Concern for the barking dogs at 58 St. Mark's Place

Back in October, an EVG reader wrote in about a seemingly unattended dog (or dogs) coming from somewhere in the shared courtyard toward the west side of the block between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place ... and First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

Since then, thanks to some sleuthing, the reader has tracked down the location ... but is stymied by the lack of progress to free the dogs.

I posted on Next Door, where I was able to find a man across the courtyard who had already posted about the dogs, and could identify the building and posted a video of the dogs barking and scratching at the back entrance, as well as someone who had seen the dogs moved into the same building at the time when the barking started. 

Unfortunately, what we learned is that the dogs are being kept in the abandoned unit that formerly was home to Clay Pot at 58 St. Mark's Place. It's empty. So every time I report it to 311, they send a police officer who knocks on the door, no one answers, and they shut the animal neglect ticket. 

The Office of Health and Mental Hygiene isn't answering their phones or returning messages. The barking is near-constant day and night, and obviously very distressed and suffering. I have been posting flyers outside the door, which get ripped off, and I found a ConEd notice this week saying that there was no tenant in the unit but it was still receiving gas, which would be shut off. 

I (and the others on NextDoor) am now worried that if it gets cold again, or if electricity is cut off, those dogs will freeze to death, or die of sheer neglect in the dark.

Is there anything else EV Grieve readers can think of? I have tried 311 and the 92nd St ASPCA (both of which send the complaint to the local NYPD precinct, which knocks and leaves), flyers, Next Door. I'm at wit's end and feel as though I am just waiting for the dogs to die tragically. 

58 St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second is one of the many East Village buildings scooped up by now-disgraced landlord Raphael (Rafi) Toledano. The building appears to still be in his name, per public records.

In 2017, a subsidiary of lender Madison Realty Capital took over the portfolio while Toledano was mired in bankruptcy proceedings. It's not immediately clear who is managing the building today... or who is keeping the dogs behind an empty restaurant space.

Reader mailbag: What is this noise on 3rd Street?

Via the EVG inbox...

I was wondering if any EV neighbors know something about this hum/drone my family and I have been hearing since fall. (We live on Third Street between Avenue C and D.) It goes in and out, but can go on for a long time — also at night. It hums on an F. A generator? I would love to find out what it is, and if it can be stopped.

Reader mailbag: What to do about the dog that barks all day long

 Via the EVG inbox...

In the past few weeks there has been a dog (possibly dogs) that has been barking loudly, early, and all day from the shared courtyard toward the west side of the block between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place ... and First Avenue and Second Avenue.

It's a courtyard that is highly audible to everyone in the surrounding buildings, and people yelling outside the window haven't stopped whatever person is leaving their dog outside all day. 

Has anyone else had this problem, or know what can be done to help? Without a specific address or knowing which building is providing the courtyard access, there's no real way to report to the city through 311. Any neighborhood help is appreciated.

Image via Emojipedia!

Reader report: Needles in the dugout at East River Park

From the EVG inbox... via a reader who was at East River Park today...

While my family and I were playing tag in the baseball field along the FDR, we came across a pile of about 12-14 syringes scattered in the dugout. We called 311 and they didn't give us much confidence that they would clean that up. I am horrified. We need to make people aware that this is happening in places where children play and that 311 isn't terribly concerned.