Ah, Saturday morning! My favorite time of the week. No work, no responsibilities, bright sunshine and a great day to be alive. I think I’ll go get a morning coffee for myself and my wife before I take my 5 year old out to play. I get dressed, open my front door, step onto the sidewalk in front of my house and feel something squishy under my sneaker. I look down to see three big piles of dog poop right in front of my door at 110 Prince St. What a way to change my attitude!
Now I’m incredibly angry because I have poop on my sneaker and I have to clean someone else’s dog poop from in front of my doorstop. I break out a bucket of hot water and bleach, grab a broom and start scrubbing the poop off my sidewalk. Half hour later I’m done and have to throw out the broom because of the stench and decide to ditch my sneakers as well. Thanks a lot!
I can’t for the life of me understand these dog owners. They act like us non-dog owners are being unreasonable when we complain about the obvious dog problem we have in the North End yet they continue to let their pets poop all over the place and not clean it up. Now I know it’s not everyone but there is enough poop throughout the North End to make it obvious that it is more than one or two rogue owners. As the commissioner of North End baseball I frequently have to go on a “dog poop hunt” before every baseball game to pick up all the poop that is scattered on Puopolo field. This despite the signage at the park stating no dogs allowed on the field.
I was determined not to let that incident ruin my day so I set off for my morning coffee and returned to take my daughter in the Gassy playground. You know, a “playground,” where children are supposed to play and not have to worry about stepping in dog poop. My experience on Saturday was far worse than poop. My daughter was riding her electric car, a birthday gift from her grandparents, when a large and angry pitbull started dragging his struggling owner towards my daughter. As the frantic female owner (mid 20s, slender build) tried desperately to stop her animal from attacking my daughter I heard my 5 year old screaming my name. I ran to the corner of the playground and watched as the dog owner yelled at her dog who was not listening in the least. Wondering if I was going to have to fight a pitbull and then it’s owner I yelled at the woman to get her dog out of the playground before he hurt a child. She dragged her dog up the flights but the dog fought her the whole way. She could barely control her animal.
Is there really any need for a dog who has the ability to maim a child to be in a playground that is full of children? What possess people to think that is a sound idea? Can’t we get back to the days of yore when people came first and animals came second. Eventually there will be an incident and someone will get seriously injured. However by then it is too late as the horse has left the barn.
NorthEndWaterfront.com welcomes commentaries on community issues via email to info@northendwaterfront.com or use the submit form. Opinions are those solely of the author. Comments or responses to this commentary can be posted below in the comment section.
The crazy and outrageous part is that you spent the time to force your daughter to pose in front of a pile of feces, and than conducted a photo shoot, using several different camera angles.
Now that is a real waste (no pun intended) of a Saturday morning.
Are you seriously trying to turn this into the family’s fault?
Thats the problem. Most dog owners don’t care or even try to pick up. They think we should just live with their crap, literally.
Go back to your parents and let Mommy pick up after you and your dangerous animals.
“Most dog owners don’t care or even try to pick up.”
I’m a dog owner. I do care and I always pick up my dog’s poop when walking around the city. It angers me that the actions of few can lead to accusations against many.
You should be angry at your fellow dog owners. the sad truth is that most dog owners don’t pick up, especially at night, in the rain or snow. We’re way beyond “the actions of a few.” there is simply too much crap on the ground to say its just a few
i love the yuppies that have these huge dogs that make such huge mounds of crap. no one wants to pickt that up. don’t they realize puppies grow up?
you’re probably a dog owner who doesn’t know how to read either. there are signs in all the playgrounds”NO DOGS ALLOWED” .
If you are in your 20s or 30s, have a dog and ride a bike, you are never wrong. It’s the law. Even better, those pitbulls don’t need muzzles anymore. Perfect for a toddlers playground. Welcome to the new Boston. Full of idiots.
It is absurb that a father has to protect his daughter from a pitbul in a playground. Think about it people!
“If you are in your 20s or 30s, have a dog and ride a bike, you are never wrong.”
This is exactly it. I love dogs…had two growing up…when I lived in the SUBURBS!
Sorry but dogs and tiny apts in the North End w/ few places to let a dog run free do not mix. I would love to have a dog but would not subject the animal to city living.
And I agree that it’s only a few dog owners…there’s just too much of a mess to blame a few people. Sad to say it puts a black mark on ALL dog owners.
Couldn’t the same be said about raising children in the city?
Color me confused, Mark, but how does raising children in the city compare to having dogs in the city?
