To the Editor:

What are the reasons why people walk their dogs on someone else’s property thinking it’s OK?

The number one reason is that they don’t want to clean up the mess in their own yard … so they decide to make it someone else’s problem.

To make it even easier … the dog owners clip their canines to an expandable leash giving “Fluffy” the feel of freedom away from home and the opportunity to choose that perfect blade of grass on someone else’s property. Sort of a “mini vacation”.

There are categories of dog walkers.

The “Freedom Walkers”. These people feel that their dog is above all others and give their dog the exclusive right to deposit wherever he/she feels fit.

The “Night Walkers”. These people walk their dogs after dark thinking that the property owners won’t see them and let Fido even run without a leash.

The “Mother and Baby Walkers”. Mothers walking their children in strollers with their dog on an expandable leash. If asked politely to “please do not walk your dog on my lawn” they continue on but give you a look like “excuse me? Have I not got enough to handle here?”

Then you have the “I Own the Neighborhood Walker”. Usually a male owner … a large dog to match his owner’s ego … an expandable leash … or leash in hand while the dog runs and tramples through gardens and flowers … marking every blade of grass he/she can. Timing and proper planning is essential taking into consideration the meal time and bladder and stomach content of the dog and the need for the dog to “release”.

Do I have a dog? Yes. I have lived here for 10 years and not once has my dog gotten loose from a 1500 foot fenced area in my back yard. Yes I walk her. When I do she is trained to walk at my left side with my right side to the curb not allowing her to even sniff a blade of grass on another’s property.

The only thing that perhaps would make these people think twice about the deposits being made on my lawn is perhaps this… Re-deposit what they left behind on their front stoop.

Have a plastic bag ready at the front door and make them clean it up. Or perhaps write to the Messenger as I am now and follow up with date … place … time … with make and model of dog … with a description of the owner when I see a dog banking his deposit.

The easiest thing would be for walkers to respect their good neighbors and keep their dog in line. Re route the walk allowing the dog to perhaps “sniff” the edge of a wooded area and not someone else’s lawn.

Barbara Smith

Troy