Home › Forums › Open Discussion › It's my front yard not your dog toilet
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September 19, 2015 at 6:50 pm #818477
mpentoParticipantYes another one of those posts but I’m hoping a bit of repetition might help the obtuse or oblivious. Every time this happens I just have to assume that the owner does not realize that this is NOT OK because when I see it there is absolutely no attempt to prevent it. These are the dog walkers who actually walk their dogs on a leash (yes the other kind are out there but obviously the rules don’t apply). Somehow you believe that it is OK for you to let your dog take you for a walk and just follow along where ever they choose to go (pun intended). When doggie sets up for the pre poop shuffle somehow getting onto my lawn seems to be the required option. THIS IS NOT OK. Let me repeat that, it is not OK to have your dog use my lawn as a toilet. This is one of the reasons you have the dog on a leash. Yes there is no fence or parking strip but let me suggest that if you are driving down the road you are able to stay on the road and not wander onto my yard so you do know the difference. This morning I had two “ladies” out walking their dogs and they looked at me as I watched them let their dog leave a present on my lawn and then move quickly on because the deposit was not the kind that could be picked up (and it was not pee) This is not OK. The main reason I’m posting is because it just keeps happening. At this stage I’m assuming that the dogs have designated this area, either by smell or habit as one of their hot spots (or maybe they just crap everywhere and I’m just getting my share). Your dog is not going to explode if you prevent it from relieving itself where it is not appropriate. In fact it is known that dogs can learn!!! And damn you dog owners who allow this because you have turned me into one of those west Seattle old farts who posts to the forum to rant and complain. Damn you all to hell! Now GET OFF MY LAWN
September 19, 2015 at 10:19 pm #828028
JeanineParticipantGet a fence.
September 19, 2015 at 10:56 pm #828029
J242ParticipantI’m in agreement w/ Jeanine.
Get a fence if you don’t want animals on your lawn. So long as the people walking said dogs pick up the poo, I really don’t know what you’re complaining about. If they leave it there for you to deal with? You totally have a valid gripe but if they pick it up you need to get over it or put up a barrier to prevent it from happening.
September 19, 2015 at 11:45 pm #828030
JTBParticipantI’m going to have to expose myself in order to respond to this. ;-)
For reasons too involved to explain or defend, I’ll simply say we started a new lawn (shortly before the voluntary water restrictions were announced.)
I have placed a nominal barrier of twine held up by skinny bamboo sticks along the parking stip between the sidewalk and street (a hedge isolates the lawn). In three weeks, no animal has disrupted that barrier. I take this as an indication of the good will and consideration of people walking their dogs (and sign no free roaming dogs have come by).
Dog poo that is too diffuse to pick up manually will quickly be absorbed into a lawn, contributing to its overall health. Don’t worry about it. Let it go. Move on.
September 19, 2015 at 11:49 pm #828031
J242ParticipantWell yeah, if you have even a 6″ barrier on the edge of your lawn then it’s blatantly obvious to both dogs AND their humans that they can’t go in there! lol
Anyone who would pick up and place their dog over someone’s barrier is a total jerk and deserving of the home owner’s irritation and ire. That’s just my two cents is all. ;)
September 20, 2015 at 12:40 am #828032
mpentoParticipantThis is what I was afraid of and that is why I posted. While you may think it is OK it isn’t even if you pickup which most people do when they can. No I’m not going to go out and build a fence. This is similar to the response that also really frustrates me when people have their car prowled and contents stolen. “Oh you should know better than to leave stuff in your car or not to lock it up” or the neighbor who likes to set off fireworks or the car that parks blocking your driveway because they need to do that quick errand To me consideration and respecting someone else’s space is just a fundamental social standard. There may be some greyness in where that space is but if people were walking by and just throwing garbage onto my lawn then would it be OK to be upset? About 80% of the dog walkers do make an effort and I really appreciate it (thank you!) but the other 20%, like I said before, either don’t see a problem or just don’t care and that is what annoys me.
September 20, 2015 at 12:43 am #828033
JeanineParticipantSo what’s your solution to these problems?
September 20, 2015 at 12:58 am #828034
SJoyParticipantSo… where would you like the dogs to relieve themselves? I’m not trying to be flippant, I am curious.
I have three dogs that we walk twice a day. I prefer to have my dogs poo and pee on the parking strip though there have been a few times where I may have missed a warning sign or they just dropped out of nowhere and went.
And though I can appreciate not wanting a dog to poo and pee “inside” a persons yard (not the parking strip), most people feel that as long as he picks up the poo, what is it hurting.
Unfortunately, people can’t read your mind and not everyone thinks of these kinds of things, so maybe either put up no peeing signs or put a fence up. Life is too short to be pissed of about something like this…
September 20, 2015 at 3:00 am #828035
JKBParticipantNot to be flippant myself, though perhaps to indulge my penchant for rhetorical questions…
So the dog needs to go. Can’t blame Fido for that, and the relevant people are the homeowner and the dog owner. Whose responsibility is it to do something reasonable?