Dear Ralph –
The RUFF team – Responsible Urbanites For Fido – wanted to address you directly as we truly sympathize with this situation and are appalled at the scene in front of your home. Under no circumstance is this acceptable. A responsible dog owner would have cleaned up and properly disposed of the feces of their dog. The owner of this dog is not a responsible owner or a respectful neighbor. This owner should be ashamed.
The scene at the Gassy with your daughter enrages us. Never should a child or parent be attacked or fear being attacked by a dog. The playground was built for children and thus should be for their enjoyment only. As responsible dog owners seeing irresponsible or inexperienced dog owners gives us all a bad name. We are working hard to reach out to the community and teach dog owners the respectful way to co-exists within the neighborhood.
RUFF – will take your situation extremely seriously. Our members will work together to patrol the Gassy area and Prince Street in the coming weeks to help reach out to these irresponsible owners. On Sunday morning we conducted a clean-up of the Gassy which we found to be in bad shape. As responsible dog owners we are as disgusted with what happened as you are. As a group that wants to make improvements for the neighborhood that we both love, we will step up the patrols in the Gassy Park and talk to other owners about responsible dog ownership in the NE. We hope you will reach out to any dog owners with the orange and navy RUFF ribbon for help and we truly hope to improve the situation in the Gassy.
RUFF Team
I fully enjoy how everything gets blamed on the “yuppies”. Surely non-yuppies are saints and always pick up after their dogs, cuase zero noise on the weekends, have no grills on their roofs, remove bike locks promptly, move in and out in an orderly manner, are non-violent during processions during feasts, and never ever light fireworks off in the middle of streets and off of rooftops.
I spent my Saturday morning apple picking with my family. Sunday morning, however, I volunteered with RUFF and was assigned to the gassy. With dedicated, responsible neighborhood dog owners, we spent more than an hour picking up not only other people’s dog poop but also plenty of human trash. I cleaned up someone’s lunch remains from a bench right outside the tot lot when there was a trash can less than 3 feet away. RUFF is a great group that is really trying to make a difference and I am very glad I joined. No one should have to step outside their front door into poop and no child should be scared to go to the playground. As a dogowner and parent (my 2 year old was actually bit by a neighborhood dog two weeks ago), I will keep volunteering with RUFF. Hopefully more responsible dog owners will do the same with the good example from RUFF and we will all start to see cleaner streets and parks.
RUFF is trying hard, but it is fighting an uphill battle. How’s about a dog-free North End?
what i find crazy and outrageous is the fact that a North End resident would find the documentation (by way of pictures) of a pile of feces in front of a North End home as outrageous and crazy.
What i find crazy and outrageous is the dog owner who enters the children swing area with her dog. This playground has only two areas fenced in for the use of children . Is it too much to expect that these areas that are clearly marked with signage No Dogs Allowed be kept for the use of children. Please respect all the children who use these areas.
What i find crazy and outrageous is the dog owner who leashes her dog to the inside fence of the children play area located in the front of the playground. There is ample space on the outside of this area to leash their dog to the same fence.
What i find crazy and outrageous is the bad rap the responsible north end dog owners are taking for the combative and offensive and irresonsible (sp). north end dog owners. and the real waste is the dog feces left all over our sidewalks. and please do not try to divide us, anyone who lives in the north end is a north ender and please address one north end issue at a time. this is a dog issue.that is being addressed. And to the RUFF organization, as responsible north end dog owners i am afraid you have your work cut out for you.good luck And thank you to the North End neighbor who took the time to document a growing problem. Picture documentation is Not Offensive. A picture is worth a thousand words and several pictures is even better. GO RUFF
So, about the woman who was mugged on Richmond and Commercial last month…right, nobody here likely cared.
TO ALL OF YOU WHO FIND IT VERY OFFENSIVE
TO SEE DOG CRAP IN FRONT OF YOUR HOMES OR
FOR THAT MATTER ANYWHERE IN THE NEIGHBOR-
HOOD, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
PEOPLE ONLY GET AWAY WITH WHAT YOU ALLOW
THEM TO GET AWAY WITH.
WHEN OUR POLICITIANS STEP UP TO THE PLATE
AND GIVE OUT FINES FOR NOT ONLY DOG
CRAP, BUT FOR THE REST OF THE CRAP THAT
IS GOING ON IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WE WILL
ALL BE HAPPY.
MAKE YOUR APPEARANCE AT THE MEETINGS
TAKING PLACE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE MEETINGS WITH THE BOSTON POLICE ARE THE
FIRST THURSDAY OF THE MONTH AT THE
NAZZARO CENTER AT 6 30.
