I'm an avid reader of your blog and a Noe resident. In general, I love Noe Valley, but one of the things that drives me nuts are people believing that they "own" the sidewalk in front of their house and putting gates/fences around the very few green patches of earth, thus restricting their use. I am a dog owner, and there are literally so few places my dog can go to the restroom it's ridiculous. I, like most Noe dog owners, are responsible and ALWAYS pick up after their dogs. I think it's rude and perhaps illegal for people to be fencing off publicly owned property such as public green space. Tips? Advice? Any more info on the issue?
Actually, I do own the sidewalk in front of my house. Or at least I'm responsible for its upkeep. I've got a bill for a city required sidewalk repair to prove it. No doubt if someone slipped in dogshit and broke their neck in front of my house, they'd come suing me.
I'd prefer you didn't use my sidewalk and tree planter as a dog toilet. That's what Dolores is for. OTOH the dog owners around my place are all quite polite and good about picking up, so it's never been an issue.
I don't care if you clean it up or not, please do let your dog shit in front of my house. I have to live with the part you can't clean, my kids are going to step in it because they don't realize it's there. the urine will kill the plants that I am trying desperately to grow there (in an effort to "green" the city, and finally and most importantly, every other dog that walks by and smells your dogs piss is going to piss there too. I spend a small fortune on odor removing cleaners just to keep the front of my house from being peed on all day.
Please, if you own a dog, let in peed and shit in front of YOUR OWN HOUSE.
There are dark parks in the city where you can bring your dog. They can poop, pee and socialize with other four legged friends. Although there are many responsible dog owners there are still many who are not and they ruin it for the rest. that is just the price of ownning a dog in the city. Perhaps you should reconsider owning a dog or moving to the country.
You do NOT own the sidewalk in front of your house. You are responsible for maintenance, but it is owned I believe by the city. In any case, it is a public walkway, and this is a city with a lot of dogs, so you just have to live with it. Like most other dog owners, I always clean up and share the frustration with those who don't. But you have to be realistic, dogs are going to go in front of your house. Learn to accept it and you'll have a more peaceful, better life.
I own two dogs, but completely understand why the sidewalk trees and small patches of green space have to be fenced from Fidos. Even if every dog owner were scrupulous about picking up after their dogs, the concentrated urine from many dogs can eventually poison the earth around the tree. Sidewalk trees have a tough enough time with lack of oxygen from concrete. Better to train dogs to go in the gutter. (I know it's hard. My dogs would prefer grass. But I try.)
For every 10 dog owners that lets their dog use our planters and cleans up afterwards, there's one owner who looks around to see if anyone's looking and leaves a steaming pile. I don't have a sign, but if I do put one out, it's for this bad apple. Don't blame the property owner, blame the dog owners who give other dog owners a bad name.
The one that bugs me is the people who bag the poop, then toss it in our food recycling ("green") bin when it is out. That bin has to go inside our garage, where it literally stinks the whole place up. So, we end up having to deal with it, plus wash it out as soon as we can. Just gross. Take your poop home and stink up your own homes, dog owners.
Off to clean the litter box of a much more civilized beast.
I own two small dogs who inexplicably curb themselves, so I am not very reliant on tree wells. :)
Unfortunately, many dog owners do not clean up after their dogs and I see big messes in tree wells quite often. I think this is probably what drove my dogs to curb themselves.
I don't fault residents for blocking off their tree wells, especially if they have planted gardens or plant life. Dogs tend to trample on things, and there is just not enough time in the day for residents to keep cleaning out their tree areas.
11:45 back with a flip side story. I've seen one dog walker clean up a pile left by another dog walker in our beds. It's people like this that make me smile. Just can't imagine who leaves big piles on the sidewalk. mind boggling, or worse, on kids playfields that are clearly marked "no dogs."
Home owners actually DO own the sidewalks in front of their houses. That is why we are responsible for maintenance. You are required to grant the city a permanent easement for the public to use the sidewalk.
And enough about the dogs. I'd like send out a big thank you to the PERSON who set off an entire fire extinguisher in front of my garage over the weekend. That was big fun to clean up.
Yea, this IS a hot topic, here in NV..As a homeowner I am in fact responsible for the sidewalk in front of my house..and I am allowed to do street side planting, and I am allowed to put a low fence around it..See the DPW site for code info. There are LOTS of lazy dog owners around here who simply do NOT clean up after their dog shits on my sidewalk or planting bed..some truly feel entitled to leave the shit there; it's not their problem. If I catch one doing it, I will follow you to your home with the dog shit in a bag and drop in right ON YOUR DOOR STEP..FOR YOU TO CLEAN UP.
Whenever someone puts up a sign that says "no dogs here" that is exactly where I stop so my dog can go. It's so selfish and unfriendly. I certainly don't put up a sign in front of my house that says "no kids playing on this part of the sidewalk that I own" or "no sidewalk chalk from here-to-there because I own it". We live in a mixed-use, high-density urban neighborhood- we should all be encouraging our neighbors to treat those they care for well by taking them outdoors as often as possible... whether two legged or four. Now as far as the not picking up after your dog goes..there is NO excuse. You're out of bags? Go home, get one, and return to finish the job. Thankfully, I only have to clean up for some jerk once or twice per year in front of my house because my neighbors are really great. Also, tossing bags into neighbors' trash cans is also a no-no in my book unless the cans are permanently parked outside with no chance of ever going inside due to lack of garage or storage area or are outside that day for collection (and have not already been emptied). Also, owners that let their dogs pee on the house side of the sidewalk rather than curb side are plain rude- would you want your front stoop or gate to reek of dog urine?
Okay, as soon as we resolve the dog poop issue in the tree wells, can we try to do something about people parking AND DRIVING on the sidewalks on Dolores? Just this morning I was headed around the corner and here comes an SUV barreling down the sidewalk - driver had coffee in one hand and talking on cell phone (not hands-free) in the other. I don't know how he was driving but he didn't see me and if I would have kept walking, he would have made a flat Stanley out of me.
lots are (eg) 114 feet by 25ft. 100ft of house and garden, AND 14 feet of curbside.
AND home owners can be ticketed for having dirty curbsides, including dog poop, and chewing gum. (on top of the repair of cracks, the maintenance of trees etc).
people who don't agree are welcome to go to city hall and scream about it... in the mean time, owners only try to limit their headache and liability toward an easement they have no say about.
note: I believe we have a dog friendly square in front of our house: we choose to stop planting items and leave it level enough for dog owners to easily clean up. And I thank all the dog owners who HAVE CLEANED SO FAR - including a few who cleaned another poop while picking their own. With basic decency and respect, we can all get along!
There is a lot of misinformed nonsense in this thread. The editor should consider a new post about this subject of sidewalk ownership to set the record straight. Yes, property owners are required by city code to maintain the sidewalk ADJACENT to their property. However, they most definitely do not own it, and there are restrictions about what they can do with that PUBLICLY OWNED space. I challenge any homeowner who thinks otherwise to post a picture of your title report showing that you own the sidewalk. The 114-ft lot thing is a myth.
anon@4:32: you have it ALL wrong..the legal front property line is NOT the curb line..from curb to property line is public space. Yes, a property owner is responsible to maintaining that area in a safe, clean condition, but they do NOT own it. ever.
Like I said previously, a property owner can put in curbside landscaping and trees with the proper permits issued by DPW...that includes planting beds and the right to install a low fence around those areas. Check out the DPW website for more info on street plantings.
Having just planted a Friends of the Urban Forest tree outside my house, I know for sure that it is legal for me to put a low fence no higher than 12 inches around the tree basin to protect the tree.
Personally I think it is rude for dog owners to let dogs poop/pee on tree basins that are flower beds that people obviously have to hand care for. There are plenty of tree basins that are barren and not fenced. Also, I didn't think dogs NEED earth to poo/pee on, I'm pretty sure they could do it on the concrete sidewalk/street sign or whatever.
If my dog starts squating to shit and it happens to be in front of your house my bad, but theres not a whole lot I can do about it. I try to get him to the curb, but if you would like me to drag my dog while he's shitting so it can be in front of another house I can guarantee you that will be more of a mess.
Anon 10:49- What would you suggest people do if their dog decides to go as they are walking to one of the "dark parks" you mention?
Anon 6:55- Obviously, you don't have a dog. You can walk them for 60 minutes with nothing happening and then suddenly nature calls for some inexplicable reason. Just as it is with humans, sometimes the urge to go is unpredictable!
Anon 5:53, I agree about the flowers, it's just common sense. No sign needed.
I live on 28th St. and we have a small patch in front with a tree and some flowers.
My wife only put up the "no dogs, please" sign after about the 10th time she had to clean up the leftover crap.
Sorry, considerate dog owners, but your right to crap and clean has been trampled by the others who think it's OK to crap in front of my house, and not clean. Take it up with them.
