| Author | Message | ||
     Scott Citizen Username: Hillsd Post Number: 1 Registered: 8-2006 |
I know there have been many recent postings about dogs and many others about this specific issue. I have the need bring it up again. Yesterday, a neighbor's dog defecated on my lawn and the owner just walked away without picking it up! I walked out and asked for him to clean up. His response, "Yeah, I forgot to bring a bag." BS- He had no intention of cleaning that up (I have noticed several piles in the same area recently). But, to his credit he DID come back a few minutes later. I might also add, that yesterday's incident happened directly under the sign I posted reading, "Please respect our greenery and our health --curb and clean up after your dog"!! My gripe - I understand that all dogs need to relieve themselves and all dogs need to relieve themselves outside and even go as far as saying that some male dogs have to mark, if only a drop or two, on vertical services. I also understand that dogs need exercise (aka. walks). What I do not understand, is when a dog poops or relives its bladder on a neighbors lawn, the owner has at least some intension of that dog using someone else's lawn as their bathroom. My conclusion: DOG OWNERS MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ANIMALS and NEIGHBORS SHOULD NOT BEAR ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S ANIMALS. Let your dog relieve on your property BEFORE you take it for its exercise. Cleaning up demonstrates a little respect for your neighborhood. But again, why not let it poop on YOUR OWN lawn and use the plastic bag to clean up YOUR OWN lawn. I would not have a dog for several reasons and this being one of them. Why must my grass be burned by your dog and why must I be responsible for cleaning it up? | ||
| Krista Citizen Username: Shortgrrrl Post Number: 143 Registered: 2-2005 |
ok...i am probably going to get flamed for this, but here it goes: while i totally agree that dog owners should be responsible for picking up the poop while on walks, how can one prevent it if his or her beloved pup lifts his leg while on a neighborgood stroll? i admit, i have two dogs, and when i take them for a walk, i do have them run around the yard for a bit to get things out of their system, if you know what i mean. afterall, i don't exactly enjoy walking around the block with a bag full of stinky and not a garbage in sight...still, i carry several bags with me just in case. and always: my dogs go again, often several times, leaving a sprinkle or two here and there. now, my dogs are leashed, but we walk on the sidewalk. so, while some times their bladders get releived on the curbside, there are also times it is on the edge or someone's front lawn. and, in addition to all this, one of my rascals is a frequent pooper. so he may poop before we leave, and then again just to spite me on our walk. sooo...i ask: what should i do? never walk my dogs? i mean, i understand your right to keep your property undamaged by neighborgood pets. but what about wild animals? do you stop them from peeing on your property? anyway, please don't get me wrong, as i do pick up all waste from my pets and do my best to preserve the property of my neighbors while out for a walk, but this is suberbia...we are not spread wide apart with acres of private property untouched by others...while i will do my best, the bottom line is my dog is most likely going to sprinkle on someone's bush. and i don't really think it is that big of a deal... ok. flame away... krista | ||
| Flameretardant Citizen Username: Flameretardant Post Number: 44 Registered: 9-2004 |
Scott, this topic has been debated here many times. YES, dog owners have a responsibility to pick up their animal friends' waste -- especially if it is deposited on someone else's lawn! NO, not every dog will or can excrete in their own back yard. Maybe certain breeds and good training can correct that, but I know it's next to impossible to get my dog (and many dogs) to s--- in the yard. It's her territory, and her instinct is not to defecate there; she simply has to "go" somewhere else. I make sure she does so in public areas (e.g., the berm between sidewalk and street) and pick up after her. SO, you're right to be pissed (haha) if someone doesn't pick up after their pet. But as for always using their own yard, etc., no, sorry it doesn't work that way. | ||
| Alleygater Citizen Username: Alleygater  Post Number: 2553 Registered: 10-2004 |
OK Scott, this is the right place to vent. So vent away. I am sure when you are feeling a little less P.O.ed you will realize that not all of your neighbors are rude. I can't speak for everyone but I pick up after my dog. My dog IS CAPABLE of peeing and pooping on our yard. And we let him out all the time and he goes. But my dog is cooped up in our house all day long 5 out of 7 days of the week. The occassional walk is the HIGHLIGHT of his week. If my dog goes out, he wants to mark his territory and pooping is just one way he does that. Even if he pooped he's going to AT LEAST try to do it again if he can (spite, fun, I don't know). That is why I bring bags with me. Now what I do want to contest with you is that you say that the dogs poop on your lawn. Are you serious? Are the owners letting them poop on your lawn or on the townships berm (which you are responsible for maintaining)? Because, I'm sorry for breaking the news to you but, you don't own the berm and the township allows dogs to poop on the public property provided people pick up after them. No law that I know of regarding peeing on town land either that I know of. So I understand that you don't want BURN marks in the townships berm (that you have to maintain) but c'mon now that land aint yours really. Also, my dog pees in my backyard CONSTANTLY, and there aren't any burn marks. I'm not saying that pee can't do that to your lawn, but I think the anti-dog people are going a little overboard when they complain that their berm is slightly off color. Is this like needing your carpet to match the drapes? I mean your house looks wonderful, your lawn is well maintained. We get that you take pride in your house. The slight discoloration in the berm in front of your house isn't getting in the way of us noticing all of your hardwork and integrity in your home. I promise. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2671 Registered: 7-2003 |
My dog burns the heck out of grass, I think it’s all the asparagus he eats. | ||
| Flameretardant Citizen Username: Flameretardant Post Number: 46 Registered: 9-2004 |