I ONLY WISH WE COULD SAY DOG CRAP WAS THE
WORST THING WE ARE DEALING WITH, BUT YOU
DON’T HAVE TO BELIEVE ME, ASK OUR CLERGY
WHAT THEY ARE SUBJECTED TO.
ASK THE
OWNER OCCUPIED LANDLORDS WHAT THEY ARE
DEALING WITH, THANKS TO ABSENTEE LANDLORDS.
ABSENTEE LANDLORDS LOOK AT THEIR PROPERTY
LIKE “CASH COWS”, THEY ARE NOT CONCERNED
ABOUT US THAT LIVE HERE.
Are you serious right now. I honestly can’t tell if that was a joke or you are just unable to type and use ALL CAPS to try and make a point. Do you really think this is the type of actions that the police need to concern themselves with? I mean you talk about human life over animal life, which happen to agree with 100%. But then the police should concern themselves with much more serious actions, like I don’t know shootings, stabbings, armed robberys etc. I mean a simple turd in the road is a little speed bump get over it people. Here is a tip Ralph. Next time look where you are walking don’t just use the force pal.
Awesome sign-off!
This made me laugh out loud.
A few years ago (The Banana Peel Incident of 2009), I stepped in some stuff covered by leaves on Wiget Street. Ever since then I always mind where I step.
Common Sense.
Marie always posts stuff on here in all caps its fantastic and enjoyable. Top notch debating honestly.
Y U P P I E,
I THINK YOU MAY BE I ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND MAYBE YOU SHOULD
THINK ABOUT MOVING. I KNOW THE POLICE
HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH DOG CRAP, I JUST
WANT PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO KNOW
THEY CAN REACH OUT TO OUR POLICE THE 1 ST
THURSDAY OF THE MONTH. I ALWAYS TYPE IN
CAPS AND IF IT OFFENDS YOU, TOO BAD. I AM
NOT RUNNING A POPULARITY CONTEST, I
ALREADY HAVE FAR TOO MANY FRIENDS.
BY THE WAY, DON’T YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO
USE YOUR REAL NAME, YUPPIE.
How does this persons response lead you to believe he or she is part of the problem in the neighborhood. If anything, common sense would imply your affinity to type in all caps would mean that you like to shout a lot. If you like to shout a lot then that would imply you are in fact contributing to noise pollution.
This of course does not even contemplate the blind/vision impaired members of the north end community who use text to speech software to read articles. One can only imagine the amount of noise your posts are causing as their computer speakers shout at them. Poor people :(…
DINO,
I DON’T LIKE TO SHOUT, BUT I DO LIKE TO
GET MY POINT ACROSS AND THIS PERSON
IRRITATED ME BY SAYING THE DOG CRAP
IS NOT A POLICE ISSUE, WHICH I ALREADY
KNOW. I JUST WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW
THERE IS A PLACE, THE NAZZARO CENTER
TO INFORM THE POLICE ABOUT OTHER
ISSUES PRESENT IN THE NORTH END.
THE DOG CRAP WOULD BE ANOTHER
MEETING, WHICH THEY COULD FIND OUT
ABOUT AT THE POLICE MEETING.
GOOD JOB STANDING UP TO THAT YUPPIE AND PICK UP YOUR POOP YUPPIE
I don’t think a response is required.
Sorry, but the North End will never be dog-free, children-free, or yuppie -free. So let’s all try to work together on making this neighborhood better. As a yuppie, mother, and dog-owning North Ender I pick up after my dog always. I applaud RUFF and all their efforts! This IS a doggie disgrace! Those trying to divide the neighborhood – dog owners vs non-dog owners should be ashamed of themselves. Maybe it’s more than a few dog owners that don’t pick up – but not much more – the majority certainly does. A dog poops twice a day – so if three North Enders let their dogs poop on the sidewalk and didn’t pick up then there would be 6 new piles of poop on the street everyday. By the end of the week there would be 42 piles of poop scattered through the North End. How pleasant. If you see one of these disgusting dog owners take a picture of them and post it. Or confront them. I have certainly confronted those people I have seen littering ~ and this is a form of littering. These are the people we don’t want in the North End! The yuppies, good-dog owners and families are the ones that are working to beautify the North End.
“Maybe it’s more than a few dog owners that don’t pick up – but not much more – the majority certainly does. A dog poops twice a day – so if three North Enders let their dogs poop on the sidewalk and didn’t pick up then there would be 6 new piles of poop on the street everyday. By the end of the week there would be 42 piles of poop scattered through the North End.”
