Welcome to Tompkins Square Dog Run. We are New York City's first and largest dog run located in NYC's Tompkins Square Park. We use this site to share ideas, offer suggestions, coordinate clean-ups and talk about our dogs.
Our Beginning
In the mid 1980s, before the community had been granted an official dog run, Tompkins Square Park was a dangerous place suffering from the ill effects of rampant drug use and crime that plagued New York. The founders of First Run were not willing to give up their place in the park and fought the perils of the day -- and City Hall! -- to establish a safe place to gather with their dogs.
“The Parks Department included one caveat: the run must be managed and funded by the community (not the city.)”
The city's first dog run was opened in 1990 as part of the renovation of Tompkins Square park. As ex-parks commissioner Henry Stern stated, "starting the run was just a good idea".
The Parks Department included one caveat: the run must be managed and funded by the community (not the city.) Dog owners who fought so hard to make First Run a reality, raised money and organized volunteers.
Today even those who have no love for dogs say that First Run was instrumental in bringing the park back to its glory days. First Run is a source of immense pride and devotion for countless people.
In 2008, the dog park underwent a $450,000.00 renovation. "Friends of First Run secured the funding and shephered the design & renovation process with the support of the great Park Commissioner Adrian Benepe whose dedication has brought about the massive restoration of the entire New York City park system.
Its many new features include a state-of-the-art running surface composed of decomposed granite sand, underground drainage, a large and small dog run, 3 swimming pools, as well as bath areas & hoses to spray off your dog before returning home.
Dog Park Rules
We want you and your dog to have a fun and safe time. By entering this public dog park you agree to be financially responsible for any injury caused by your dog and abide by posted rules. Please do not enter the run if you are not confident of your dog’s ability to interact safely with other people and dogs.
No dogs without people. No people without dogs
All dogs over 6 months of age must be neutered or spayed
No aggressive dogs
Accompany and monitor your dog in the run at all times
Remain alert! Interrupt rough play and mounting
If your dog gets into a fight or injures another dog, exchange contact information with the other owner and remove your dog from the run
You are legally and financially responsible for any injury caused by your dog
Dogs must be licensed and properly vaccinated
Your dog must wear a collar or harness while in the run
Prong, chain and spike collars are prohibited
Children must be accompanied by an adult and remain seated • Do not use the run if your dog has a communicable disease
Dispose of all dog waste. Prevent digging and excessive barking • No food
No toys except standard size tennis balls
Only dogs 25lbs. and under in the small dog area
These rules are enforceable by Park Enforcement Police
Common QUESTIONs
Can I ask someone to leave if they are breaking the rules or if their dog is causing trouble?
When the city officially sanctioned First Run, they mandated that the community post dog run rules and encourage responsible use of the park. However we are not law enforcement. You can politely point out a rule but egregious behavior should be reported to 911 or the park office directly in front of the run.
Monitoring the run is the duty of all its users. It is up to us to patrol the activity of ALL dogs and request that owners remove an animal that may be "having a bad day." Dog squabbles are part of dog play. However dog fights are not. It's our duty to prevent them before they occur and see that the posted rules are followed.
My dog was injured by another dog in the run. "Am I off-base in thinking that there is a responsibility on the part of the owner of a dog that bites my dog and causes medical damage?"
Please download the Dog Owner's Guide to Small Claims Court.
The rule is that owners pay the medical bills of any dog attacked by their dog. This includes behavior by a dog that singles out another dog for attack or a dog that is clearly out of control for sometime. In such cases, the dog's owner must assume total responsibility and cover the cost of the entire vet bill.
However many dog fights fall into a gray area where it is hard to tell which dog is at fault. This includes dogs being bitten when play escalates out of control, or when one dogs mounts another and that dog turns around and bites. Its called "no fault" because neither of the dogs should have pursued the fight. I know it gets touchy figuring out which dog growled first, or whose behavior escalated, but they are dogs afterall. In these "no fault" situtations, the owners should split the costs of a necessary vet bill.
All of this gets exacerbated if a dog is in heat, near a heat cycle or unneutered. I mention this because this scenario concerns at least 1/2 the serious dog fights in the run.
The owner of a dog in heat (or near heat) should never be in the run in the first place. Unneutered males dogs are not allowed in the dog run. These owners must assume the complete financial burden themselves since bringing an intact male dog or female in heat are against park rules. A "No Intact dog or females in heat" rule is posted on both gates of the run as well as warnings that an owner is financially and legally responsible for any injury caused by their dog.
What is the off-leash rule in New York City parks? I heard that dogs were allowed off leash before 9 a.m and after 9 p.m.
The Parks Department's long-standing "courtesy hours" are now a formal part of the Park Rules and Regulations. The policy states that with proof of current dog license and rabies vaccination, owners can allow dogs to run off-leash in certain designated areas from the time the park opens until 9 a.m. AND from 9 p.m. until the park closes.
Please note Tompkins Square and East River Park are NOT parks with designated off-leash areas. Dogs can only be off-leash in the dog runs at Tompkins Square or Corlears Hook park.
Click here for a list of New York City parks with designated off-leash hours.