This has happened a few times: a friend brings her dog to Martha's (on Church) and ties him up outside. When we are done with coffee, and come out - someone has left a bag of poop by the dog. It's not my friend's dog's poop, just ....a little gift?
Totally annoying because it looks like my friend is being a bad dog owner. The last time - the person had left it IN the big planter by the door. WTF?!
The fact that some dog owners bag poop and some don't is not really the issue for me. It's the false belief that when you scoop up the poop, you think that you are leaving the area in it's original condition. Any dog owner would be LYING if they said this is true -- your dog does not shit in little pristine piles every time, sometimes it's a bit messier than that. What you leave behind is my issue. Because you can't predict whether you will be leaving shit "residue," all I ask is that you train your dog to shit somewhere that is not near where people live. I know you think your dog is just like a person, but generally, a person is not shitting in front of my house, your dog is. It wouldn't be ok for a person to do it, it's not ok for your dog to do it, either. Take your dog to a park, the curb, or IN FRONT OF YOUR OWN HOUSE.
Here's what I suggest to all dog owners, for a week, have your dog piss on your front steps and shit in front of your own house. Please feel free to bag up any dog poop your dog makes.
Another alternative is to actually pay attention to what your dog is doing, if you can't figure out that your dog is going to piss on someone's front steps, you probably shouldn't own a dog.
You wouldn't want a person to piss on your front steps or garage, why would you let your dog do it to someone else?
As the original author of this rant, I think all you property owners are pretty elitist and delusional. Like someone said, you live in a high density urban environment. My dog pooping in your little square of dirt does not mean that your portion of the sidewalk is not maintained. And no, you don't own it, sorry. Looked it up. But nice try!!!! Now that I sense all the hostility, I will make a point of having my dog poop only in front of the houses that say 'don't poop here'. I'm also going to stand outside my house with a whistle and tell kids that they're not allowed on "my" sidewalk because they may require more "maintenance " of my sidewalk.
There are more lazy parents around Noe Valley than there are lazy dog owners, btw :)
somehow, I don't really think "hate hipstards"..I mean Jennifer..really get it...No one here says we homeowners "own" the sidewalk. we dont. lets be clear on that.. but cleaning up properly after your dogs shits on ANY sidewalk ANYWHERE is just being adult, polite and respectful..not to mention it's THE LAW.
your weak, lame argument comparing kids on your sidewalk to a dog shitting is..well. just stupid..
DO THIS: just respect property, clean up after your dog..be nice, stop being selfish and mean.
My whole point is that I AM a responsible pet owner, and ALWAYS pick up after my dog. Hence, my frustration.
And yes, numerous people used the word "own" when referring to the sidewalk.
My "weak/lame" argument about kids and dogs, is in my opinion, apt. Kids litter and are loud in front of my house. Point being, IT'S FINE WITH ME. I expect the same courtesy with respect to my dog.
And how in any way was what I said "selfish" or "mean"? I must have missed that part...
Do you bring some kind of water supply to hose off the spot on the sidewalk? Do you hose down the grass and/or plants after you scrape up the wet ones with your plastic bag "glove"? This reminds me of the people who insist that when they clean the shit up off the grass at Dolores Park, that they don't leave anything behind. Except, you know, the shit that stuck to the grass. Multiplied by the 100 dogs there that day.
The City owns the sidewalk, property owners are responsible for maintaining it. Barriers around trees/gardens are legal to keep out dogs and/or shopping carts. Dog poo residue is everywhere no matter how well-intentioned the cleanup. The dog-vs-child argument is everywhere, too, no matter that the adult human is usually the proplem.
Back to what I think is a good question on the original post: is it ok for the plant-owner (maybe it's a homeowner or maybe it's a renter) to try and fence off the plants on his/her sidewalk so that dogs don't pee there? I know folks may not agree, but I think it IS ok, simply because I think that person (homeowner or maybe renter) is trying to make sure those plants stay alive. I encourage that. Makes for a nicer city / street landscape. And since it's the home-owner who is likely doing the weeding, the planting, the watering, etc., I don't see a problem with them putting up a little fence and asking folks to not let their dogs go there. I understand dog-owners need to find places to go, but I think that is a somewhat different issue.
None of us can inhabit this Earth with having some physical impact. Dogs shit and piss in public places. Get over it. If all dogs owner took their dogs to the "dark parks" you would all be complaining about that. Personally I never let my dog go on houses or on tended greenery. Btw, some of these anti-dog people are probably the same people that leave Mitchell's ice cream garbage on my stairs.
Those of you comparing your child taking a sh*t in front of my house to my dog going in front of your house...can you please come over and train my dog to use a toilet? You must be minting money with that trick!
It sounds to me like you would prefer a world without dogs. I bet you $ your kid grows up and works at the SPCA and adopts 10 dogs to get back at you for your mean attitude towards animals.
PS- I agree with everyone here that has mentioned the suburbs as an excellent opportunity for the NIMBYs to stake their claim on a slice of land. It's less expensive than Noe and you'll be MUCH happier not having to interact with people in your space.
Seems like there is an issue as to: Who owns the property? I think the the property owner owns the land in front of the property all the way to the curb....which is subject to a public easement or right-away we all commonly know as the sidewalk
Oh yeh. I like the way our front yards are referred to by Jenny as a "rest room" We usually call that "our front yard." It is not our "rest room." Nor should it be yours.
good grief anon @6:43: havent you read ANY of the past 50 or so posts?? the property owner does NOT..repeat NOT own the land to the curb....educate yourself and read!
on a similar note re the dog shit issue: I took a nice walk today up Church st from 30th to shop at Whole Foods. Along the way, on the damn sidewalk, I came across at least 15 piles of dog shit in the public way..
LOTS of dog owners really do not care and they do not clean up. I saw it first hand and it is an important issue in NV.
Amazing that so many homeowners think they own city sidewalks. I mean, there are city records with property lines - didn't check when you bought? What else don't you own?
Equally amazing that dog poo/pooing is somehow nicer than the human equivalent. Even the homeless are not allowed to go on the sidewalk, in parks etc...
I agree with Rocky's Dad - Noe Valley is littered with dog poop piles. If the owners are so responsible where is it all coming from? I have to admit dog piles are preferable to the human piles complete with toilet paper that I see on curbs in the Mission.
one of the best thing about these posts is to see how many people will say things to their neighbors online that they would never say face to face. I agree with every post about high-density urban settings and being at peace with others' behaviors. Those of us who abide by the golden rule and "do unto others" would never leave dog poop and do pick up others' poop as well as good karma for the day. Good luck with this debate, but think about whether you would say what you are writing to anyone's face.
But anonymity is the joy of these forums. If we said what we wanted to to the person letting their dog defecate on our carefully tended gardens a physical fight might ensue.
When dog owners stop letting their dogs shit on my front steps and right beside my car in my driveway, I'll "get over it". Have your dog poop off the curb and clean it up. Why is this so difficult? I am an animal lover yet the dog owners in this city are making me resent dogs against my will.
Stop letting your dog shit on the street.
Stop bringing your dog into coffee shops, supermarkets, and restaurants.
Stop letting your dogs sit on the stools in the bar or in a shopping cart, or at least put pants on it first - IT HAS AN EXPOSED ASSHOLE AND SHOWERS ONCE A WEEK, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!
If dog owners are going to compare dogs to children, they need to do the same things parents do. Wipe your dogs off before they touch things with their feet, clean their asses with baby wipes after every poop, and make them wear clothes & shoes. If not - admit that your dog is not a baby and deal with the animal that they are in a way that is sensitive to the world around you.
Wow; lots of energy on the dog issue here. I thought I was the only one annoyed by dog owners who let their dogs wander menacingly off leash. And yes, then this morning I accidentally stepped in some merde du chien on the sidewalk a few blocks from my house. I wanted to shove the idiot dog owner's face in it.
I will confront anyone that I see letting their dog shit in front of my house that does not pick it up. Here, as described above, is only anonymous confrontation and actual face-to-face confrontation can be dangerous (idiots don't like to be confronted about their idiocy, even nicely). But so what? We clearly have a very significant problem here...and it's not the dogs, it's the owners.
So is it a misdemeanor to leave dog shit on the sidewalk? Would love to have some legal recourse. Take a picture; follow them home. There you go.
The last thing we need is for Noe Valley to be considered the Paris of San Francisco. I loathe Paris, in part due to the dog shit everywhere.
I don't think you know dogs very well. I disagree that the ones walking off leash are menacing. Off-leash dogs are clearly well trained (so well trained that the owner knows the dog will stop at every corner, will leave other dogs alone, doesn't fight, will leave people alone when passing, is under voice control, etc) and totally friendly, or else the owner would have them on a leash for fear of a lawsuit from a bite or doggie death by car. I am more frightened of dogs ON leash, they are the ones that can be more aggressive because of the leash.
