Truesdale Lake  

South Salem, New York

January 6, 2021
by rob
Comments Off on Some Lake New Year’s Resolutions for 2021

Some Lake New Year’s Resolutions for 2021

Some Lake Stewardship Resolutions: I will get my septic tank pumped and inspected. If the tank baffles are missing or damaged, I’ll have them replaced. (Wind River, formerly Kaiser-Battistone offers 15% discount for lake area residents – but you have to … Continue reading

January 19, 2017
by rob
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A Note From The Vet

Passing on this public service note from neighbor and veterinarian Carol Gamez:

Hello Everyone,

Happy New Year and happy snow season! It’s a great time of year to enjoy the beautiful outdoors. I have been enjoying my jogs around the lake and love everything that our lake community has to offer… the beautiful lake view, the smell of the wood stoves and fireplaces, the camaraderie of the neighbors, and the beautiful snow. Which brings me to the point of this letter.

While walking my dogs on the street, I noticed many piles of dog feces – aka poop. First of all, at night, I can’t see the poop and have stepped in it and that is very unpleasant. My dogs also step in it and then it ends up on their feet.

People don’t think much about it — but as a veterinarian, here are all the things I see in my practice related to “not attending” to dog poop. Dog feces may contain parasites or eggs that are transmissible to children and to other dogs. If the poop is contaminated with round worms, tapeworms, hookworms or giardia then our properties become seeded with these parasites. It’s microscopic so you can’t see it. If children accidentally ingest a roundworm egg by being exposed to dog poop, the results can lead to blindness or other medical issues. It’s called ocular larval migrans or visceral larval migrans. Scary stuff. The worm eggs stay in the snow and then kids throw snowballs and might be innocently exposed to these parasites. And your dogs can get sick too. They might have loose poop or gas or even a belly ache from accidentally being exposed to the feces.

Having your dogs routinely dewormed by your veterinarian helps but it NOT the only answer. The solution is simple. Pick up after your pets, PLEASE. It’s so awful to see the piles of poop and not feel like one of us doesn’t care enough to keep our beautiful little lake community streets clean. So here is a reminder to everyone, old neighbors and new neighbors: pick up the poop. It’s for everyone’s safety, especially your children and your dogs. And clean up your yards so the eggs and parasites don’t soak into the ground and re-infect your dogs or cats.

Thank you and if you have any questions regarding this letter, please feel free to contact me at cgamez@georgetownvet.com.

(more at link) Continue reading

May 15, 2016
by rob
Comments Off on Please Help Keep The Lake and Neighborhood Clean

Please Help Keep The Lake and Neighborhood Clean

Truesdale Lake is lovely for a walk any time of year. We welcome many people from both the neighborhood and outside the area to our perfect 2.6 mile loop.

Unfortunately, some folks walking with dogs are not cleaning up after their pets. The evidence is right at the curb, near the mailboxes, and sometimes right in the middle of the street.

It is an unpleasant topic — but it must be addressed.

If you own a dog, these unwelcome feces (are there any other kind?) pose a direct danger to *your* pet.

Dog poop can carry disease or parasites (hookworm, roundworm, and campylobacter) which can spread throughout the dog community quickly.

The poop also can be a severe health hazard for small children, organ transplant recipients, immune system compromised patients, and the elderly.

Finally, the poop contributes to elevated fecal coliform bacteria in the lake and is generally disgusting smelling and unpleasant.

What can you do?

If you own a dog, clean up after your pet. There are bag carriers that attach to leashes and collars like the one for sale here (and here) [links at website version].

We know the vast majority of dog owners do their part and clean up. But several people have posted about dog owners who dispose of the poop bags in the nearest (private) garbage bin. This seems like a logical thing to do — BUT it is a problem. Why? Many of the trash removal companies simply leave these baggies behind when hauling the big bags of trash. Why are they so picky about what they throw into their trucks? We don’t know! Unfortunately this leaves the homeowner to clean up the bags — sometimes after they have sat for several weeks unnoticed and sometimes split open at the bottom of the trash bin. Speaking from experience, it is not pleasant cleaning the bottom of a trash bin that has been soiled by an unknown dog. Solution: Take your used doggie bags back to your own trash to minimize your impact and be a good neighbor.

If you see a dog owner who is not taking responsibility, please politely ask them to clean up after their pet. If they refuse, you can offer them a plastic bag if they have none. In cases of repeat offenses, the Lewisboro Dog Control Officer (Christine McKenna) can be reached via the town.

You can also email Janet Donahue, Lewisboro Town Clerk (914-763-3511). Town law prohibits dogs from “Creating a nuisance by defecating, urinating or digging on public property or private property other than that of its owner” among other things. Owners can be fined between $50 and $100 for first offenses and up to $600 for repeat violations. New changes in state and local dog laws took effect in 2011.

The town and lake community can help as well. The community can help educate residents about the dangers of dog poop.

The town and/or associations may be able to help by getting “doggie bag” dispensers and possibly receptacles placed strategically around the lake. This is a possibility — But it brings up other questions like:

-how much do they cost (purchase & installation),
-where should they be placed,
-who is responsible for emptying the bags,
-who restocks the bags when they run out,
-and who pays for:
–the initial investment in bins and
–the ongoing costs of removal and restocking?

Working together we can help stop this problem and keep our wonderful lake neighborhood clean and healthy for all residents year-round!

Please write any comments or ideas you have in the comments section at the site.

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March 19, 2010
by rob
Comments Off on Please No Dogs on Beaches

Please No Dogs on Beaches

Please do not let your dog into the beach areas on Truesdale Lake.  This is a safety and health issue.  For more information about the reasons and risks, please see this permanent page on the website: http://truesdalelake.com/lake-management/no-dogs-on-beaches/ Thank you for … Continue reading