Anna Westhoff
Anna wrote this week's column.
Ben and I may live in the suburbs, but we don't have our own enclosed yard for Pippi to do her business. Instead, we give her plenty of walks around the neighborhood, to give her the opportunity for what I like to call her "daily constitutionals."
Ben is pretty disciplined about keeping Pippi on the sidewalk, but I often let her sniff around front lawns, under hedges and along tree-trunks. She just seems to love being outside so much; her tail whips to and fro when she finds a scent she likes!
Sometimes, nature calls when Pippi's in someone's yard. Considering I quickly swoop in to pick it up with a plastic bag, however, I never really thought of this as a nuisance. Until last week, that is. Pippi had just eliminated on the curb a few minutes earlier, when a woman from next door began pulling out of her driveway.
Wouldn't you know it, Pippi decided to squat right there and go again. While I waited for her to finish, the woman honked her horn. I turned to see her driving back into her driveway with the window down. "What are you doing?" she snapped. "This is absurd! Don't you know this is private property?"
"I'm sorry; my dog must not be feeling well," I replied, eyeing the mess.
"That's what the curb is for!"
"I'm sorry," I repeated, "but I do plan to pick it up."
"Well, I should hope so!" she said, rolling up her window and driving off.
The encounter soured my day and left me with lots of questions about dog-walking etiquette. Is the neighbor right? Is it straight-up trespassing to allow my dog to walk into others' yards? And how about the occasional poop? Is it OK or not OK, so long as I pick it up? Should we insist that Pippi only eliminate on the curb? If I put myself in my neighbors' shoes, I wouldn't mind dogs visiting my yard as long as their owners picked up after them, but maybe others don't feel the same way.
Finally, what do you think about my idea of writing a note to the homeowner whose neighbor took me to task? Should I compose a mea culpa and apologize on the chance they share their neighbor's view?
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I don't allow my dogs to go on neighbor yards. It's pretty rude. Not everyone is a dog lover. I own two dogs and I don't want other dogs going bathroom in my yards. I have no idea what parasites/health issues those dogs have, and if it's messy not everything will get picked up. Plus my front-yard is well landscaped and I don't want dogs killing those plants with their bathroom habits.
It is private property and it would be nice if everyone was respectful of that.
There are three problems with letting dogs do their business on other people lawn ! Many, many people DON'T pick up after Fido...2. How do you pick up urine, which is toxic to lawns...and last, but not least its PRIVATE PROPERTY!!! if you don't want you dog to go on the curb, have it defecate ob your OWN lawn!!!
Where does your dog eliminate on a dog walk? How do you avoid having them eliminate on a neighbor's lawn? Do you make them go in the street?
YOU should not have gotten a dog if YOU are so worried about it "dumping" on someone elses property. The worst part is is that YOU whine about it. So dump the dog & no poop problems.
When dogs urinate on grass it causes the grass to turn yellow. And just think if a small child decides to run out the house barefooted right after you have cleaned up after you dog did his business that is just plain nasty.
As an avid dog lover I do have a problem with others allowing their dogs using my yard for their bathroom. Some will clean up after their dogs but some won't. curb your dog and everyone will be happier.
Every home has an easement, which is public property to everyone and only the village you live in has say on what to do with it. So, if your home has a 20ft easement from the road, then that's 20 feet for your dog to legally go to the bathroom on and the home owner can't do anything about it. Just like anyone could go into your mailbox if it's at the end of your driveway because it's public property not private property.
It's YOUR dog, keep it on YOUR lawn, and OFF mine. I have a CAT so I don't need to worry about offending my neighbors when nature calls my pet.
sorry Deena, your wrong about the mailbox. you put it up and it's now federal property. anyone in your box beside you and the mailman could face federal charges.
Take it easy folks. It's pooches and poo were talking about here. I am a long-time dog owner and I'm hoping everyone knows the top two cardinal rules of pet ownership. #1-get it VACCINATED! If you do that, there shouldn't be a need to worry about diseases being "dropped" your yard. Rabbits, mice, and other un-owned critters also visit your yard and may carry these as well so get the vaccinations and keep them up to date. Cardinal rule #2-clean up after your pet on public or private property. Period. As for the "if you can't control it, you have no right to own it!" line, consider this: would you say the same if they were talking about a kid? And don't tell me your pet has never done something embarrasing in public...Some pets are slow learners when it comes to some behaviors (like jumping up or begging); it doesn't mean they don't deserve patience, love and another chance.