Off-leash dogs better than on-leash dogs? That's absurd. Some dogs are clearly well-behaved and can be walked off-leash. But many owners aren't good judge of their own dogs. The main thing is if the dog is off-leash, the owner could just run away from any scene of a doggie crime, and not own up their responsibility. You can't do that if you're holding the leash.
I'm tired of all this dog bashing. How about the people who put out birdseed. Recently, I seen more rats going in and out of the storm drains in Noe Valley than I've seen anywhere else or over the decades I have lived here. How about all these innocent cat owners who let their cats out of their homes. Have you ever worked in your garden and put your hands in fresh cat poo. My yard is not their toilet. In San Francisco it is legal to trap cats in your yard. I bring them to Animal Control (many times). You pay to get them back. Put your cats on leash. The law applies to them too. Stop Da K9 H8. Let Em Ur-A-N8.
Other day on 24th st. I saw a mom in skinny jeans pushing a stroller of triplet babies, while she was yakking on her cell phone, and holding a large double mocha in the other hand...she took up the whole damn sidewalk..what really gets me is she was also walking along with her pet rat and it was NOT leashed. good god, can't people like that obey the laws?
How nice of "Anonymous" to take neighborhood cats to near certain death at Animal Care and Control. Just the kind of human being I want to live around. Ugh.
Jenny, your sense of entitlement for you and your dog is bewildering. Property owners are responsible for the sidewalks in front of their homes. And no we don't want to live with the residue of your dogs do any more than we like to live with that of our own dogs. We grow plants, make the sidewalks enjoyable by making them clean, good looking and safe from dog do. Curb your dog, that's where your dogs do do belongs. You have no right to let your dog use the patch of green in front of my house as a toilet. None. get over your sense of entitlement and get clear on the rules of sidewalk ownership and curb your dog.
I'm both a dog owner and a disgruntled property owner who hates that dogs constantly pee on our nice flower pot in front of the house. I tried spraying and cleaning w. white vinegar and water a few times a day to "erase" the smell so other dogs wouldn't be attracted, but after about a month I just gave up. There's a nice juicy telephone pole right in front of our building, but no -- owners seem to prefer letting their dogs pee on our ornamental grasses instead. Sigh. Actually, I think the main problem is owners whose dogs are off-leash (illegal in SF except in dog parks) and too far ahead or behind for the owner to regulate their voiding behaviors. Prime example: the dude who runs Friends of Upper Noe Dog Owners Group chatting with some guy down the sidewalk while his dog peed on our flower pot. PAY ATTENTION!!
And then one day, recently, a small turd appeared in front of the flower pot. That's just lazy. Whenever I ran out of bags, I'd use a piece of newspaper, a leaf, a stick, whatever, just to get the thing to the curb where at least it wasn't in someone's path. This thing was right there waiting for my shoe.
I always carry 2-3 bags (biodegradable, from poopbags.com) because my dog sometimes decides he needs to go again half a block later, AND/OR sometimes you run across someone who needs a bag (that was me before I learned to carry more than one bag per walk).
Unfortunately, not everyone is conscientious. Even my husband has admitted to not picking up our dog's poop because he "couldn't see where he pooped" in the dark. ARGH!!
By the way, the absolute best part of all my walks in Noe Valley -- hands down -- is my enjoyment of the beautiful, beautiful, beautiful flowers, plants, bushes, and trees that people cultivate in front of and around their homes. This is what makes San Francisco special, different from any other city I've lived in. I cherish all this flora and we dog owners should take great care to not let our dogs befoul it.
The strong will survive. If the dog crap doesn't destroy the pretty plants, the wind, rain, and blowing trash will--none of whch will read your futile signs.
Best thing is if you care about what you've planted in that tiny patch of earth, do it in a way that's bomb proof (perhaps a high walled wooden plants box) because the sidewalk is a harsh environment, and only the hardiest of plants and flowers will survive, regardless of how courteous your dog owning neighbors are.
I'd put lots and LOTS of chocolate mulch in my front yard;replenishing it FREQUENTLY. It's really great for the plants. I've also added an extra boost with some dark baker's chocolate because I like the smell and it, too helps the plants. It happens to be LETHAL to the dogs so I hope no one lets their dog crap in my yard who happens to be hungry --WHOOPS!Accidental poisoning ;-)) ...well shame on THEM for being obnoxious, inconsiderate, irresponsible, selfish dog owners.Bye bye trespassing doggie.^^ You can buy this cocoa mulch at Home Depot. There are several locations throughout San Francisco. Now every time I glance out my living room window and see some smarmy dog owner standing there and letting their ratty mutt crapping in my yard, despite the "KEEP DOGS OUT OF MY YARD" sign that I have posted there, I smile wistfully to myself and wonder if THIS is the last dump FIDO will take.I have passed this handy TIP onto many of my fed up neighbors and they too are using the Mulch Technique^^ So enjoy our little game of Dog Crap roulette you're playing. It may not be a very long game. :-D Signed, NOT a dog person.
I've seen a lot of suspicious, delicious-looking brown cookie-like BISCUITS someone's tossed randomly in people's unfenced front yards lately.I'd hat to think what's IN those. Every morning, there's more! I have seen dogs eating them from time to time too. I think someone who's had it up tho HERE with dogs squeezing one out on their lawns is going out at night and tossing them by the dozens into people's front yards; perhaps to help with the dog sh_t epidemic.
I honestly feel Jenny's comment at the beginning encapsulates the general ATTITUDE of pretty much MOST dog owners...and it is: "F- YOU home owners. OUR dogs need to sh!t and WE don't want them sh!tting in OUR yard (because that's gross) so, because WE don't care one BIT about YOU, we're gonna take our dogs to use YOUR front yard and garden as a TOILET and there's not a damned thing you can DO bout it. It's our God-given RIGHT and, if that bothers you, TOUGH because, what it boils down to is: YOUR feelings about this do not matter one bit to US.It's convenient for US so-DEAL with it." (How much is that chocolate mulch?)
Wow: we sure have a lot of shitty people that live in our neighborhood now. Where did all you facists come from......or have you been here the whole time?
Dear Jenny, I understand your concern and I have a solution.When you go to take your doggy for a walk,make sure that it uses the restroom in >your< front yard. Problem solved. If pooch doesn't have to go the moment you leave your residence, you WAIT until it does. And then you stoop, scoop and go back into your home, place the bag of dog poop in your kitchen waste receptacle and then go back out and commence with your walk. It is not right or polite to inflict your decision to keep a dog on other people-especially those who despise dogs and/or resent their property or the property in front of their homes soiled and reeking with your dog's parasite-infested feces. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this a tidy, disease free neighborhood. (The alternative is you leave your address so that, the next time I am walking down the street and need to use the bathroom, I can drop my jeans and take a dump on YOUR front step and urinate on your door.)
Hates Hipstards, Regarding your little "investigation" as to the technical law regarding who owns or does not own the sidewalk: The time will come when I will catch someone like you or with the same obnoxious attitude as you, doing what you are proposing to do: (Letting your yappy mutt crap on the sidewalk in front of my property),I will unleash my 20 pound body-building biker "response" and deliver a good old fashioned beating on you.How's that for "technical"? Just TRY it.You're going to learn a valuable lesson in the emergency room about messing with the wrong person. It's called: Cause & Effect.
Hates Hipstards, Regarding your little "investigation" as to the technical law regarding who owns or does not own the sidewalk: The time will come when I will catch someone like you or with the same obnoxious attitude as you, doing what you are proposing to do: (Letting your yappy mutt crap on the sidewalk in front of my property),I will unleash my 280 pound body-building biker "response" and deliver a good old fashioned beating on you.How's that for "technical"? Just TRY it.You're going to learn a valuable lesson in the emergency room about messing with the wrong person. It's called: Cause & Effect.
Dogs don't eat cocoa mulch. We had tons of it around our plant beds when I was growing up, and we had dogs. It would be poisonous to them if you tried to ram it down their throats, but they wouldn't voluntarily eat it. (Any internet search will confirm this "danger" is apocryphal).
However, just in case you're serious about the biscuits, I've reported your comments to San Francisco Animal Care and Control. If dogs in Noe Valley do start becoming ill or dying en masse, a police investigation + warrant will reveal your IP number, and you'll get a knock on your door.
I've also reported the comments to a Noe dog owners group, so they can keep an eye out for any "biscuits." You might be bluffing, but I figured it's better not to assume. Have an unpleasant day!
I said "I have SPOTTED biscuits that someone who I do not know has been leaving out." I did NOT place them there. I do not condone hurting animals. Curb your dog.
@ Anonymous who posted a comment threatening my physical safety...you have been reported to the SFPD and the District Attorney's office. Did you know you can get jail time for threatening physical violence? You can! That's so awesome.