September 20, 2015 at 3:28 am #828036
mpentoParticipantAre you guys just playing devils advocate with me? Ideally I would prefer that dogs do their business where their owner lives and there are public places where it is acceptable for your dog to do what it needs to do and a reasonable expectation that you cleanup after them. The issue of whether dog owners have the resources to be good and fair dog owners is a related topic that breaks my heart every time I see a good dog gone bad. The difference between the public road and my front yard is obvious.
As for a solution, I can only point out what I think is acceptable or unacceptable behavior. If people choose to do the wrong thing I don’t have a solution for that apart from consequences and consistent enforcement and that did not end too good for Mr Kowalski
September 20, 2015 at 4:34 am #828037
SmittyParticipantUnless people live in apartments or condominiums why on earth wouldn’t they let their dogs relieve themselves on their own property?
Even then. there are usually “green spaces” where you can let your dog do its thing.
Common courtesy, respect and decency.
September 20, 2015 at 6:04 am #828038
JeraldParticipantYou know, most dogs don’t poop and pee on command. You can’t tell them to wait until you get five blocks over to the “green space.” The best you can do is try to steer them and then pick up what you’re able. I’m just glad it’s become the norm that most feces is collected. It wasn’t long ago that people thought you were nuts for picking up sh*t.
September 20, 2015 at 6:06 am #828039
acemotelParticipantI hope you don’t get too upset when a racoon or a coyote poops on your lawn. Or when a bird poops on your car. To most creatures, except humans, outside is an appropriate place to poop and pee.
September 20, 2015 at 6:23 am #828040
SJoyParticipantI am not trying to be devils advocate I am seriously asking a question – is the parking strip off limits?
September 20, 2015 at 11:27 am #828041
JimmyGMemberAs long as the human picks up the poo there is no “enforcement” to do as the law merely requires me to pick up after my dog.
It doesn’t require me to make sure it doesn’t do its business on private property.
I say move on to more important quality of life issues.
September 20, 2015 at 11:42 am #828042
JanSParticipantthis wasn’t on her parking strip…she stated that she doesn’t have a parking strip(“Yes there is no fence or parking strip “). Did you all read what she said, or just glance over it? And lambasting her because she doesn’t want someone else’s dog shit in her yard? Seriously? Again…courtesy and respect for other peoples property isn’t that hard. Most people I know have a regular route when they walk their dog(s)…they need to be cognizant of where the parking strips are, the green areas, etc. These dog walkers are not strangers to the area, I’m sure.
Valid beef, in my book.
September 20, 2015 at 2:23 pm #828043
GoGoParticipantAnd what about cats? Why is it ok for cats to use my backyard as their toilet? Why is that not equally offensive?
September 20, 2015 at 2:56 pm #828044
anonymeParticipantI completely support mpento. Actually, if you allow your dog to crap on private property, then stroll onto said property to (hopefully) pick it up, you are trespassing. So you ARE breaking the law. Private homeowners are not obligated by any rule or law to allow dog owners to trespass and/or do damage to their property. When dogs pee or poo on your lawn, they do damage. And no, it is not “fertilizer”; dog crap contains pathogens that can be dangerous to children – one of the reasons dogs are banned on playfields.
This also happens frequently as a result of dog owners using long, extendable leashes which are not allowed within Seattle City limits. (The language has been recently rewritten changing “6 foot fixed leash” to “not longer than 8 ft.) When my dog was alive, I never allowed her to wander up beyond the property line; it’s simple courtesy. It’s a shame that many people consider respect for others to be a hardship.
September 20, 2015 at 3:58 pm #828045
SmittyParticipant“And what about cats? Why is it ok for cats to use my backyard as their toilet? Why is that not equally offensive?”
It is, but most cats use the litter box and/or seem to stick around their property. Regardless, it doesn’t excuse leashed dog owners from being lazy and inconsiderate (they KNOW what they are doing).
Parking strips are public property, I believe. However, it’s called common courtesy to pick up your dog’s crap.
Why is this even a debate?
September 20, 2015 at 4:08 pm #828046
Talaki34ParticipantSorry this is so long. The last part on what we can do is very cool.
Several weeks ago my indoor only cat was diagnosed with E.coli, most likely brought into my home through gardening.
For all, that like to kid themselves that it is great for the environment, a resounding NO it is not!
Seattle.gov:
Pet Waste
Scoop it, bag it and trash it – even in your yard!
What’s the problem?
We have more than 125,000 dogs and 60,000 outdoor cats in Seattle! That amounts to about 50,000 lbs of pet waste every day!
Left on streets, curb strips and in yards and parks, pet waste can be carried by rainwater to storm drains and into our creeks, lakes and Puget Sound without treatment. It is one of the leading causes of bacterial contamination in our streams and causes other water quality problems just like livestock manure and fertilizer.