Hooray Mrs. Fairfax! I applaud your explanation that it can be just a few bad apples.
It is never productive to paint an entire group of people or animals with a broad brush. A few bad apples does not equate to a rotten orchard.
I have lived here for 20 years and while I become frustrated with the repeated offenses, I realize that we still have a wonderful neighborhood.
By exposing those who don’t seem to care and making them accountable is the most effective path to change.
http://www.bwsc.org/COMMUNITY/prevention/scoop.asp
New encroachment! Tennis Courts are not a dog park!
Every time I go to the Prince St, North End tennis courts there are several dogs, off leash running around. I call Animal Control and they say ” Can’t do anything about it”
Why are dogs taking over and ruining the quality of life for people?
Some dog owners in the area are working hard to create a space for dogs to be able to run off leash through the local community and groups like RUFF. As the weather gets colder and the tennis courts are more available, many dog owners do use the courts to let their dogs run free in a safe place. That being said- if a court is being used by a dog owner and you want to play tennis- simply say something- we are all trying to share this community in a positive way. there is no need to call animal control- instead why don’t we work as a community and communicate. It will be much more pleasant for everyone.
We all know the tennis courts are for tennis- but, honestly what is the harm of letting your dog run around for a few minutes if no one is using the courts? Let’s try to communicate.
Two weeks ago my neighbors dog was hit and killed by a car. The dog was unleashed and ran in the street (corner of Richmond and Commercial). This was HORRIBLE for everyone around including the owner, the driver (local person), myself, my friend and our kids who were outside and witnessed it. I will spare you the details on this. Could have been prevented but dog was unleashed. Same dog jumped into my friends car (unleashed) when I had gotten out and peed on the front passenger seat a few months ago. Next day I run into a neighbor from Fulton Street. He was walking his daughters dog. Half of the dogs hair was shaved off because a pitbull who was unleashed bit his daughters dog (in front of the nursing home). The dog had to have a 6 hour surgery. Five days before that the dog was bit in the ear by another dog. The building that I live in now seems to have so many dogs living in it. We have had piles of dog mess on the roof and so much dog hair in the laundry machines. The people in my building are now wanting the deed enforced which says no dogs. I have also had people in my alley right under my window letting their dog go to the bathroom. All of this is outrageous, putrid, disgusting. I can’t understand how some people have enough brains to get a job, earn enough money to afford to live in my building (which isn’t cheap) but let their dog make a mess on the roof. I cannot understand that. People have no shame and no respect and no intellect when they do these things. If you are a landlord please don’t rent to people who have dogs. If your friends and family are landlords ask them not to rent to people who have dogs.
to all you dog owners. bottom line is dogs aren’t allowed in playgrounds. yes, some do clean up after the dog, but their is still crap on the ground.unless it rains and washes it clean, the stain remains. dogs pee all over the place. i notice people with dogs coming out of their building only to allow the dog to pee/ crap in front of someone else’s building. train them to do their thing in front of your own home. all these supposedly educated people with dogs and no common sense/courtesy. again not all.
anyone following the dog issue comments would know that marie was addressing the issue raised by Unusual Priorities. the mugging unusual priorities inferred was not a high priority issue in the North End obviously was not aware it is indeed a high priority issue which is and has been addressed at the meetings Marie mentioned. Unusual Priority can now join these residents who do care, As for the clowns who think the dog issues is a joke, the north end residents taking the time to comment on this problem and trying to find a solution do not have the time or inclination to deal with fools.
anyone walking on prince street across from the DeFillipo Park (the gassy) please be for warned there is dog feces on several areas of the sidewalk. It appears that a large dog left these piles of feces and more than one person has stepped in it. I welcome any comment from anyone who wants to address and solve this issue. I dont care if you type your comments in upper case or lower case I dont care if you punctuate or not, if you spell correctly or not, if you wish to add another label to your north end resident label or not. ANY comment from any resident concerned with problem is welcomed. As for the dog owner or walker who did not pick up after this pet. May the force be up yours (Sorry i clould not resist using this in the proper context.) As for the women walking two small dogs one brown and one white with black spots, it does not matter that you were walking them in the gassy at 5:30AM You should still pick up after your pets.
Is RUFF or any else for that matter tackling an idea like the one a group in Fenway is doing? I know it’s been discussed as nauseum, but I am curious if anyone is trying to bring an actual dog park to fruition instead of just taking about how the neighborhood needs one?
Just curious…
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/fenway-kenmore/2012/10/neighbors_pushing_park_space_f.html