@ Anonymous who threatened using chocolate dog mulch and biscuits, in addition to the commenter above, I have also made a formal complaint to SFPD and alerted animal care and control. Oh, and SFPD said they might contact you sometime very soon to find out where you did spot the biscuits. God, I love that there are records of IP addresses that can easily be turned over to the police!!! Yippee!!!
@ Anonymous who asked where the they could purchase the chocolate mulch, also reported.
I'm not going to give you my address, but I will tell you that I'm married to SFPD and I could be anyone you see on the street, so you probably don't want to go threatening anyone or threatening to hurt anyone's dogs. But If you want to start looking for me on the street, I have a Bernese Mountain Dog. That should narrow it down for you!!
And just for the record, the sidewalk is not your front lawn. The area of your property that is protectable starts at your stairs, your gate, or the front of your building.
And just for all the talk of you being responsible for the safety of people on the sidewalk in front of your house (even though you don't own it) I think I'll start reporting sidewalk hazards, especially for the houses that have the "no dogs" signs. I hear that can run in the thousands...
I'm a scrupulously clean owner of a dog who recently had ornamental wood borders stolen from around two different sidewalk trees on successive nights.
When filing a police report, the person taking the report suggested it was probably an overzealous dog owner who stole the property, "because they somehow thought it was their right."
When asked what she meant, the person suggested she had taken other similar reports in the neighborhood.
Is this a case of dog owners going to far, or home caretakers going too far? My dog never had a problem peeing on or around those trees, nor did other dogs seem to have such a problem.
Please, fellow Noe Valleyans, help clarify things for your thoroughly confused neighbor...
Literally the very first step I took in Noe Valley in 4 weeks was a step into dog poo in front of our house. We had just completed the 8 hour drive from San Diego. And I was unpacking the car at 11 at night. There is poo on my shoes, our shared foyer's carpeted steps, there is poo throughout the floor of our house where our 5 month old baby crawls, there is poo ground into the rug that was hand-made by my mother in law, there is poo in my office. There is poo smashed into my wife's house slippers. There is poo in the kitchen. Glorious gobs of yellow-green-brown, sweet smelling poo. Dog Owners, thank you, I really did have a few hours to kill, cleaning the place where I live, so that your dog can be oh-so-happy.
Also, news-flash: Cities are for people who like people. Cities are NOT for people who value animals over people. FARMS are for people who like animals more than people. If you like your dog more than your neighbors, get yourself out of the city, go buy a farm, and everybody, especially your neighbors, will live happily ever after.
Just had some older gentleman mutter some rude comment to me and my dog down at Castro and 24th.
While my dog and I waited for the light to change, I watched him gingerly get into his Mercedes Benz that was parked in a handicapped spot. He had a blue handicapped placard on his mirror, but clearly didn't need it.
I have to say, this comment section is the greatest collection of White Whines I've read in a while.
Given the homeless issue in SF, is this problem really *that bad*?
It is deliberately destructive for dog owners to allow their dogs to either pee or poop in people's flowers, whether they are in the tree box or in their yard. This said, a more serious question is why don't dog owners manage their dogs so that the dogs pee and/or poop in their own yards? And why would any dog owner assume that everyone likes their dogs? ... especially when the dog owners don't train their dogs?
OK, I just read this after researching what kind of low fence I can put up around my sidewalk easement...
I have two Rottweilers, and live in Los Angeles...but I own my home in Lake Balboa (the valley), so my dogs go in my back yard. However, i only got a second dog when I bought my home.
7yrs ago when I lived off Melrose in Hollywood, I only had one Rottweiler. I understand the love of dog...my girls are spoiled rotten...the don't even go outside if it's too cold, or god forbid too hot...they do their business and run back in to the climate controlled house and fluffy CAL KING bed which they have conveniently claimed for themselves, but I think it's irresponsible to have more than one dog in an apartment.
That being said, I used to have to take my previous Rott out to do her business a few times daily for obvious reasons. Here in LA, there is a 3-4 ft easement between the sidewalk and the street...which in most properties has been overcome with crabgrass. In my Hollywood neighborhood, there was a mix of 2-3 story apartment building in-between single family homes...the corresponding property had the same easement for both.
I tried to have my Rott do her business on the easement in front of our building before going on the walk...but sometimes she went on other peoples easement. All my dogs...previous and two current, carry a poop bag holder on there harness, so that no matter what, the dog has a bag. That being said, I was taught to ALWAYS pick up after my animal.
This is not the case for many people...
Now that I own a home...that upkeep of the easement is my responsibility...and ]in order to have curb appeal, rising property values, and draught resistant landscaping to help with the water crisis...I designed a California friendly flowering landscape with little to no water needed, and laid mulch with weed carpet to make everything look clean, pretty and enjoyable to all, but I am a corner house...so i have the length of a normal house, then around the corner another normal house length, then two house lengths worth of easement where my backyard is...so I'm paying for landscaping for four houses...it's not cheap.
Lately someone has moved in nearby with three small mexican rat dogs and can't control them all. so the kick the mulch all over the sidewalk every night.
I think it's usually the people who are young and have low income living in apartments without a care in the world about the cost of owning a home...usually liberal socialist democrats with nothing but their car, dog and sofa to their name who complain about the things we do to keep the neighborhood looking and smelling nice and pretty. Someday, when they are paying for the maintenance, plant and mulch replacement, and chemical neutralizer...they will understand the plight we home owners who like living in nice well kept homes go through!
We have a similar problem in the U.K. I live in an area close to the city centre and I can't believe the way people behave. They drop litter on the street and you get plastic bags blowing up into the trees. There also NINE piles of dog poo on the pavement outside my flat.
The only way to get up the street is to do a kind of hopscotch, keeping your eyes fixed firmly on the ground.
I tried picking up the dog poo and putting it in my bin. 2 hours later, there was a new pile. I give up.
It's got to the point where I've stopped invited people round for coffee or a meal because I'm embarrassed by the state of the area.
Also, I would to check their shoes before inviting them in.
Dog owners that don't pick up the mess really need to think about the upset they cause other people.
I live in Istanbul Turkey. This old crazy lady thinks she owns the sidewalk. She would scream at dog walkers using the sidewalk. Well the pavement is owned by the municipality. I pick up dog poo. I even put my dog in front of my house. But it tinkles a little and runs to the sidewalk because it likes the scent of other dogs. I guess the neighbors think dog pee smells. Mind you they live next to massive trash containers that stand for 12 hours. So this lady hassles me. Sorry but ask any lawyer and they will say I am right. I am not against the law. If the neighbors don't like it they can complain to the municipality.
26th St @ Sanchez
Actually, I do own the sidewalk in front of my house. Or at least I'm responsible for its upkeep. I've got a bill for a city required sidewalk repair to prove it. No doubt if someone slipped in dogshit and broke their neck in front of my house, they'd come suing me.
ReplyDeleteI'd prefer you didn't use my sidewalk and tree planter as a dog toilet. That's what Dolores is for. OTOH the dog owners around my place are all quite polite and good about picking up, so it's never been an issue.
I don't care if you clean it up or not, please do let your dog shit in front of my house. I have to live with the part you can't clean, my kids are going to step in it because they don't realize it's there. the urine will kill the plants that I am trying desperately to grow there (in an effort to "green" the city, and finally and most importantly, every other dog that walks by and smells your dogs piss is going to piss there too. I spend a small fortune on odor removing cleaners just to keep the front of my house from being peed on all day.
ReplyDeletePlease, if you own a dog, let in peed and shit in front of YOUR OWN HOUSE.
gawd, it's supposed to be DON'T let your dog......too angry about this I guess.
ReplyDeleteThere are dark parks in the city where you can bring your dog. They can poop, pee and socialize with other four legged friends. Although there are many responsible dog owners there are still many who are not and they ruin it for the rest. that is just the price of ownning a dog in the city. Perhaps you should reconsider owning a dog or moving to the country.
ReplyDeleteHaha! People are so ill-informed...
ReplyDeleteYou do NOT own the sidewalk in front of your house. You are responsible for maintenance, but it is owned I believe by the city. In any case, it is a public walkway, and this is a city with a lot of dogs, so you just have to live with it. Like most other dog owners, I always clean up and share the frustration with those who don't. But you have to be realistic, dogs are going to go in front of your house. Learn to accept it and you'll have a more peaceful, better life.
I own two dogs, but completely understand why the sidewalk trees and small patches of green space have to be fenced from Fidos. Even if every dog owner were scrupulous about picking up after their dogs, the concentrated urine from many dogs can eventually poison the earth around the tree. Sidewalk trees have a tough enough time with lack of oxygen from concrete. Better to train dogs to go in the gutter. (I know it's hard. My dogs would prefer grass. But I try.)
ReplyDeleteFor every 10 dog owners that lets their dog use our planters and cleans up afterwards, there's one owner who looks around to see if anyone's looking and leaves a steaming pile. I don't have a sign, but if I do put one out, it's for this bad apple. Don't blame the property owner, blame the dog owners who give other dog owners a bad name.
