To the Editor:
Jun. 17, 2015: As the grandchildren of Peter and Schatze Thorp, we believe our grandparents and other residents of Stoneleigh would benefit from having a pet.
There is a lot of evidence about how pets can help mental and physical health for people of all ages. Studies have shown that dogs can be therapeutic and even increase longevity along with helping seniors live more fulfilled and active lives.
Dogs have many benefits for young families as well. Families who own pets while their children are young have lower chances of developing allergies and asthma.
According to Nadine Kaslow, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University in Atlanta, dogs help people come out of social isolation. Dogs help de-stress and reduce blood pressure and chances of heart attacks.
They also help raise dopamine and serotonin levels, according to Blair Justice, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health. Dogs can help detect cancer and low blood sugar, and they can assist you during seizures and detect allergens. Dogs also aid rehabilitation.
Our grandparents, and all Stoneleigh residents, own their apartments. Gram and Grandfather expect to be at Stoneleigh for the rest of their lives, as they love it here. We think it would greatly improve the quality of their lives and increase their longevity if they could have a small dog.
Small dogs of 25 to 30 pounds do not cause much noise or damage to apartments. We also believe this policy could be extended to cats, as they have similar therapeutic benefits.
According to our research, Stoneleigh is one of the few buildings in Westchester County that doesn't allow dogs.
With all this in mind, please consider allowing dogs and other small pets to live with residents at Stoneleigh Apartments. They will thank you, and the building will become a much happier place.
Eleanor Rentz and Eliza Migdal
Granddaughters of Peter and Schatze Thorp
June 11, 2015
Editor's note: MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements in letters to the editor, and the opinions do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff. Its objective in publishing letters to the editor is to give air to diverse thoughts and opinions of residents in the community.
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
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