Animals

Proposed Dog Run at Church Being Voted on June 4

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A proposed pilot program to turn an unused space at the First Church in Jamaica Plain into an unleashed, membership-based dog run will be voted on at the church board's annual meeting on June 4. The proposal is to take approximately 13% of the burial ground, about 30 feet by 90 feet nearest to Eliot Street, and make it into a fenced in space for a limited number of dogs to run off leash. The space is about 10 feet away from any monuments or markers, and 10 feet away from the crypts on the north side. Membership will be restricted, and there will be limits on the number of dogs allowed at any one time, and there will be limited hours of operation. A dog-owners group will decide membership by accepting applications, providing an orientation for guidelines of use, and also monitor the space.

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Animals

There’s A Lot More Fish in Jamaica Pond After Last Week

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One of the great benefits of being governor of Massachusetts means you have the option of participating in the annual stocking of Jamaica Pond -- and Governor Maura Healey didn't miss her first opportunity to do so. Healey was joined Boston Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ryan Woods, Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper, students from John F. Kennedy Elementary and Curley K-8 schools, and MassWildlife staff on April 27. According to Boston Parks and Recreation, more than 1,000 trout were released into Jamaica Pond -- approximately 800 rainbow trout averaging 14 inches long, 25 brook trout and 65 brown trout averaging 18 inches long, and 170 tiger trout, a cross between a female brown trout and a male brook trout, averaging 14 inches long. The fish for the stocking event were raised at state hatcheries.

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Animals

Olmsted Park Spring Bird Walk This Sunday

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Do you see pretty birds and want to know their name? Or maybe you've already got a pair of binoculars and a keen eye for springtime warblers. This weekend's spring bird walk is for both beginner and more seasoned ornithological enthusiasts. The 90-minute free walk will be led by local birding expert Bob Mayor, and focus on migrating warblers and other spring species at Leverett, Willoe and Ward's ponds, as well as the woods of the Emerald Necklace Olmsted Park. Meet at the Olmsted Park Daisy Field parking lot on Willow Pond Road between Pond Avenue and the Jamaicaway.

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Animals

Boston’s Most Popular Dog Names & License Your Dog by March 31

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For the second year in a row Charlie and Luna were the most popular dog names in Boston. While releasing the most popular dog names for 2022, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department’s Animal Care and Control Division wants to reminds dog owners that the annual deadline for licensing their pets is March 31. All dogs in Boston require a new license each year. “We take this time each year to remind pet owners not only that licensing your pet is the law, but a license is your pet’s ID and provides their best chance to be returned home if they become lost,” noted Animal Care and Control Director Alexis Trzcinski. “If your dog ever gets out, the chances of being reunited are greatly increased with a license.”
There were 81 dogs registered in Boston named.

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Animals

$3,000 Reward: Help Find Nala the Bengal Cat

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Kailee Kennedy is devastated that her bengal cat Nala is still missing from her Jamaica Plain home and is offering a $3,000 reward for returning her to Kennedy. Nala has been missing since Jan. 22 when Kennedy was taking a walk with her on Dalrymple, and Nala got frightened by a dog, and the feline took off with her purple harness and leash on her. "I have hired a pet detective, someone to fly a drone with a thermal camera multiple times, hired an animal communicator, printed and posted 500+ flyers on street poles and in mailboxes, set up food stations and cameras, posted across social media, talked with my neighbors, and organized a community search party on February 5 -- all with no luck," Kennedy told Jamaica Plain News. Nala is spayed, micro-chipped, and a legal domesticated pet in Massachusetts.

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Animals

Trio of Coyotes Enjoy Golf Course in Franklin Park

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Rachel Vanderkruik shared this video with Jamaica Plain News of three coyotes strolling through Franklin Park in late January. "I saw them by the William J. Devine Golf Course -- seems they had just crossed over Circuit Drive from the Franklin Park Picnic area. I was out running with my dog and at first just saw one and thought it was a dog off of the leash, but then the other two came along," said Vanderkruik. This continues Jamaica Plain News' recent coverage of coyotes in the neighborhood -- hear them howl and check out a duo near the tennis courts/picnic area. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjuUgn7humA

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Animals

Woodland Dog Park, Tennis Courts, BBQ, White Stadium Updates: Franklin Park Action Plan Summary

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The following is a summary of the Franklin Park Action Plan that includes recommendations for particular locations. Keep in mind that the Franklin Park Coalition board "regards many of these recommendations favorably," according to the plan's summary. But it is not an endorsement. The board has submitted comments on the Franklin Park Action Plan, including both endorsements and objections, to the Parks and Recreation Department in a separate document which will be made available on the Franklin Park Coalition website. You can register for a virtual public meeting hosted by the coalition about the action plan on Feb.

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Animals

5 Proposed Design Concepts To Be Revealed During Arnold Arboretum Entrance Improvement Meeting on Jan. 21

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The Arnold Arboretum will display five proposed concepts for its entrance improvement project at a Jan. 21 meeting. The Arnold Arboretum is hosting an open house for the project on Jan. 21 from noon to 3 pm at the Weld Hill Research Building (1300 Centre St., Roslindale). Landscape design firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates will be present to discuss the project, and the five proposed concepts for five entrances, and provide feedback on the designs.

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Animals

Video: Why Did The Coyote Cross Centre Street?

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So why did the coyote cross Centre Street in Jamaica Plain? Easy answer: To get to the other side. You can see this coyote stop on Centre Street and observe the action of cars commuting around 6 am on January 4, 2023. This video was sent to Jamaica Plain News by a reader after they recorded this coyote crossing over Centre Street from the grounds of the First Church of Jamaica Plain. The reader said there was more than one coyote, too.

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Animals

Bird Bills, Tree Mob, Family Hike, Barking Up The Right Tree: January Arnold Arboretum Events

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January may be cold, but there's lots of action at the Arnold Arboretum this month. Check out this list of events:
Winter Wellness Walk -- Sunday, Jan. 8, 1-2 pm
Stay connected to nature and enjoy the health benefits of a winter walk at the Arnold Arboretum. Docents will cover seasonal interest, Arboretum history, and plant collections. After the tour, warm up with a hot drink and further conversation with the docent and Arboretum Visitor Staff.

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