ReplyDeleteThe one that bugs me is the people who bag the poop, then toss it in our food recycling ("green") bin when it is out. That bin has to go inside our garage, where it literally stinks the whole place up. So, we end up having to deal with it, plus wash it out as soon as we can. Just gross. Take your poop home and stink up your own homes, dog owners.
ReplyDeleteOff to clean the litter box of a much more civilized beast.
I own two small dogs who inexplicably curb themselves, so I am not very reliant on tree wells. :)
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, many dog owners do not clean up after their dogs and I see big messes in tree wells quite often. I think this is probably what drove my dogs to curb themselves.
I don't fault residents for blocking off their tree wells, especially if they have planted gardens or plant life. Dogs tend to trample on things, and there is just not enough time in the day for residents to keep cleaning out their tree areas.
11:45 back with a flip side story. I've seen one dog walker clean up a pile left by another dog walker in our beds. It's people like this that make me smile. Just can't imagine who leaves big piles on the sidewalk. mind boggling, or worse, on kids playfields that are clearly marked "no dogs."
ReplyDeleteHome owners actually DO own the sidewalks in front of their houses. That is why we are responsible for maintenance. You are required to grant the city a permanent easement for the public to use the sidewalk.
ReplyDeleteAnd enough about the dogs. I'd like send out a big thank you to the PERSON who set off an entire fire extinguisher in front of my garage over the weekend. That was big fun to clean up.
Yea, this IS a hot topic, here in NV..As a homeowner I am in fact responsible for the sidewalk in front of my house..and I am allowed to do street side planting, and I am allowed to put a low fence around it..See the DPW site for code info. There are LOTS of lazy dog owners around here who simply do NOT clean up after their dog shits on my sidewalk or planting bed..some truly feel entitled to leave the shit there; it's not their problem. If I catch one doing it, I will follow you to your home with the dog shit in a bag and drop in right ON YOUR DOOR STEP..FOR YOU TO CLEAN UP.
ReplyDeleteI love dogs. Other people's dogs, that is. I choose not to own a dog and therefore, I shouldn't be impacted by your choice to own a dog.
ReplyDeleteI do "own" the sidewalk in front of my house, and I certainly own the flowering plants that I nurture there.
Certainly we can find a way to coexist - your dog can relieve itself and my flowers can live?
Whenever someone puts up a sign that says "no dogs here" that is exactly where I stop so my dog can go. It's so selfish and unfriendly. I certainly don't put up a sign in front of my house that says "no kids playing on this part of the sidewalk that I own" or "no sidewalk chalk from here-to-there because I own it". We live in a mixed-use, high-density urban neighborhood- we should all be encouraging our neighbors to treat those they care for well by taking them outdoors as often as possible... whether two legged or four. Now as far as the not picking up after your dog goes..there is NO excuse. You're out of bags? Go home, get one, and return to finish the job. Thankfully, I only have to clean up for some jerk once or twice per year in front of my house because my neighbors are really great. Also, tossing bags into neighbors' trash cans is also a no-no in my book unless the cans are permanently parked outside with no chance of ever going inside due to lack of garage or storage area or are outside that day for collection (and have not already been emptied). Also, owners that let their dogs pee on the house side of the sidewalk rather than curb side are plain rude- would you want your front stoop or gate to reek of dog urine?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJust an FYI - No one should be throwing dog poop in the green bin.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sfrecycling.com/residentialCompost.htm?
More on the Green Bin here.
ReplyDeleteOkay, as soon as we resolve the dog poop issue in the tree wells, can we try to do something about people parking AND DRIVING on the sidewalks on Dolores? Just this morning I was headed around the corner and here comes an SUV barreling down the sidewalk - driver had coffee in one hand and talking on cell phone (not hands-free) in the other. I don't know how he was driving but he didn't see me and if I would have kept walking, he would have made a flat Stanley out of me.
ReplyDeletethey do OWN the curb side.
ReplyDeletelots are (eg) 114 feet by 25ft. 100ft of house and garden, AND 14 feet of curbside.
AND home owners can be ticketed for having dirty curbsides, including dog poop, and chewing gum. (on top of the repair of cracks, the maintenance of trees etc).
people who don't agree are welcome to go to city hall and scream about it... in the mean time, owners only try to limit their headache and liability toward an easement they have no say about.
note: I believe we have a dog friendly square in front of our house: we choose to stop planting items and leave it level enough for dog owners to easily clean up. And I thank all the dog owners who HAVE CLEANED SO FAR - including a few who cleaned another poop while picking their own. With basic decency and respect, we can all get along!
There is a lot of misinformed nonsense in this thread. The editor should consider a new post about this subject of sidewalk ownership to set the record straight. Yes, property owners are required by city code to maintain the sidewalk ADJACENT to their property. However, they most definitely do not own it, and there are restrictions about what they can do with that PUBLICLY OWNED space. I challenge any homeowner who thinks otherwise to post a picture of your title report showing that you own the sidewalk. The 114-ft lot thing is a myth.
ReplyDeleteThe City owns the sidewalk; the property owner owns the cracks and the trash. And the dog poo.
ReplyDeleteWill see what official info we can dig up.
anon@4:32: you have it ALL wrong..the legal front property line is NOT the curb line..from curb to property line is public space. Yes, a property owner is responsible to maintaining that area in a safe, clean condition, but they do NOT own it. ever.
ReplyDeleteLike I said previously, a property owner can put in curbside landscaping and trees with the proper permits issued by DPW...that includes planting beds and the right to install a low fence around those areas. Check out the DPW website for more info on street plantings.
Having just planted a Friends of the Urban Forest tree outside my house, I know for sure that it is legal for me to put a low fence no higher than 12 inches around the tree basin to protect the tree.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think it is rude for dog owners to let dogs poop/pee on tree basins that are flower beds that people obviously have to hand care for. There are plenty of tree basins that are barren and not fenced. Also, I didn't think dogs NEED earth to poo/pee on, I'm pretty sure they could do it on the concrete sidewalk/street sign or whatever.
I love my cat, btw.
If my dog starts squating to shit and it happens to be in front of your house my bad, but theres not a whole lot I can do about it. I try to get him to the curb, but if you would like me to drag my dog while he's shitting so it can be in front of another house I can guarantee you that will be more of a mess.
ReplyDeleteNo time to find a place for the dog to pooh? Poor dog! They're that eager? Bad owner!!!
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:49- What would you suggest people do if their dog decides to go as they are walking to one of the "dark parks" you mention?
ReplyDeleteAnon 6:55- Obviously, you don't have a dog. You can walk them for 60 minutes with nothing happening and then suddenly nature calls for some inexplicable reason. Just as it is with humans, sometimes the urge to go is unpredictable!
Anon 5:53, I agree about the flowers, it's just common sense. No sign needed.
I live on 28th St. and we have a small patch in front with a tree and some flowers.
ReplyDeleteMy wife only put up the "no dogs, please" sign after about the 10th time she had to clean up the leftover crap.
Sorry, considerate dog owners, but your right to crap and clean has been trampled by the others who think it's OK to crap in front of my house, and not clean. Take it up with them.
This has happened a few times: a friend brings her dog to Martha's (on Church) and ties him up outside. When we are done with coffee, and come out - someone has left a bag of poop by the dog. It's not my friend's dog's poop, just ....a little gift?
ReplyDeleteTotally annoying because it looks like my friend is being a bad dog owner. The last time - the person had left it IN the big planter by the door. WTF?!
The fact that some dog owners bag poop and some don't is not really the issue for me. It's the false belief that when you scoop up the poop, you think that you are leaving the area in it's original condition. Any dog owner would be LYING if they said this is true -- your dog does not shit in little pristine piles every time, sometimes it's a bit messier than that. What you leave behind is my issue. Because you can't predict whether you will be leaving shit "residue," all I ask is that you train your dog to shit somewhere that is not near where people live. I know you think your dog is just like a person, but generally, a person is not shitting in front of my house, your dog is. It wouldn't be ok for a person to do it, it's not ok for your dog to do it, either. Take your dog to a park, the curb, or IN FRONT OF YOUR OWN HOUSE.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to the old fashioned policy "curb your dog".....that seems like a common sense approach that would make everyone happy?
ReplyDeletereason "curb your dog" doesn't work any more in SF:
ReplyDelete1. dog owners are lazy
2. dog owners feel "entitled" to do whatever the hell they want.
Get over it.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I suggest to all dog owners, for a week, have your dog piss on your front steps and shit in front of your own house. Please feel free to bag up any dog poop your dog makes.
ReplyDeleteAnother alternative is to actually pay attention to what your dog is doing, if you can't figure out that your dog is going to piss on someone's front steps, you probably shouldn't own a dog.
You wouldn't want a person to piss on your front steps or garage, why would you let your dog do it to someone else?
Whiners.
