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community bookstore dog drama/gripe/tattle-telling — Brooklynian

community bookstore dog drama/gripe/tattle-telling

lnelson
lnelson
edited November -1 in Park Slope
i was walking past the community bookstore on 7th near carroll yesterday when i saw a cute little dog coming down the sidewalk towards me. he was friendly so i grabbed his collar and called to see if anyone nearby owned him. his tag said he belonged to the community bookstore, so i picked him up and brought him back. their door was wide open and another, larger dog was coming out, also off leash. a couple of girls who were walking down 7th stopped because they were scared.

i stepped into the doorway holding the little dog and asked the bespectacled guy in the store if he knew his dog was roaming around. i've returned errant dogs to people before and i expected him to thank me. instead, he said yes, he knew the dog was out. i asked why and he said "because he's a living creature."

i really never fly off the handle at strangers, but this totally pissed me off. 7th avenue is busy and the dog could easily get hurt or killed. also, just because i'm not scared of dogs doesn't mean others aren't (exhibit A being those girls who were scared of the larger leashless dog). the little dog was filthy and tangled, but this seems secondary to the fact that the store lets him and his bigger dog buddy roam around at will. i told the guy he should be responsible and make sure his animals were safe and that people didn't have to deal with them. he shrugged and did not shut the store door or call back the large dog, which was lingering on the sidewalk near the store. i walked away, and he called at me "thanks for patronizing me!" i did not to yell back.

there are a few stores in the nabe with dogs living in them, and every so often those dogs wander out, but generally they seem to stay inside even when the doors are open. no effort was being made by the community bookstore people to ensure that their dogs were safe, inside, and not bothering pedestrians. this seems like bad store citizenship, so here i am, tattle-telling. i hate when people walk their dogs unleashed, mainly because i'm afraid for the dogs' safety. but i've never, like, scolded anyone for this. it was the book store guy's attitude about it that really pissed me off.

that's my story. comment at will.
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Comments

  • veets
    veets
    Inelson.. I am on your page.. as you know I own two Maltese and NEVER are these 10 and 11 year old babies tied in front of post office or off leash as I walk down a street.

    I don't really get what the people who do that "it is a free living creature line" are about. If we domesticate an animal then we bring them in to "our" world and become 100% responsible by doing that deed.

    There is a chihuahua that lives on 8th street that I have found in front of my house 10 times ( at least) and then brought around the corner to his owner to return him. I never get a thank you. I get.."Oh he loves to go around the corner and he always comes home." Yeah perhaps what the owner says is true but dang if I see a dog at my DOOR ( I swear this little one wants to move in here with Freddy and Boris because he is here so often) and I have a tag that says who is the owner I will return the dog post haste. I don't really care how I am greeted by that irresponsible dog owner.

    I so understand your frustration and I could go on and on about what I consider to be irresponsible dog ownership. But, for every one of those people who I consider irresponsible I can site 50 people ( or more) who love and take care of their pets and you will never see THOSE pets wandering on 7th Ave.


    yeah.. getting ready for the animal hater's responses but I don't care.

    Inelson's report of a TRUTH in what was observed is what it is.
  • nykittyny
    nykittyny
    As charming as that little store is, I have been treated rudely there on more than one occasion. It doesn't surprise me that the guy working there was such a tool. Good for you for taking the high road and not making a wise ass comment back to him. I probably wouldn't have been so adult. That being said, I personally have no problem with the dogs hanging on the sidewalk, but I do respect that the law says differently.
  • lnelson
    lnelson
    It's less the law than the safety of the dog, and respect for people like those girls who stopped walking and really appeared to feel trapped in place by the larger unleashed Community Bookstore dog who was roaming around. I'm sure both dogs are nice and know where they live and so forth, but they could still easily and accidentally come to harm on 7th Ave, especially that really busy part. The guy's comment about them being "living creatures" suggests that he doesn't really give a shit about the fate of other living creatures. Hmm, perhaps he's a closet Tea Party-er.
  • tridentine
    tridentine
    lnelson wrote: Hmm, perhaps he's a closet Tea Party-er.
    Yea, he is probably for following the Constitution and Bill of Rights or something.
  • itinnyc
    itinnyc

    Subject: Tea-Partier is the new gay I guess

    I have cats and I am pretty sure most pet lovers believe they are doing what is best for their pets, but I would be hesitant to impose my standards on other people.

