New development in Jersey City has been accompanied by the rise of a dog care culture, economy. and infrastructure. This can be traced to the influx of professionals who have come to the City to work and live in the new office and luxury housing towers. Many are single adults or childless couples for whom dogs are companions. And, in bonding with their pets, they tend to care for them in the same way you might care for a child. This is a trend apparent in Jersey City, as well as in cities across the U.S and around the world.
Dog Care Culture
The rise of a dog care culture in the U.S. began with the decline of farms and the growth of cities. Dogs went from working and living outside the home to living in it. This changed the way Americans’ related to their dogs. They became pets, members of the family to be cared for in the same way. This attitude toward dogs has become more pronounced as more affluent people have come to live and work in cities in recent decades. They have the disposable income to spend lavishly on their pets and the political power to see that their pets are accommodated.
In Jersey City, many dog care businesses have emerged to meet the need to pamper pets. Dog-friendly restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and hotels have sprung up to accommodate dogs and their owners. Luxury housing developers often include dog runs as part of their infrastructure. Public parks have set aside space for dog runs as well.
Dog Care Economy
A dog care industry has evolved to meet the needs of dog owners with the discretionary income to pamper their pets. New businesses have sprung up to meet the needs of new residents for specialized care of their dogs.
Other businesses promise “salon and spa” experiences for dogs.
This business provides a variety of services such as cage free boarding, pet taxi and birthday celebrations.
There are also mobile businesses that will come to a pet owner’s home.
The dog care economy includes professional dog walkers.
Dog Care Infrastructure
As in many other cities, a dog care infrastructure has emerged in Jersey City to accommodate the desire of dog owners for recreational spaces for their pets. Dog runs, where dogs can roam without a leash, are common throughout the City. Many of the City’s parks now have dog runs reflecting the power of advocates to obtain government support for the creation, funding and maintenance of these spaces. And, as in many other cities, Jersey City’s dog runs are most often in more affluent parts of the city.
Dog runs sometimes have separate smaller spaces for smaller and more sensitive dogs.
Dog runs have become common enough to provide many choices for dog owners.
Dogs in parks have become so common that “pet free” signs are needed to let people know where they are not allowed.
The City Parks Department has established a set of dog run rules to guide behavior in these spaces.
Private developments have also set aside space for dog runs.
Water fountains are a part of dog infrastructure.
Dog run art.
Even though dog parks have been around for almost 30 years, they are the fastest growing aspect of parks in cities today growing by 40 percent in the last decade. And in many cities they are contested space. Sometimes it’s about the concentration of dog parks in white affluent neighborhoods and their absence in lower income black and brown neighborhoods, which some refer to as, “dog park deserts” It’s also about space for playgrounds versus space for dog runs. As with housing, the challenge is in finding equitable ways to share urban space among diverse groups with different interests, resources and power.
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