ReplyDeleteand Schmoopie is exactly the kind of self absorbed, disrespectful, lazy dog owners we are talking about here. his "get over it" says it all.
ReplyDeleteSchmoopie, please post your address, I need to take a leak...
ReplyDeleteAs the original author of this rant, I think all you property owners are pretty elitist and delusional. Like someone said, you live in a high density urban environment. My dog pooping in your little square of dirt does not mean that your portion of the sidewalk is not maintained. And no, you don't own it, sorry. Looked it up. But nice try!!!! Now that I sense all the hostility, I will make a point of having my dog poop only in front of the houses that say 'don't poop here'. I'm also going to stand outside my house with a whistle and tell kids that they're not allowed on "my" sidewalk because they may require more "maintenance " of my sidewalk.
ReplyDeleteThere are more lazy parents around Noe Valley than there are lazy dog owners, btw :)
I cannot believe how many NIMBY's there are on this blog. Insane. Grow up homeowners.
ReplyDeletesomehow, I don't really think "hate hipstards"..I mean Jennifer..really get it...No one here says we homeowners "own" the sidewalk. we dont. lets be clear on that..
ReplyDeletebut cleaning up properly after your dogs shits on ANY sidewalk ANYWHERE is just being adult, polite and respectful..not to mention it's THE LAW.
your weak, lame argument comparing kids on your sidewalk to a dog shitting is..well. just stupid..
DO THIS: just respect property, clean up after your dog..be nice, stop being selfish and mean.
My whole point is that I AM a responsible pet owner, and ALWAYS pick up after my dog. Hence, my frustration.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, numerous people used the word "own" when referring to the sidewalk.
My "weak/lame" argument about kids and dogs, is in my opinion, apt. Kids litter and are loud in front of my house. Point being, IT'S FINE WITH ME. I expect the same courtesy with respect to my dog.
And how in any way was what I said "selfish" or "mean"? I must have missed that part...
When my kids SHITS in front of your house, we'll be even. Loud and garbage does not equal feces. This is the part you are not understanding.
ReplyDeleteWait. I think we just went over this. I clean up my dogs shit, every time, no exceptions. So what's your point? Not getting it...
ReplyDeleteWow, "anonymous"...I mean "anonymous". You're mean. Glad I'm not your kid.
ReplyDeleteDo you bring some kind of water supply to hose off the spot on the sidewalk? Do you hose down the grass and/or plants after you scrape up the wet ones with your plastic bag "glove"? This reminds me of the people who insist that when they clean the shit up off the grass at Dolores Park, that they don't leave anything behind. Except, you know, the shit that stuck to the grass. Multiplied by the 100 dogs there that day.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to living in the city? Sounds like maybe you'd be more comfortable in the burbs....
ReplyDeletePlants and animals intermingling is part of the natural ecosystem. Heard of it?
Ok...to recap so far...
ReplyDeleteThe City owns the sidewalk, property owners are responsible for maintaining it.
Barriers around trees/gardens are legal to keep out dogs and/or shopping carts.
Dog poo residue is everywhere no matter how well-intentioned the cleanup.
The dog-vs-child argument is everywhere, too, no matter that the adult human is usually the proplem.
Please keep it civil, folks.
@noevalley sf..
ReplyDeleteah....that was already said..by many of us a while back..
you do read this stuff, right?
I will make a point of having my dog poop only in front of the houses that say 'don't poop here'
ReplyDeleteThanks, neighbor!
Back to what I think is a good question on the original post: is it ok for the plant-owner (maybe it's a homeowner or maybe it's a renter) to try and fence off the plants on his/her sidewalk so that dogs don't pee there?
ReplyDeleteI know folks may not agree, but I think it IS ok, simply because I think that person (homeowner or maybe renter) is trying to make sure those plants stay alive. I encourage that. Makes for a nicer city / street landscape. And since it's the home-owner who is likely doing the weeding, the planting, the watering, etc., I don't see a problem with them putting up a little fence and asking folks to not let their dogs go there. I understand dog-owners need to find places to go, but I think that is a somewhat different issue.
None of us can inhabit this Earth with having some physical impact. Dogs shit and piss in public places. Get over it. If all dogs owner took their dogs to the "dark parks" you would all be complaining about that. Personally I never let my dog go on houses or on tended greenery. Btw, some of these anti-dog people are probably the same people that leave Mitchell's ice cream garbage on my stairs.
ReplyDeleteThose of you comparing your child taking a sh*t in front of my house to my dog going in front of your house...can you please come over and train my dog to use a toilet? You must be minting money with that trick!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds to me like you would prefer a world without dogs. I bet you $ your kid grows up and works at the SPCA and adopts 10 dogs to get back at you for your mean attitude towards animals.
PS- I agree with everyone here that has mentioned the suburbs as an excellent opportunity for the NIMBYs to stake their claim on a slice of land. It's less expensive than Noe and you'll be MUCH happier not having to interact with people in your space.
Jesus...51 comments about dog poo? People. Let it lie.
ReplyDelete"let it lie"??? So you or I can step in it? I thought there would be at least 100 comments by now.
ReplyDeleteSeems like there is an issue as to: Who owns the property? I think the the property owner owns the land in front of the property all the way to the curb....which is subject to a public easement or right-away we all commonly know as the sidewalk
ReplyDeleteOh yeh. I like the way our front yards are referred to by Jenny as a "rest room" We usually call that "our front yard." It is not our "rest room." Nor should it be yours.
good grief anon @6:43: havent you read ANY of the past 50 or so posts?? the property owner does NOT..repeat NOT own the land to the curb....educate yourself and read!
ReplyDeleteon a similar note re the dog shit issue: I took a nice walk today up Church st from 30th to shop at Whole Foods. Along the way, on the damn sidewalk, I came across at least 15 piles of dog shit in the public way..
LOTS of dog owners really do not care and they do not clean up. I saw it first hand and it is an important issue in NV.
Amazing that so many homeowners think they own city sidewalks. I mean, there are city records with property lines - didn't check when you bought? What else don't you own?
ReplyDeleteEqually amazing that dog poo/pooing is somehow nicer than the human equivalent. Even the homeless are not allowed to go on the sidewalk, in parks etc...
my dog had explosive diarehhea today. i left it for you to enjoy. hope nobody slips, falls, and sues you.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rocky's Dad - Noe Valley is littered with dog poop piles. If the owners are so responsible where is it all coming from?
ReplyDeleteI have to admit dog piles are preferable to the human piles complete with toilet paper that I see on curbs in the Mission.
Entitled...
ReplyDeleteSadly so many people feel they are. Entitled to break the rules for their own convenience, eager to point a finger at anyone else.
The bike rider running stoplights at night without reflectors gets hit feels entitled to exorbitant damages.
The dog owner looking the other way when their pet does their business in a public space, but curses vehemently when plagued by someone else's poop.
The resident taking two parking spots, complaining there is no parking in the neighborhood.
The ranter blasting everyone who doesn't share the same point of view.
Now is the time to look in the mirror and ask not what YOU are entitled to, but rather what YOU can do to improve the quality of life for others...
here's one way:
ReplyDeleteDog owners: start TODAY by always cleaning up your dog's shit on the public sidewalk, or someones front yard landscaping.
one of the best thing about these posts is to see how many people will say things to their neighbors online that they would never say face to face. I agree with every post about high-density urban settings and being at peace with others' behaviors. Those of us who abide by the golden rule and "do unto others" would never leave dog poop and do pick up others' poop as well as good karma for the day. Good luck with this debate, but think about whether you would say what you are writing to anyone's face.
ReplyDeleteBut anonymity is the joy of these forums. If we said what we wanted to to the person letting their dog defecate on our carefully tended gardens a physical fight might ensue.
ReplyDeleteWhen dog owners stop letting their dogs shit on my front steps and right beside my car in my driveway, I'll "get over it". Have your dog poop off the curb and clean it up. Why is this so difficult? I am an animal lover yet the dog owners in this city are making me resent dogs against my will.
ReplyDeleteStop letting your dog shit on the street.
Stop bringing your dog into coffee shops, supermarkets, and restaurants.
Stop letting your dogs sit on the stools in the bar or in a shopping cart, or at least put pants on it first - IT HAS AN EXPOSED ASSHOLE AND SHOWERS ONCE A WEEK, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!
If dog owners are going to compare dogs to children, they need to do the same things parents do. Wipe your dogs off before they touch things with their feet, clean their asses with baby wipes after every poop, and make them wear clothes & shoes. If not - admit that your dog is not a baby and deal with the animal that they are in a way that is sensitive to the world around you.
Wow; lots of energy on the dog issue here. I thought I was the only one annoyed by dog owners who let their dogs wander menacingly off leash. And yes, then this morning I accidentally stepped in some merde du chien on the sidewalk a few blocks from my house. I wanted to shove the idiot dog owner's face in it.