    Live and let live.
  • burns
    burns
    I had that exact same experience a few months ago – that little dog was half down carroll between 8th and 7th scratching at a car door. Someone came out of the car and asked if that was my dog – I actually thought it was her dog.
    We looked at the collar and wouldn’t you know – community bookstore.
    So, I sheppard it back to the bookstore with its wide open door saying that I found the dog all the way down the block, about to run into the street.
    Guy at the counter could not care less.
  • domino
    domino
    Those poor dogs! You are absolutely right to get the dog and return him to the owner at the bookstore. However, the owner does not appear to be a responsible pet owner and not receptive to what is genuine concern over his pet.

    Not only could the dogs be injured by a car - there are aggressive dogs (one of my dogs was alpha aggressive and could not be trusted near another dog even if she was on a leash), What about dog haters? Supposed the dog goes after a toddler with an ice cream - parent reactions?

    I think the ongoing lack of concern for the safety of the dogs should prompt some action; perhaps someone should call the ASPCA with a complaint. Once a complaint is filed perhaps the owner could be more aware of his duties to his pet.
  • reggi
    reggi
    Dogs go missing everyday. There are people that go in search of "bait" dogs--used as incentive for dogs being trained to fight, sometimes it's just for sport. Don't be fooled into thinking
    that it doesn't happen here in our neighborhoods, it can and does happen anywhere you may have
    people that believe dog fighting is a sport. I wouldn't leave my dog anywhere without my being right there.
    For the safety of all concerned, these dogs should be within the stores sight at all times. They may be
    sure that their dogs won't harm people, but what's to stop bad people from taking off with them delivering
    them to an awful death? Something to be given some serious consideration.
  • tridentine
    tridentine
    A friend of mine saw some cruel, teenage bullies picking on those dogs, told a guy in the bookstore and he was such a tool about it.

    Maybe, if enough people call in and voice their opinion in defense of those dogs he will take more consideration.

    Community Bookstore
    143 7th Avenue
    Brooklyn, NY 11215-2202
    (718) 783-3075
  • hamilton
    hamilton
    Don't forget to mention, in the future you and your friends [ also " living creatures "] will be taking their business to Barnes & Noble.
  • bluiz711
    bluiz711
    This is obviously a continuing problem with the store owners and workers, and I think that you should start calling 311 to complain. People who don't want to take on the full responsibilities of having pets shouldn't have them.
  • domino
    domino
    Good points brought up by reggi and Tridentine. I am calling 311 - anybody else? I am not going to bother calling the bookstore; if the tool in the bookstore doesn't "get it" on repeated face-to-face complaints, doubt that he would entertain a phone call.
  • eggcream
    eggcream
    "Hmm, perhaps he's a closet Tea Party-er."

    Haha this is Park Slope. He's your typical lib. Living creature? A**h***. Someone should just take the dog(s).
  • antiochus wilson
    antiochus wilson
    Time to open a can of whoop ass on this fool.
  • lnelson
    lnelson
    Just for the record, I was joking about the Tea Party thing! Hah! Tee hee! Good one, lnelson!

    But yeah, calling 311 is a good idea. I agree in spirit with Tridentine's suggestion re calling the store, but now we have multiple people on this thread who have said they tried talking to the people that work there without success.
  • pastoralia
    pastoralia
    Ha! Have you ever seen their website? They have an animation of the dog...running away:

    http://www.communitybookstore.net/
  • bkchickie
    bkchickie
    Reading this, my first reaction would be to call 311 about these dogs when anyone sees them out.

    And I don't think that this was about Inelson trying to impose her values on others. I think that it was about mutual respect. Personally, I'm like those girls. I'm very skittish about being around dogs I don't know (especially when they are without an owner and off-leash--I would cross the street). Even when I dog is on a leash, I usually give it a wide berth. To the credit of BK dog owners, I would say that 99 percent of them interpret my action correctly and make sure that we pass on the sidewalk well out of sniffing distance of each other.

    All I can say is that I guess that I won't be shopping at Community Bookstore.
  • burns
    burns
    That website is hilarious – it truly has a dog running away down the street – priceless

    I actually love the community bookstore and wouldn’t want anyone to NOT shop there just b/c one guy who works there is a jaded asshole. But really, keep an eye on your dog, id hate to see it splattered in the middle of the street.
  • duffyssis
    duffyssis
    I've never liked that place. The staff is rude, the selection is spotty at best and it always smells funky in there. The fact that they refuse to properly watch their animals cements it for me. Everyone call 311 on their asses!
  • sweet tea
    sweet tea
    um, am i the only one that LIKES that store and thinks maybe rustling up a lot of bad feeling towards a decent local business is kind of a shitty thing to do?

    maybe i'm biased because their cat curled up on my feet the whole time i did a reading there. the cat is allowed outside, by the way, and seemed very happy.

    if any of you are actually set on boycotting the place, how about giving your business to unnameable or another local store, at least. if you're that worried about the dogs, then by all means, call whomever, but maybe put away the knives.

    sheesh.
  • tridentine
    tridentine
    sweet tea wrote: but maybe put away the knives..
    Knives?

