SATURDAY SCOOPS
Run, Spot run
Advertiser Staff and News Services
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| Ethan J. Twer, of Pearl City, plays fetch with Papi, his black lab and a new four-legged pal at the Moanalua Bark Park this week.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser Moanalua dog park Moanalua Community Park, off Pu'uloa Road, next to the basketball courts Open daily during daylight hours; closed until noon Tuesdays for maintenance For information about the volunteer ranger program, call Kelly Sciarrotta at 421-1145. |
Boy, will they come.
When the Moanalua dog park finally opened last month, after three years of delays, it took dog owners from the surrounding area and beyond no time at all to find their way over.
"We were in awe that they found it so quickly," said Betty Kamida, project manager for the Moanalua Gardens Community Association.
Kamida says the park is full of dogs and their people during the early evening and throughout the weekend.
But given that Moanalua is only the third dog park on the island — the others are the Bark Park at Diamond Head and the McInerny Dog Park at the Hawaiian Humane Society — not everyone who comes has a complete grasp of the rules — of the Moanalua park in particular and dog park etiquette in general.
The rules are easy enough to follow, and most are based on simple common sense. Keep track of your dog. Clean up your dog's droppings. No food.
A sign is posted detailing each of the rules (some vary from other parks), and a volunteer ranger program is being developed to have people on hand to answer questions and enforce the rules.
Owners should assume full responsibility for ensuring that they and their pets interact safely with others in the park.
Minor scuffles between dogs are natural and, for the most part, unavoidable. Quick, authoritative intervention is usually all it takes to keep the situation in check. That, of course, means owners must be vigilant even as they enjoy each other's company.
"I have to watch my Boonie because he doesn't always know his own strength," says Salt Lake resident Charlene Kubota, 39, of her golden retriever. "He gets excited and sometimes he runs over the little dogs. But most owners are cool. They all know that that's what happens when dogs play together."
Dogs should be leashed when entering and exiting the park, but once in the park, they should stay off the leash.
"Being on a leash can make the dog feel more vulnerable, which can lead to 'leash aggression,'" Kamida said. "Owners should keep them off the leash. At the first sign of trouble, they should take them out for a time out."
Kamida said the most important thing is to know your dog's personality and temperament.
"If they don't like being around other dogs, don't think they will suddenly like them when you bring them to a park," she said.
Kamida and her husband donated a plastic bag dispenser and the Yuppie Puppy Grooming Salon gave an initial supply of bags for clean-ups, but the number of dogs using the park has been so high that supplies went quickly. New dispensers that can be refilled with ordinary plastic bags have been installed and visitors are encouraged to bring their own bags.
"It's really important that people clean up after their dog as soon as they do their business," said Fred Rivas, 54, of Waipahu. "Some people, they wait until they're about to leave. Meantime, all the dogs are running through their stuff. Pilau!"
Ethan J. Twer of Pearl City brings his dog Papi to the park about once a week. Twer — and likely Papi, too — has high praise for the new off-leash facility, noting the perimeter fencing, benches, a water fountain for dogs and owners, "ample shade and enough room for dogs to run around and not feel too cramped."
What was once an underutilized grassy area near the freeway is now "full of energy, life, vigor, droopy tongues and wagging tails," he told us by e-mail.
'Hollywood Homicide,' 'Intolerable Cruelty,' at Sunset on the Beach
Here's the movie lineup for this weekend's Sunset on the Beach events at Queen's Surf Beach in Waikiki: "Hollywood Homicide," a buddy/cops movie starring Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett, tonight; "Intolerable Cruelty," the Coen brothers comedy starring George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones, tomorrow.
Sunset on the Beach begins at 4 p.m. each day with food booths and entertainment. The film hits the 30-foot screen after sundown. Admission is free.
Modern dance and old mythology come together in Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre's "Hawaiian Myths & Legends," previewed at 6 p.m. today at Ala Moana's Centerstage. It's free.
Look for the floor-length feather capes created for the story of the fire goddess Pele and her sister Hi'iaka.
The full production will be staged at 8 p.m. April 2-3 at the Hawai'i Theatre. Tickets are $25-$40 (discounts available for students, seniors and military). 528-0506.
Treat yourself, kids to carnival fun
Don't forget the Waimanalo Carnival, continuing 11:30 a.m.-midnight today and 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. tomorrow at Waimanalo Beach Park. Rides, games, food and entertainment make this a can't-go-wrong family outing. Admission is free.
Bring your bear to the teddy fair
Teddy bear under the weather? Don't despair. The Teddy Bear Clinic and Fair can help. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, bring your teddy or soft toy in for a free physical checkup. If you don't have one to bring, choose one at the adoption booth to take to the clinic, and decorate a vest for your new best friend.
The fair also hosts a museum, face painting, pony rides, a petting zoo, food, clowns, electric cars, games and balloons. It's all at the First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu, 1822 Ke'eaumoku St. Admission is free. 532-1111.
Triple feature in your living room
Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" has been the talk of many towns for several weeks. If you want a messianic triple feature, in your own living room, consider:
"The Last Temptation of Christ" (R, 1988, 164 minutes). Based on Nikos Kazantzakis' novel, the film stars Willem Dafoe as Jesus during his final hours, when he faces his final temptation to live as a fully human man. Contains adult material, nudity and violence.
— Ann Hornaday
"The Life of Brian" (R, 1979, 94 minutes). Now here's some comic relief: Monty Python made this wall-to-wall hilarious comedy about a prophet named Brian (Graham Chapman) who is mistaken for the One. Contains risque satire, profanity and nudity.
— Desson Thomson
"The Ruling Class" (PG, 1972, 154 minutes). Then there's Peter Medak's dark satire. This 1970s classic stars Peter O'Toole as a paranoid schizophrenic English earl who believes he is the Messiah. Contains dark humor and mildly offensive language.
— Desson Thomson
— Washington Post
Fiddle and twang with the gang
Bluegrass Hawai'i offers another free jam session, 1-5 p.m. tomorrow at Thomas Square. If you love traditional acoustic bluegrass or folk music, bring your instrument(s) and join in the musical fun. 622-1077.
It's time for every cat to have its day
Last weekend, the dogs had their days at the Hawaiian Kennel Club shows. This weekend, our feline friends are in focus at Cats USA: Red White and Mew, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. today at the Ala Wai Golf Course clubhouse. It's your chance to see some of Hawai'i's most beautiful cats; expect to see breeds such as Abyssinian, American shorthair, Burmese, manx, Maine coon, Persian and Somali, among others.
Admission is $4 general, $3 for kids and age 65 and older.
