon themselves to post signs at McCarren Park and nearby McGolrick Park, effectively “closing” the facilities.
A makeshift sign was posted on the gate at McCarren Park Dog Run in Brooklyn, warning visitors of a potential leptospirosis threat. It was later taken down.
However, according to Danielle Dorchester of the McCarren Dog Run Alliance, the homemade signs have been taken down by Parks enforcement, despite pleas from their organization that this is an emergency situation. In the eyes of the city, maybe it’s not.
Neither the Department of Parks & Recreation nor the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene would confirm the cases when contacted for comment.
NYC Parks Press Officer Anessa Hodgson confirmed the sign removal, saying via email that it was not a Parks sign and was not sanctioned.
Hodgson said “characterizing the reported cases as an outbreak is inaccurate as this is unconfirmed,” adding later that “communicating anything that transmits false information and incites confusion and fear is negligent.”
For the Health Department, Acting Press Secretary Michael Lanza said: “None of the cases mentioned in media reports have been reported to us by the attending veterinarians, so we’re unable to confirm at this time.”
NYC Dog Runs has reached out to several veterinarians in the Williamsburg area in search of leptospirosis verification. Dr. Jamie Richardson, Head of Veterinary Medicine at Small Door Vet, said there have been no confirmed cases at their clinic since reports began to surface. Small Door Vet is the only clinic to reply so far.
‘‘I would agree we cannot say that this is an outbreak,” Richardson said through a public relations firm. “Especially if only 1-2 cases have been suspected and even more so if not reported to the [Parks Department] as this is a human health risk.”
Nonetheless, Richardson went on to caution the urgency of the situation: “That being said, I think even suspect cases should be brought to attention given the severity of disease that Lepto causes, so that pet owners can be hypervigilant and we can bring more awareness to the benefits of vaccination.”
Pursuant to Section 11.25 of the NYC Health Code, confirmed cases of leptospirosis must be reported to the Health Department within 24 hours of diagnosis. Visit NYC Health to learn more about reporting requirements.
Leptospirosis is spread through the urine of infected rodents and thrives in wet conditions. In the case of McCarren Park, the likely culprits are rats or mice, which are not an uncommon sight in New York City. Combined with recent weather and poor drainage at the dog run, the potential for contaminated standing water is high.
According to Restler, the Parks Department is set to address the issues.
In a social media post, he said the McCarren Park Dog Run will close on Monday, Jan. 24 for necessary repairs, including drainage improvements, the installation of rodent-resistant garbage cans and the addition of new mulch and top soil.
Poor drainage and a primarily dirt surface often result in standing water at the McCarren Park Dog Run in Williamsburg. Image courtesy of McCarren Dog Run Alliance.
Restler said the closure could be up to a week. When asked to confirm Restler’s information and clarify the timeline of the project, the Parks Department did not answer our repeated inquiries on the topic.
As it stands, Restler’s social media accounts are the only official source of public information.
The newly-elected council member, who took office in December, has done an admirable job keeping his constituency informed. If not for Restler, the only sign of danger to dog owners in North Brooklyn would be a literal sign, posted at the dog runs in Williamsburg and Greenpoint by concerned citizens. With the signs now removed, there is nothing to inform would-be park goers about the reports of leptospirosis on site.
Procedurally, NYC Parks and the Health Department can not confirm the cases until more information is available. However, given the possibility of an ongoing threat to public safety, it’s unclear why no attempt has been made to provide information or updates to the community, if only to raise awareness. The Parks Department has defended its inaction on grounds that posting information could incite confusion and fear. Unfortunately, based on our conversations with the community, there is already confusion and fear. Now, there’s also a lack of information.
An interesting aside: the Parks Department does not consider McCarren Park to have a “formal” dog run, despite the fact that it is listed on the department’s website and has official Parks signage. Hodgson, the NYC Parks Press Officer, said that the dog run is unofficial because “it was not constructed through a Capital project and does not have all the amenities and features typically associated with our dog runs.”
Hodgson did not elaborate on the significance of this distinction, but it adds to the confusion over who exactly is responsible for the city’s dog runs - formal or otherwise.
NYC Dog Runs will continue to monitor the situation at McCarren Park. If you have any information on these reported cases, please contact us or reach out on Instagram (@nycdogruns).
To learn more about leptospirosis, its symptoms and treatment options, listen to Dr. Daniel Leiman from Northside Veterinary Clinic, who recently spoke at a North Brooklyn Parks Alliance meeting.