    Well, if you can mention knives, I guess I could mention chemtrails...
    Ha Ha Ha

    I did not know that the tool at the bookstore was the actual owner of the store.

    Well, then I agree- everyone calling the place might just as well prove futile, so calling 311 might be better.

    And since someone mentioned Tea parties, despite both parties trying to claim the tea parties, we need to do SOMETHING peacefully because our country is in BIG troub! The majority in both parties are being paid off to pander to the superrich who want global government.
    Say no to the New World Order.


    AND call 311 on the tool at the bookstore.
  • pitu
    pitu
    Burns wrote: That website is hilarious – it truly has a dog running away down the street – priceless

    I actually love the community bookstore and wouldn’t want anyone to NOT shop there just b/c one guy who works there is a jaded asshole. But really, keep an eye on your dog, id hate to see it splattered in the middle of the street.
    Too funny, that animation.
    I don't think dogs should be freerange on 7th Ave, but I don't think that's reason enough to hate so much on the rare surviving non-chain bookstore.
  • caseopele
    caseopele
    Tridentine wrote: I did not know that the "tool" at the bookstore was the actual owner of the store.
    He's not the owner of the bookstore, he's an employee but it may be nice to talk to the owner about it before trashing the whole place.
  • tridentine
    tridentine
    We don't hate, we are just concerned about the dogs.
    No one wants to see the store closed down.
  • lnelson
    lnelson
    as the OP, i would just like to make it clear that i was not trying to advocate a boycott or encourage anyone to bus out a can of anything, let alone whoop-ass.

    i do think calling 311 is a good idea. i don't like how community bookstore treats their animals, both for the animals' own sake and also because i think it is disrespectful towards people who are scared of dogs and shouldn't have to encounter them unleashed while walking down a major street in the neighborhood. i didn't like the guy's attitude when i returned the dog. he had the option of thanking me, saying nothing, or copping an attitude, and he chose the latter. because of that i likely will not shop there, but that's in part because i'm sort of a wuss and generally avoid confrontation and those i've had confrontations with.

    i don't expect anyone to stop shopping there and i hope the store stays in business. i also hope they figure out a way to resolve this problem with their dogs.

    and i hope the guy who was rude to me gets majorly told off by his manager, ideally in front of other employees, but i don't think any of this should get fired or the store boycotted. moderate public humiliation is the worst i wish on this dude. and that and maybe a small fine from the city if he keeps letting the dogs run around outside.

    that is all.
  • caseopele
    caseopele
    The "tool" isn't the owner of the dogs.

    Also, the bigger dog is a million years old, a little deaf, and possibly the sweetest living thing on the planet.
  • longtimesloper
    longtimesloper
    People need to speak with the owner of the bookstore, who is a woman BTW and not some anonymous rude bookstore employee! That would my first step before calling 311 etc. on them. If you are all concerned about the dogs and the safety of people on the street (as you should be!), then speak with the owner, maybe even show her this thread.
  • lnelson
    lnelson
    LTS, that's reasonable. Do you have any idea when she's typically in the store?
  • grievousangel
    grievousangel
    In my opinion, people who insist on keeping their dogs off-leash in public places (such as sidewalks and stores) are seeking attention and filling a void. There is no need to keep your dog off-leash unless in the park. Not everyone's dog is friendly, and an off-leash dog will surely make any bad situation worse. I am sympathetic to the fact that the dog is old and probably not causing any trouble... but with hearing and eye problems, maybe 3 feet from traffic isn't the best spot for him. More than anything, the owner sounded like a sanctimonious prick! I want to pummel his face just hearing about this.

    This happened to me near union and 7th at a cell phone store (at&t or sprint?)... but the dog was not trained at all and ran right into traffic. I hurried into the street to rescue the dog, brought him back to the store, and the guy could care less. He refused to even close the front door, which is why the dog ran out in the first place.
  • winstonsmith
    winstonsmith
    This would explain some of the crap left on 7th Ave, near the Community Bookstore.

    [email protected]

    If you wanna put management in the loop on this, but from the looks of their website they might not care.
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