There are bacteria and micro-organisms in pet waste such as Roundworms, E. coli, and Giardia that can make people sick if they’re ingested. Some can last in your yard for as long as four years if not cleaned up. Children who play outside and adults who garden are at greatest risk of infection. If pet waste is washed into the storm drain it ends up in lakes, streams or marine water, and people can accidentally swallow bacteria and other disease-causing organisms while swimming or playing in the water. These bacteria also end up in shellfish, and can make the people who eat them very sick.
Here’s the solution
1. Scoop the poop,
2. Put it in a plastic bag,
3. Place it in the trash, and
4. Wash your hands
Did you know?
• 87% of pets use their back yards and 48% of the people in King County say they don’t always properly dispose of pet waste at home.
• A single gram of pet waste, the size of a pea, contains 23 million fecal coliform bacteria.
What should I do?
• Put pet waste in a plastic bag, seal it, and throw it in the garbage- not in the yard waste! There are also Mutt Mitt (pdf) dispensers located around the City. The next time you’re out walking your pet, take advantage of this free resource to help keep our waterways clean.
• Cat litter should be bagged and placed in the trash. Do not flush it down the toilet.
Get involved
• Purchase a pet waste baggie dispenser and bags for your street. Available online or in pet supply stores (these are not supplied or maintained by the City).
• Spread the word about the importance of picking up pet waste. Print an I Poop poster from the Puget Sound Starts Here website and ask a local business to post it.
What if pet waste isn’t picked up?
It’s bad for your health, our waterways, and potentially your pocketbook! There are laws in Seattle to protect our health and our environment which require pet waste to be picked up and disposed of properly.
SMC 9.25.082
(A) Allowing the accumulation of feces (civil infraction, $109.00 fine)
(B) Not removing feces from another’s property (civil infraction, $54.00 fine)
(C) Not having equipment to remove feces (civil infraction $54.00 fine)
SMC 9.25.081
(G) Keeping an animal in unsanitary conditions (criminal – animal cruelty, maximum $1,000 fine)
SMC 18.12.080
(C) In Parks: Failure to carry equipment for removing feces OR failure to place feces in appropriate receptacle. (civil infraction, maximum $54 fine)
The Best Part!
http://www.livescience.com/44732-eliminating-pet-poop-pollution.html
What are cat and dog owners to do? Think Anaerobic Methane Digester!
September 20, 2015 at 5:32 pm #828047
SmittyParticipantGood stuff Talaki34.
Only problem is that as it pertains to this conversation the selfish and inconsiderate “offenders” believe all of this too. The problem is that they just think the property owners will clean up THEIR mess for them.
January 28, 2021 at 7:00 am #997950
AnneCParticipantI found this article because I spent many years in a community where it is not an issue (Tung Chung) Hong Kong to where it is (S. Main) Memphis TN. So in HK it is considered irresponsible, a rude and illegal to not know how to care for your pet without inconveniencing others by sight/smell of their waste. There are fines and someone can click a photo and report you. You pick up the poo and use a water/enzyme to dilute the area, urine is also diluted. People are educated that these are waste akin to human waste and it is a public hygiene issue. Many try to catch the poo on newspaper so it does not even soil the ground. There are small cans for this sort of waste that are emptied frequently as regular cans are only weekly. There are signs posted that explain the waste ruins landscaping and paint and costs everyone more money….and it does.
There are many ways to allow your pet to use the restroom in your space, your home so you are responsible. It would be oh so annoying if your neighbor had a toddler they allowed to squat on your doormat to urinate. Allowing your pet to use private property/public space as a toilet without doing something about it is the same thing.
In the area where I am now people let their pets urinate on city property, we now have to repaint light poles. One business had so many dogs urinate that they had to remove all their landscaping. Another one the urine was drawn up into their plant pots and they had to be replaced $300 each billed to the HOA. This is so incredibly inconsiderate. Public trash cans are only emptied weekly…imagine the poop of 10 dogs baking in the trash can outside your business. The city only picks up once a week–take it home with you if possible. A local paid parking lot let pets use their green space provided they clean up….nope, wedding and other guests stepped in ….. and he had to refund their money. That small business took a $1k hit over someone elses dog poop and that is just one instance.
If you take on the responsibility of the pet it is just like when you have a child. It is not permission to inconvenience others in any way, at least not in developed societies.
For those who don’t know where/how their pet should go search ‘pet etiquette’ it is a training issue. Dollar Tree has bags and the enzyme to help with odor/dilute the area. Squeeze Gatorade and old water bottles work great for this. If you can’t afford to properly take responsibility for your pet reach out the HSUS for financial assistance or help in training.
We can all reach out to our vets, pet stores and encourage them to help educate people in this area. I know some buildings now ban pets because of this. We are researching things to also deal with barking and the amount of pet hair has caused us to have to pay for extra plumbing services. I have pets but there are many who do not understand the full expense on owning a pet.
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