I think it actually has to do with gender -- the urine of female dogs burns the grass (I can attest to this) but not that of males. Our back yard has plenty of burned out spots as a result. But poop is another matter ... | ||
| The Libertarian Citizen Username: Local_1_crew Post Number: 2058 Registered: 3-2004  |
DOG OWNERS MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ANIMALS and NEIGHBORS SHOULD NOT BEAR ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S ANIMALS change ANIMALS to CHILDREN and you have my opinion on school taxes. | ||
| SO Ref Citizen Username: So_refugee Post Number: 2157 Registered: 2-2005  |
Krisa - carry more bags... | ||
| MeAndTheBoys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 4483 Registered: 12-2004  |
Wow, Flame, I sure wish my dog had that instinct. He has no problem pooping anywhere and everywhere on my lawn. As for Scott, when I walk my dog I always do my best to make sure he relieves himself on the grass between the sidewalk and the street, and not on anyone's actual lawn. And I always pick up after him. Sounds like this particular neighbor is just rude. I can recall a time when I was out on one of my long walks with my dog. Long after we left home, and I thought he was done, he pooped on somebodies lawn on the other side of town. It was then I discovered I was out of my supply of bags that I usually carry in my stroller. I saw a car in the driveway of the house where he pooped and figured everybody has to have some kind of plastic bag in the house. So I knocked on the door. When the guy answered I said "Hi, I'm really sorry to bother you, but my dog just pooped on your lawn and I seem to have run out of plastic bags. I was wondering if you might have one so I can clean it up." He got one for me. | ||
| Alleygater Citizen Username: Alleygater Post Number: 2554 Registered: 10-2004 |
Libby your back. It's been so long since I've seen you. unfortunately your still playing the same old record. | ||
| MeAndTheBoys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 4485 Registered: 12-2004 |
And you're surprised by that, Alley? | ||
| Alleygater Citizen Username: Alleygater Post Number: 2555 Registered: 10-2004 |
No, I just thought I'd point it out. Since we are on the topic of dogs, I may as well restate the cliche, I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks. | ||
| MeAndTheBoys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 4486 Registered: 12-2004 |
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| swishliquor Citizen Username: Swishliquor Post Number: 67 Registered: 7-2006  |
Libertarian-- at least children don't poop on people's lawns. Long, long ago, kids, school and taxes were the way you prefer. But liberal-minded people decided that just because you could not afford to pay for your kids' schooling is no reason not to go... so let the whole neighborhood share in the burden... I thought we were supposed to be a capitalistic society, not socialistic. | ||
| MeAndTheBoys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 4491 Registered: 12-2004 |
Swishliquor, I can see you're new here. I can tell because you registered in July of this year, you only have 67 posts, and your attempting to reason with Libertarian!  Many an intelligent, rational MOLer has taken up this particular gauntlet before you, only to end up insulted, belittled and frustrated. Good luck! | ||
| Alleygater Citizen Username: Alleygater Post Number: 2557 Registered: 10-2004 |
Which explains my point about broken records and the inability to teach an old dog new tricks. I suspect that Libby's been posting under another alias lately and thus, this Liberterian screen name has been seen far less online lately which might explain why you haven't yet become familiar with his repetitive style. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15516 Registered: 1-2003  |
Krista, maybe it's hard when you have two dogs, but I do manage to get my dog not to pee in the wrong place, MOST of the time. I tug on him and yell no a few times, and he gets it. Some people grow tomatoes right next to the sidewalk because it's the only place they get sunshine (I guess) but they make a nice target for dogs. I suppose other dogs pee on them but not mine. So I'm not really doing anyone any favors. I'm sure the amateur farmers wash their tomatoes well. | ||
| MeAndTheBoys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 4497 Registered: 12-2004 |
Alley, regardless of the name he might post under, I'm pretty sure we'd recognize him. | ||
| Alleygater Citizen Username: Alleygater Post Number: 2559 Registered: 10-2004 |
You think? I always assumed that of late he posts with the Libby alias when he wants to make some scathing children/tax (or other political) point. I suspect his Libby persona is now so annoying to most posters that he feels he can use it to rant and rave on all topics. Now I assume he uses his other "more genteel" screen name for everyday posting and that you wouldn't even know that underneath the facade of civility lies Mr. Hyde. | ||
| Alleygater Citizen Username: Alleygater Post Number: 2560 Registered: 10-2004 |
Like Tom, if I see something nice near the berm, out of common courtesy, I pull my dog to move along and pee elsewhere. | ||
| MeAndTheBoys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 4503 Registered: 12-2004 |
Likewise. But I also wash my tomatoes!  | ||
| catmanjac Citizen Username: Catmanjac Post Number: 313 Registered: 2-2004  |
Not exactly new here, but... | ||
| Kibbegirl Citizen Username: Kibbegirl Post Number: 736 Registered: 5-2003 |
We have two dogs as well and I bring more than enough bags, just in case. I will not allow them to poop/pee on lawns, private bushes and shrubs, etc. They are to poop/pee on the green where the city trees are -- and I pick up after them and bring it home and dump it in my own cans. It's absolutely crazy that a dog owner would allow their animal to poop/pee on someone's lawn. | ||
| something witty Citizen Username: Buckneja Post Number: 297 Registered: 1-2003  |
This describes some dogs to a "T" (or is it "Pee"?)) We don't walk ours often because of this...he has a yard! http://elephanteggs.com/ElectricFence.htm | ||
| Carl Thompson Citizen Username: Topcat Post Number: 217 Registered: 4-2003  |
Scott, If the perp is someone you know, scoop up the "evidence" and place it at the perp's doorstep. Ring the bell if he doesn't see you do it. That will be the last time he and his dog leave anything in your yard. My wife did this once, before we lived in Maplewood. She had to get up her nerve, as you might expect, but it was extremely effective. |
