Dog owners are concerned after reports of illness at McCarren Park

A city council member is warning of 'cases of leptospirosis' stemming from the park, though the health department has not confirmed

By Brooklyn Magazine Staff

Williamsburg dog owners who frequent McCarren Park are expressing alarm after reports that multiple dogs have gotten sick and some have even died after playing in the popular park.

Lincoln Restler, a city council member, warned last week that “potential cases of leptospirosis,” a bacterial disease spread through urine from animals (like rats), were infecting pets, adding that the council is working with the parks and health departments.

In a statement to Brooklyn Magazine, though, the health department said it has not “confirmed recent reports of canine leptospirosis related to McCarren Park.” Cases of the disease among dogs are “very rare” and they usually get sick (exhibiting symptoms like a fever, vomiting, muscle aches) between one to two weeks after exposure, not hours.

“We like our four-legged friends happy and healthy, and are sad to learn that some pups may have recently been impacted by leptospirosis,” NYC Parks said in a statement. “We are actively engaged with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and exploring options to mitigate any related risks.”

One of the dogs that has died was 2.5-year-old French bulldog named Oreo. His owner said the dog was perfectly healthy before the park, but got sick and died soon after.

“He started throwing up Saturday morning and we put him down Tuesday afternoon at 5:05 p.m.,” his owner said, according to WABC-TV. “I was a freshman at University of U-Conn just this past semester and I had to withdraw from the semester because I just couldn’t go back.”

On Reddit, dog owners are sharing similar concerns of dogs getting sick. One person claimed that as many as four dogs have died in recent weeks.

To calm people’s nerves, the parks department changed the trash cans to rat-resistant cans and sent an exterminator to the area for inspection. On Monday, it will replace the wood chips in areas where dogs commonly congregate in a makeshift area (the park doesn’t have a formal dog run).

Dog owners shouldn’t let them drink from puddles, and a vaccine is available, experts say.