Popular Long Island City Dog Run Badly In Need Of Some TLC From NYC

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A dangerous dog run in Queens is causing pain for pups and worry for owners.

They say the terrain they're playing on is far from safe, not to mention an eyesore, CBS2's Reena Roy reported on Monday.

There's nothing like playtime on a sunny spring day, but people say the pups pay a price for all this fun because of sharp rocks, shards of metal and glass at the John F. Murray Playground dog run in Long Island City.

"The conditions are a little dangerous. There's broken glass in the dirt. There's sharp rocks. The pads of dogs when they run around get cut," dog walker Richard Sowell said.

"Unfortunately, quite often he might get a limp the next day because it's so full of rocks," dog owner Sebastiano Tronchetti added. "It's such a difficult terrain. It's not smooth. It's so full of obstacles, he hurts himself."

And it's not much better for the dog owners. CBS2's Roy showed a random assortment of old lawn chairs, brought to the run over the years by neighbors.

There's also messy mud around the perimeter, and dirty dust flying into the air.

"When it rains, all the borders are very muddy and it's filthy," Sowell said. "While you're watching your dog run and play, you can feel the grit of that dust in your mouth."

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Sowell recently helped start a petition, as neighbors beg the city's Parks Department to fix the run up.

Back in 2014, the city spent more than $1.2 million renovating Murray playground around the run, but only added fencing and a water source to the dog area, which has existed for more than 20 years.

CBS2's Roy asked the agency twice for an on-camera interview, but a spokesperson said no one was available. While admitting the run does have issues, the agency said it will look for some short-term solutions and money for a full renovation.

"It feels bad," Tronchetti said. "I love my dog and I want the best for him and this park doesn't help us do that."

"I feel like the dog park is subpar to what it could be," dog owner Joe Leonardo added.

In the meantime, dog owners will try and make do -- or trek to parks in other neighborhoods instead.

The community plans to hold a meeting next month to discuss how to get things fixed up once and for all.