There is an easement on all public sidewalks and city roads you can go to the city hall and find out exactly what that easement is. I would let your dog use my lawn as a bathroom without any question as long as you clean up after them.
As far as urine killing the grass I have 2 female dogs who's urine is the strongest and they urinate in the same area all the time and my grass does not die there are lots of chemicals you can use for that issue. Just beware there are other legal issues that the property owners can use against you my suggestion is to use the curb area if possible and if not then make sure you clean up. Good luck :-)
Deena -
As long as you mow the lawn, it is your property. The easement is a different size depending where you live. It comes into effect if the town wants to put in a sidewalk or such. And to go into someone's mailbox is a felony. You aren't even allowed to put a note in, only the Mailcarrier is allowed to do that, and only if it has a stamp on it.
deena, your actually pretty far off on that one as said before by stone anyone going in a mailbox beside the owner or mail carrier could actually face federal prosecution. and as far as easments are concerned they are granted so municipalties and local governments can do what they need to ie: road work, telephone/power work for those of us who have poles above ground and those of us who have that buried. all without having to get individual homeowner permisions. they however are not for other people (neighbors or otherwise) to just use as they want. if there is a sidewalk they may use that to get from one place to another, but the reason most towns, villages or what ever have curb your dog laws is because it is not ok to let your dog do his or her business on others property. and yes i have 2 dogs who use my lawn for there business and are takin for walks only for exercise and if they do have an (accident) its at the curb and cleaned up by me.
SInce you did pick it up, which most dog owners don't, the occaisional mess in anothers yard is one of the hazards of dog ownership. It osunds as if you try to keep your pippi out of others yards, but things are going to happen. That being said, just shrug your neighbors comments off. You cleaned up pippi's mess, nuff said.
Don't you think most of you people are over reacting! So the dog pooped and she picked it up, whats the big deal? If you or one of your bratty kids were on my lawn I would bitch, but your dog is free to come and go.
An easement is NOT public property. The easement is only for utilities, etc. I have a problem with a woman who lets her dog go on my yard on almost a daily basis and she tried to pull that on me - and when I checked I found out there are there are laws on the book for someone like her - so she is dealing with the City now since I took a picture and made a complaint. I have a dog and I do not let him go in someones yard - if he makes an attempt to go I take him into the street and then I pick up his mess - I also carry a few plastic shopping bags and they work great to pick up the poop
Many people get a pet without having the proper facilities to take proper care of it.This is the case here.If your yard is inadequate for your dog to excercise and defecate in and if your neighborhood doesn't have a park with a dog walk facility then a dog isn't the right pet for you.
It is rude to let your dog poop in someone's yard. But your neighbor doesnt have to be such a b**ch about it. Things happen. It wasnt the end of the world, especially since you clean up afterward. I would just watch a little closer next. Dogs will be dogs.
I tend to agree with most here that curbing your dog is best overall since there are many people in the would who do not like animals in the first place, especially if they are using their home for their own personal outhouse. I'm an avid dog lover, and I hate it when my neighbors allow their dogs access to my lawn (although, my neighbors don't pick it up, which admittedly would make the difference for me). My thought is, it's your dog, not the neighbor's. If your neighbor wanted a dog and the waste that goes along with it, she'd get one. Why not solve the problem entirely and simply put up a fence? They have very reliable invisible fences these days, if your property's aesthetic value would be affected by erecting traditional fencing. Your dog would probably appreciate the uninhibited romps and numerous sniffing possibilities of his own yard every bit as much as she enjoys curbed experience at the end of a leash. Just a thought.
May I suggest that all of you look up easement and it's types before posting more authorative garbage. And there are plenty of different types.
We have an EXCLUSIVE easement on the road in front of our property. On our deed it is stated that a right of way is there for other residents on our (dead end) street, their families, guests, tenants, employees, service people (utility, delivery, etc.) and such. No one else can legally come on our street without the express permission of the residents (and this means all of you).
The next street over has a NONexclusive easement - allows anyone to use it with or without permission. That street is owned by the residents, but can be used by anyone at any time.
If you toilet your dog on our street, you are trespassing and had darned well better pick up after it. Or you could walk it to the next street over and do it to your hearts content and legally be rude and not pick it up.
By the way, we have had 10 dogs in the 30+ years we have lived here and they only go on our property.