BROOKLYN — Algae dangerous to dogs continues to plague the main body of the Prospect Park Lake, according to park officials and the state Department of Environmental Conservation, but the park’s Dog Beach near the Long Meadow is safe — for now, park staff said.
Recent testing of the Dog Beach — located near the Ninth Street entrance on the Park Slope side — indicated that the swimming area for pooches is currently safe, but the Prospect Park Alliance stressed to dog owners that its status may change week-to-week.
In an alert on its website, the Alliance said testing is done weekly by the DEC for harmful blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, that could make dogs and humans sick if ingested or touched.
The algae is “widespread” in the lake, according to the DEC, but hasn’t spread to the same degree in the small pond where the Dog Beach is located, connected to the lake by small waterways.
The Alliance said it would post the most up-to-date information on its website and on signs around the Dog Beach and Peninsula — which is located on the lake itself and is still unsafe for swimming — to let owners know if the algae “blooms” are present or not.
If anyone thinks they or the pet have been exposed to the algae, the Alliance suggested cleaning the skin or affected region with clean water and monitoring for irritation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache or fever.
For more information about the symptoms of blue-green algae toxicity, visit the DEC’s website.
