Overton Bark – Memphis Flyer

A couple weeks ago, on a day when the temperature was in the low 20s, I decided to take my dogs on a walk at Overton Park. They were acting antsy and I figured I could handle the cold for a half-hour or so.

We usually hit the Overton Bark dog enclosure first, so my dogs can get their ya-yas out with other dogs before walking the trails. On this cold day, however, there was only one dog there — a shivering white pup with no collar or tags. She was standing on an icy patch of ground and her eyes were wide and fearful. An older couple walked by in thick parkas and said, “That dog’s been here for a while. Do you think her owner’s taking a walk?”

No, I thought. I think some asshole dumped this innocent pup at a dog park on a freezing winter day, hoping someone would rescue her. I took my dogs for a walk, resolving that if the pup was still there when we got back, it was my karma to save her.

A half-hour later, as I put her in the back of my car, there was a little grumbling from my two, but nothing serious. The pup looked like a pitbull mix, female, and sported one sassy eye that looked like it had been made-up by RuPaul. She was rib-skinny but affectionate and trusting. When we got home, I put food in a bowl for her. She inhaled it like oxygen, then lay down on a dog bed and slept for four hours without moving, recovering from the cold, exhaustion, and whatever she’d been through on the streets of Memphis.

I named her Wink because of that eye, and I called my daughter Mary, who works with Blues City Animal Rescue. She’s a pro at this stuff. We put out some feelers on social media and, after a couple of days, found a foster home for Wink. But it didn’t work out, so I got Wink back a day later. To be honest, I was becoming fond of her. She was gentle, non-aggressive, high-spirited, and didn’t run to the door and bark every time a delivery person came onto the porch — like my two idiots do six times a day. She was also a great TV-cuddler and would sleep through anything once she conked out.

There were a few suitors. One young couple brought their dog, but it didn’t like Wink. Another guy said he’d get back to me. Another had a family emergency. These things take time, Mary said.

My wife and I noticed that Wink was very independent. She’d snuggle, loved to play and fetch, but wouldn’t come when called. She was quirky. Something seemed off.

The next night, it clicked. I was prepping the dog bowls in the kitchen, my two hounds at my feet, excited, waiting for the nightly miracle. Wink was in the next room, snoring in a chair. When the bowls were ready, I hollered at her. No response. I whistled. I walked over to her and clapped my hands over her head. No response.

Wink was deaf as a stone.

Everything suddenly made sense: the deep sleeps (she was basically in a sensory-deprivation tank); the lack of response to sweet-talk or calls to “come” or attempts to give her a name. How this deaf dog survived out on the streets, I have no idea. How she survived and retained such a loving nature toward humans and other dogs is nothing short of a miracle.

In a couple of days, she began to respond to hand signals. I’ve ordered a sub-sonic whistle, in hopes she’ll be able to hear it. Wink is going to make it. She’s going to find her true home. We’re patient, and she’s a survivor. You heard it here first.

Email me if interested: brucev@memphisflyer.com.

Brandon Dill

Tina Hamilton (left) and her Great Dane, Dominic, relax with Allison Tribo and her dog, Foxy, inside Overton Bark dog park.

Overton Bark Reopens

Dog parks across the city reopened Thursday. Rejoice! (Or, wag your tail enthusiastically.)

Here’s what Overton Park says about visiting its much-loved Overton Bark:

We ask that you wear a face covering in the dog park, keep a safe distance between yourself and other visitors, and avoid the use of shared toys and water dishes. Please bring water for your dogs, as park water fountains are shut off due to the risk of spreading COVID-19. We’ve provided hand-washing stations near the Rainbow Lake and East Parkway pavilions.

What’s a “safe” distance? The city of Memphis has you covered here:

While Overton Bark has been free of furry feet for a while now, it’s still been exposed to the elements. Tomorrow morning, our landscaping crew will be weeding and cleaning up sweetgum balls, and next Wednesday the 26th, we’ll begin installing a fresh blanket of wood fiber surfacing, which keeps the ground comfy for the dogs and makes the area wheelchair-accessible. On both days, we will leave one side of the dog park open as the other side undergoes maintenance.

Airbnb bans parties

Airbnb/Facebook

The house-sharing platform announced a global ban on parties and events at all Airbnb listings and an occupancy cap of 16. The ban is in place until further notice.

Here’s what the company says about the ban:

Unauthorized parties have always been prohibited at Airbnb listings. In fact, 73 percent of our listings globally already ban parties in their house rules, and the vast majority of our guests behave in manners that show respect for house rules and for neighbors. We’ve historically allowed hosts to use their best judgment and authorize small parties — such as baby showers or birthday parties — if they’re appropriate for their home and their neighborhood.

Last year, we began imposing much stricter limits — starting with a global ban on “party houses” – meaning, listings that create persistent neighborhood nuisance. We also launched a 24/7 neighborhood support hotline in the U.S. and Canada — with plans for global expansion — to communicate directly with neighbors and help us effectively enforce the party house ban.

When the pandemic was declared, and social distancing became an important element in promoting public health and responsible travel, we updated our policies. We started by removing both the “event-friendly” search filter from our platform as well as “parties and events allowed” house rules from any event-friendly listings. Most importantly, we introduced a new policy requiring all users to adhere to local COVID-19 public health mandates.
[pullquote-1-center] However, in many large jurisdictions, public health mandates on gatherings have changed –— and in some places swung back and forth in response to the changing rates of COVID cases — as have regulations on bars, clubs and pubs. Some have chosen to take bar and club behavior to homes, sometimes rented through our platform. We think such conduct is incredibly irresponsible — we do not want that type of business, and anyone engaged in or allowing that behavior does not belong on our platform.

Based on these developments, instituting a global ban on parties and events is in the best interest of public health.

Here’s how the ban will work:

• Parties are now prohibited on all future bookings

• Occupancy at Airbnb listings will be capped at 16 people. This is primarily relevant to larger homes that we previously allowed to list as able to accommodate 16+ people.

• We are currently scoping a potential exception process for specialty and traditional hospitality venues (i.e. boutique hotels)

• Guests will be informed about Airbnb’s party rules and informed that they may be legally pursued by Airbnb if they violate our policy. This work is currently being operationalized and will be rolled out in the near future.