ReplyDeleteI will confront anyone that I see letting their dog shit in front of my house that does not pick it up. Here, as described above, is only anonymous confrontation and actual face-to-face confrontation can be dangerous (idiots don't like to be confronted about their idiocy, even nicely). But so what? We clearly have a very significant problem here...and it's not the dogs, it's the owners.
So is it a misdemeanor to leave dog shit on the sidewalk? Would love to have some legal recourse. Take a picture; follow them home. There you go.
The last thing we need is for Noe Valley to be considered the Paris of San Francisco. I loathe Paris, in part due to the dog shit everywhere.
Never thought I'd hear a city-dweller say they loathe Paris.
ReplyDeleteGodot,
ReplyDeleteI don't think you know dogs very well. I disagree that the ones walking off leash are menacing. Off-leash dogs are clearly well trained (so well trained that the owner knows the dog will stop at every corner, will leave other dogs alone, doesn't fight, will leave people alone when passing, is under voice control, etc) and totally friendly, or else the owner would have them on a leash for fear of a lawsuit from a bite or doggie death by car. I am more frightened of dogs ON leash, they are the ones that can be more aggressive because of the leash.
Off-leash dogs better than on-leash dogs? That's absurd. Some dogs are clearly well-behaved and can be walked off-leash. But many owners aren't good judge of their own dogs. The main thing is if the dog is off-leash, the owner could just run away from any scene of a doggie crime, and not own up their responsibility. You can't do that if you're holding the leash.
ReplyDeleteAnon 5:12 ?????
ReplyDeleteRun away? From your pet? I'm sure that's a REALLY common problem to worry about.
In this scenario you posed, why not just drop the leash and run?
Your leash logic escapes me.
I'm tired of all this dog bashing. How about the people who put out birdseed. Recently, I seen more rats going in and out of the storm drains in Noe Valley than I've seen anywhere else or over the decades I have lived here. How about all these innocent cat owners who let their cats out of their homes. Have you ever worked in your garden and put your hands in fresh cat poo. My yard is not their toilet. In San Francisco it is legal to trap cats in your yard. I bring them to Animal Control (many times). You pay to get them back. Put your cats on leash. The law applies to them too. Stop Da K9 H8. Let Em Ur-A-N8.
ReplyDeleteOther day on 24th st. I saw a mom in skinny jeans pushing a stroller of triplet babies, while she was yakking on her cell phone, and holding a large double mocha in the other hand...she took up the whole damn sidewalk..what really gets me is she was also walking along with her pet rat and it was NOT leashed. good god, can't people like that obey the laws?
ReplyDeleteHow nice of "Anonymous" to take neighborhood cats to near certain death at Animal Care and Control. Just the kind of human being I want to live around. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteJenny, your sense of entitlement for you and your dog is bewildering. Property owners are responsible for the sidewalks in front of their homes. And no we don't want to live with the residue of your dogs do any more than we like to live with that of our own dogs. We grow plants, make the sidewalks enjoyable by making them clean, good looking and safe from dog do. Curb your dog, that's where your dogs do do belongs. You have no right to let your dog use the patch of green in front of my house as a toilet. None. get over your sense of entitlement and get clear on the rules of sidewalk ownership and curb your dog.
ReplyDeleteGlad I live in Glen Park :)
ReplyDeleteI'm both a dog owner and a disgruntled property owner who hates that dogs constantly pee on our nice flower pot in front of the house. I tried spraying and cleaning w. white vinegar and water a few times a day to "erase" the smell so other dogs wouldn't be attracted, but after about a month I just gave up. There's a nice juicy telephone pole right in front of our building, but no -- owners seem to prefer letting their dogs pee on our ornamental grasses instead. Sigh. Actually, I think the main problem is owners whose dogs are off-leash (illegal in SF except in dog parks) and too far ahead or behind for the owner to regulate their voiding behaviors. Prime example: the dude who runs Friends of Upper Noe Dog Owners Group chatting with some guy down the sidewalk while his dog peed on our flower pot. PAY ATTENTION!!
ReplyDeleteAnd then one day, recently, a small turd appeared in front of the flower pot. That's just lazy. Whenever I ran out of bags, I'd use a piece of newspaper, a leaf, a stick, whatever, just to get the thing to the curb where at least it wasn't in someone's path. This thing was right there waiting for my shoe.
I always carry 2-3 bags (biodegradable, from poopbags.com) because my dog sometimes decides he needs to go again half a block later, AND/OR sometimes you run across someone who needs a bag (that was me before I learned to carry more than one bag per walk).
Unfortunately, not everyone is conscientious. Even my husband has admitted to not picking up our dog's poop because he "couldn't see where he pooped" in the dark. ARGH!!
By the way, the absolute best part of all my walks in Noe Valley -- hands down -- is my enjoyment of the beautiful, beautiful, beautiful flowers, plants, bushes, and trees that people cultivate in front of and around their homes. This is what makes San Francisco special, different from any other city I've lived in. I cherish all this flora and we dog owners should take great care to not let our dogs befoul it.
ReplyDeleteThe strong will survive. If the dog crap doesn't destroy the pretty plants, the wind, rain, and blowing trash will--none of whch will read your futile signs.
ReplyDeleteBest thing is if you care about what you've planted in that tiny patch of earth, do it in a way that's bomb proof (perhaps a high walled wooden plants box) because the sidewalk is a harsh environment, and only the hardiest of plants and flowers will survive, regardless of how courteous your dog owning neighbors are.
I'd put lots and LOTS of chocolate mulch in my front yard;replenishing it FREQUENTLY. It's really great for the plants. I've also added an extra boost with some dark baker's chocolate because I like the smell and it, too helps the plants. It happens to be LETHAL to the dogs so I hope no one lets their dog crap in my yard who happens to be hungry --WHOOPS!Accidental poisoning ;-))
ReplyDelete...well shame on THEM for being obnoxious, inconsiderate, irresponsible, selfish dog owners.Bye bye trespassing doggie.^^
You can buy this cocoa mulch at Home Depot. There are several locations throughout San Francisco.
Now every time I glance out my living room window and see some smarmy dog owner standing there and letting their ratty mutt crapping in my yard, despite the "KEEP DOGS OUT OF MY YARD" sign that I have posted there, I smile wistfully to myself and wonder if THIS is the last dump FIDO will take.I have passed this handy TIP onto many of my fed up neighbors and they too are using the Mulch Technique^^
So enjoy our little game of Dog Crap roulette you're playing. It may not be a very long game. :-D
Signed, NOT a dog person.
I've seen a lot of suspicious, delicious-looking brown cookie-like BISCUITS someone's tossed randomly in people's unfenced front yards lately.I'd hat to think what's IN those. Every morning, there's more! I have seen dogs eating them from time to time too. I think someone who's had it up tho HERE with dogs squeezing one out on their lawns is going out at night and tossing them by the dozens into people's front yards; perhaps to help with the dog sh_t epidemic.
ReplyDeleteI honestly feel Jenny's comment at the beginning encapsulates the general ATTITUDE of pretty much MOST dog owners...and it is:
ReplyDelete"F- YOU home owners. OUR dogs need to sh!t and WE don't want them sh!tting in OUR yard (because that's gross) so, because WE don't care one BIT about YOU, we're gonna take our dogs to use YOUR front yard and garden as a TOILET and there's not a damned thing you can DO bout it. It's our God-given RIGHT and, if that bothers you, TOUGH because, what it boils down to is: YOUR feelings about this do not matter one bit to US.It's convenient for US so-DEAL with it."
(How much is that chocolate mulch?)
Wow: we sure have a lot of shitty people that live in our neighborhood now. Where did all you facists come from......or have you been here the whole time?
ReplyDeleteDear Jenny,
ReplyDeleteI understand your concern and I have a solution.When you go to take your doggy for a walk,make sure that it uses the restroom in >your< front yard. Problem solved. If pooch doesn't have to go the moment you leave your residence, you WAIT until it does. And then you stoop, scoop and go back into your home, place the bag of dog poop in your kitchen waste receptacle and then go back out and commence with your walk. It is not right or polite to inflict your decision to keep a dog on other people-especially those who despise dogs and/or resent their property or the property in front of their homes soiled and reeking with your dog's parasite-infested feces.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation in making this a tidy, disease free neighborhood.
(The alternative is you leave your address so that, the next time I am walking down the street and need to use the bathroom, I can drop my jeans and take a dump on YOUR front step and urinate on your door.)
The Community.
Hates Hipstards,
ReplyDeleteRegarding your little "investigation" as to the technical law regarding who owns or does not own the sidewalk:
The time will come when I will catch someone like you or with the same obnoxious attitude as you, doing what you are proposing to do: (Letting your yappy mutt crap on the sidewalk in front of my property),I will unleash my 20 pound body-building biker "response" and deliver a good old fashioned beating on you.How's that for "technical"? Just TRY it.You're going to learn a valuable lesson in the emergency room about messing with the wrong person.
