Regard for Neighbors’ Property: A Dilemma for the Dog Walker
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
By Eric A. Kreuter
At the outset, I am not a dog owner, but I like all animals. What upsets me is when owners of dogs walk their pets near the property of neighbors and allow them to relieve themselves on their neighbors’ lawns.
While the vast majority are prepared and do scoop up poop, they do nothing to clean up when the dog urinates on the grass. Unfortunately, when this happens, the grass burns out due to the rich nitrogen content.
Also, when a dog urinates on a particular spot, it will attract other dogs to also “mark their territory.” The owner of the affected property is left with unsightly bare spots. Remedying the aftermath requires the owner to buy and put down fresh soil, seed and straw, then water the area hoping for new grass to grow. There are warning signs that can be posted to keep dogs off the lawn and sprays that can be applied to the grass leaving an odor unpleasant to dogs.
From a dog owner’s perspective, the dog certainly needs to relieve itself and they may view all property available for this purpose, just a part of life in a community. The perspective of the property owner is that they have a right to enjoy their land without harm done to it by the pets of other people. Some may feel the last couple of feet of everyone’s lawn really belongs to the town. Then again, the owner of the property is required to maintain that part of the lawn. Who is right?
Recently, I asked a dog walker why he felt it was okay to allow his dog to relieve himself on my lawn. He thought it wasn’t a big deal, but politely suggested putting up a sign and applying the spray. He also said had there been a sign he would not have allowed his dog to relieve itself on my property. The problem is that there was, indeed, a sign only two feet above the spot where his dog urinated (it was affixed to the mailbox post). He said he did not see it.
Does the dog walker have a dilemma if they care to walk their dog around the neighborhood and respect the rights of property owners? Dogs prefer to urinate on grass; that makes sense. They can go frequently in increments during a walk. Perhaps it is unreasonable to expect every dog owner to be restricted to only their property boundary. So, what is the solution?
I suggest each dog owner consider their own views on this subject and each property owner to think about how they feel, and if posting signs or applying sprays is the answer, then that should be respected. In the case of a direct request from a property owner to a specific dog owner to not allow their dog on their grass, perhaps the person walking the dog ought to heed that request. Otherwise, it leads to unnecessary ill will.
Perhaps larger communities should have dog parks for dogs to freely roam, socialize and, yes, do their business. No easy solutions but food for thought.
Eric A. Kreuter is a Yorktown Heights resident.
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