It's called: Cause & Effect.
Hates Hipstards,
ReplyDeleteRegarding your little "investigation" as to the technical law regarding who owns or does not own the sidewalk:
The time will come when I will catch someone like you or with the same obnoxious attitude as you, doing what you are proposing to do: (Letting your yappy mutt crap on the sidewalk in front of my property),I will unleash my 280 pound body-building biker "response" and deliver a good old fashioned beating on you.How's that for "technical"? Just TRY it.You're going to learn a valuable lesson in the emergency room about messing with the wrong person.
It's called: Cause & Effect.
Dogs don't eat cocoa mulch. We had tons of it around our plant beds when I was growing up, and we had dogs. It would be poisonous to them if you tried to ram it down their throats, but they wouldn't voluntarily eat it. (Any internet search will confirm this "danger" is apocryphal).
ReplyDeleteHowever, just in case you're serious about the biscuits, I've reported your comments to San Francisco Animal Care and Control. If dogs in Noe Valley do start becoming ill or dying en masse, a police investigation + warrant will reveal your IP number, and you'll get a knock on your door.
I've also reported the comments to a Noe dog owners group, so they can keep an eye out for any "biscuits." You might be bluffing, but I figured it's better not to assume. Have an unpleasant day!
I said "I have SPOTTED biscuits that someone who I do not know has been leaving out." I did NOT place them there. I do not condone hurting animals.
ReplyDeleteCurb your dog.
You don't condone hurting animals? Did you actually read what you wrote? Or do you have some sort of split personality?
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous who posted a comment threatening my physical safety...you have been reported to the SFPD and the District Attorney's office. Did you know you can get jail time for threatening physical violence? You can! That's so awesome.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous who threatened using chocolate dog mulch and biscuits, in addition to the commenter above, I have also made a formal complaint to SFPD and alerted animal care and control. Oh, and SFPD said they might contact you sometime very soon to find out where you did spot the biscuits. God, I love that there are records of IP addresses that can easily be turned over to the police!!! Yippee!!!
@ Anonymous who asked where the they could purchase the chocolate mulch, also reported.
I'm not going to give you my address, but I will tell you that I'm married to SFPD and I could be anyone you see on the street, so you probably don't want to go threatening anyone or threatening to hurt anyone's dogs. But If you want to start looking for me on the street, I have a Bernese Mountain Dog. That should narrow it down for you!!
And just for the record, the sidewalk is not your front lawn. The area of your property that is protectable starts at your stairs, your gate, or the front of your building.
And just for all the talk of you being responsible for the safety of people on the sidewalk in front of your house (even though you don't own it) I think I'll start reporting sidewalk hazards, especially for the houses that have the "no dogs" signs. I hear that can run in the thousands...
Have a great Saturday!!!!
Paranoia sets in amongst all you noe valley people. too bad--it used to be such a pleasant place.
ReplyDeleteI'm a scrupulously clean owner of a dog who recently had ornamental wood borders stolen from around two different sidewalk trees on successive nights.
ReplyDeleteWhen filing a police report, the person taking the report suggested it was probably an overzealous dog owner who stole the property, "because they somehow thought it was their right."
When asked what she meant, the person suggested she had taken other similar reports in the neighborhood.
Is this a case of dog owners going to far, or home caretakers going too far? My dog never had a problem peeing on or around those trees, nor did other dogs seem to have such a problem.
Please, fellow Noe Valleyans, help clarify things for your thoroughly confused neighbor...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteLiterally the very first step I took in Noe Valley in 4 weeks was a step into dog poo in front of our house. We had just completed the 8 hour drive from San Diego. And I was unpacking the car at 11 at night. There is poo on my shoes, our shared foyer's carpeted steps, there is poo throughout the floor of our house where our 5 month old baby crawls, there is poo ground into the rug that was hand-made by my mother in law, there is poo in my office. There is poo smashed into my wife's house slippers. There is poo in the kitchen. Glorious gobs of yellow-green-brown, sweet smelling poo.
ReplyDeleteDog Owners, thank you, I really did have a few hours to kill, cleaning the place where I live, so that your dog can be oh-so-happy.
Also, news-flash: Cities are for people who like people. Cities are NOT for people who value animals over people. FARMS are for people who like animals more than people. If you like your dog more than your neighbors, get yourself out of the city, go buy a farm, and everybody, especially your neighbors, will live happily ever after.
ReplyDeletenews-flash: Cities are for people who like people.
ReplyDeleteWrong: Cities are for people who like cars.
Ref: dad, rocky's.
ee-yi-ee-yi-oh!
ReplyDeleteJust had some older gentleman mutter some rude comment to me and my dog down at Castro and 24th.
ReplyDeleteWhile my dog and I waited for the light to change, I watched him gingerly get into his Mercedes Benz that was parked in a handicapped spot. He had a blue handicapped placard on his mirror, but clearly didn't need it.
I have to say, this comment section is the greatest collection of White Whines I've read in a while.
Given the homeless issue in SF, is this problem really *that bad*?
It is deliberately destructive for dog owners to allow their dogs to either pee or poop in people's flowers, whether they are in the tree box or in their yard. This said, a more serious question is why don't dog owners manage their dogs so that the dogs pee and/or poop in their own yards? And why would any dog owner assume that everyone likes their dogs? ... especially when the dog owners don't train their dogs?
ReplyDeleteOK, I just read this after researching what kind of low fence I can put up around my sidewalk easement...
ReplyDeleteI have two Rottweilers, and live in Los Angeles...but I own my home in Lake Balboa (the valley), so my dogs go in my back yard. However, i only got a second dog when I bought my home.
7yrs ago when I lived off Melrose in Hollywood, I only had one Rottweiler. I understand the love of dog...my girls are spoiled rotten...the don't even go outside if it's too cold, or god forbid too hot...they do their business and run back in to the climate controlled house and fluffy CAL KING bed which they have conveniently claimed for themselves, but I think it's irresponsible to have more than one dog in an apartment.
That being said, I used to have to take my previous Rott out to do her business a few times daily for obvious reasons. Here in LA, there is a 3-4 ft easement between the sidewalk and the street...which in most properties has been overcome with crabgrass. In my Hollywood neighborhood, there was a mix of 2-3 story apartment building in-between single family homes...the corresponding property had the same easement for both.
I tried to have my Rott do her business on the easement in front of our building before going on the walk...but sometimes she went on other peoples easement. All my dogs...previous and two current, carry a poop bag holder on there harness, so that no matter what, the dog has a bag. That being said, I was taught to ALWAYS pick up after my animal.
This is not the case for many people...
Now that I own a home...that upkeep of the easement is my responsibility...and ]in order to have curb appeal, rising property values, and draught resistant landscaping to help with the water crisis...I designed a California friendly flowering landscape with little to no water needed, and laid mulch with weed carpet to make everything look clean, pretty and enjoyable to all, but I am a corner house...so i have the length of a normal house, then around the corner another normal house length, then two house lengths worth of easement where my backyard is...so I'm paying for landscaping for four houses...it's not cheap.
Lately someone has moved in nearby with three small mexican rat dogs and can't control them all. so the kick the mulch all over the sidewalk every night.
I think it's usually the people who are young and have low income living in apartments without a care in the world about the cost of owning a home...usually liberal socialist democrats with nothing but their car, dog and sofa to their name who complain about the things we do to keep the neighborhood looking and smelling nice and pretty. Someday, when they are paying for the maintenance, plant and mulch replacement, and chemical neutralizer...they will understand the plight we home owners who like living in nice well kept homes go through!
Hello,
ReplyDeleteWe have a similar problem in the U.K. I live in an area close to the city centre and I can't believe the way people behave. They drop litter on the street and you get plastic bags blowing up into the trees. There also NINE piles of dog poo on the pavement outside my flat.
The only way to get up the street is to do a kind of hopscotch, keeping your eyes fixed firmly on the ground.
I tried picking up the dog poo and putting it in my bin. 2 hours later, there was a new pile. I give up.
It's got to the point where I've stopped invited people round for coffee or a meal because I'm embarrassed by the state of the area.
Also, I would to check their shoes before inviting them in.
Dog owners that don't pick up the mess really need to think about the upset they cause other people.
Thanks for listening!
All the best,
Nicky Williams
I live in Istanbul Turkey. This old crazy lady thinks she owns the sidewalk. She would scream at dog walkers using the sidewalk. Well the pavement is owned by the municipality. I pick up dog poo. I even put my dog in front of my house. But it tinkles a little and runs to the sidewalk because it likes the scent of other dogs. I guess the neighbors think dog pee smells. Mind you they live next to massive trash containers that stand for 12 hours. So this lady hassles me. Sorry but ask any lawyer and they will say I am right. I am not against the law. If the neighbors don't like it they can complain to the municipality.
ReplyDelete