Discussions

According to the Brandon Sun the city will now allow dogs to be walked in our city cemetery.  
 
Don`t get me wrong, I have owned and loved dogs all my life but I think it is wrong for them to be allowed to walk thru burial grounds.  
 
People complain all the time about dog crap being allowed to accumulate on city streets and dog parks, why would the cemetery be treated any differently?  
 
Thanks to LoRegio, he was the only councillor concerned about the messes that might be left behind due to irresponsible pet owners.  
 
Now it`s been a long time since we have planted our loved one`s grave but I remember being disgusted seeing dog poop at the edge of the section.

I often seem to be alone in my thinking here but I'll say it anyways.  
 
I'm a responsible dog owner. I've got out and forgotten poop bags before and had my dog do her business on someones lawn, ran home, grabbed a bag, ran back and cleaned it up. It takes two seconds, I don't understand how people could be irresponsible enough to do that. It's silly. Takes 2 seconds.  
 
Having said that, if I were to visit a loved one in the cemetery, and I noticed dog poop on the end of their section or on or around it, I'd make a face, clean it up and move on with my life. I just don't see why it's such a big deal. It's gross but it's not the end of the world. Maybe someone could look into having one of those boxes with the dog bags put up around there if there isn't one already.  
 
If have a dog I outlive one day, I would LOVE for them to be able to come visit me.  
 
 
 
*PS Dan, I fully expect to hear from you.

KC* said "I often seem to be alone in my thinking here but I'll say it anyways.     I'm a responsible dog owner. I've got out and forgotten poop bags before and had my dog do her business on someones lawn, ran home, grabbed a bag, ran back and cleaned it up. It takes two seconds, I don't understand how people could be irresponsible enough to do that. It's silly. Takes 2 seconds.     Having said that, if I were to visit a loved one in the cemetery, and I noticed dog poop on the end of their section or on or around it, I'd make a face, clean it up and move on with my life. I just don't see why it's such a big deal. It's gross but it's not the end of the world. Maybe someone could look into having one of those boxes with the dog bags put up around there if there isn't one already.     If have a dog I outlive one day, I would LOVE for them to be able to come visit me.         *PS Dan, I fully expect to hear from you. "

there is dog poop bags right along the walking path south of the cemetery plus disposal units.  
 
The point is, SOME people do not use them.  
 
Lots of people think burial grounds are sacred. And they should be.  
 
Hmm.. you should have some peace when visiting a loved one`s final resting spot and not having to pick poop!

a person pick up their dog poop but left the bag in front of my house

You should have peace while visiting a loved one.  
 
I'm just saying, in the grand scheme of things, dog poop isn't the end of the world. Frown, take a deep breath, clean it up if it bothers you, go on visiting your loved one.  
 
Don't sweat the small stuff. This is literally what that is.

I have not followed this story, so I have no clue but what on earth was the justification for this even being a debate?  
 
I can think of no valid reason dogs should be allowed in a cemetery - responsible owners or not.

foxtrot11 said "I have not followed this story, so I have no clue but what on earth was the justification for this even being a debate?     I can think of no valid reason dogs should be allowed in a cemetery - responsible owners or not. "

i can understand that the person being visited may indded have had a love furbaby but is there really a need to have them go the cemetery..i think its uneeded.

I''m not surprised that council passed the new updated cemetery bylaw. I am terribly surprised that Councillor Loregio was the only one to speak up about not allowing dogs onto the cemetery grounds. My councillor didn''t say one peep about my phone call against this disgusting part of the bylaw.  
 
Who will clean up the dog mess? Just looking around our current walks, I bet less than 50% of owners pick up after their dog. In the cemetery it will be even worse because no one is around to witness it and shame those owners into picking up a bag. Take a look at the ground everywhere in this city...filthy with crap.  
 
So we will now be paying cemetery staff very well to clean up dog doo now? I don''t want my taxes to pay for well-paid staff to clean up after other people''s dogs!  
 
When speaking of Loregio''s proposed flex hours for staff, Perry Roque stated that cemetery staff have more than enough to do in a day. What he didn''t mention was adding doo pick up on the list of daily duties and how much extra time that would take.  
 
And if the complaints on this are slow and low this year, just wait until spring thaw. The cemetery is going to smell worse than dead people.  
 
Now I''m at a crossroads. Do I pick up after my dogs while I walk them on the street? Why can''t city staff pick up after our dogs on pathways and parks now? Since they''ll be doing it at the cemetery, makes sense to be consistent.  
 
I don''t know what individuals and group Roque talked to about this issue but I certainly wasn''t consulted.  
 
Just wait until some brainiac thinks it''s fun to smear doo doo on head stones, etc. More work for city staff. Job security.  
 
I do not and will not clean up after any other dogs than my own.  
 
A cemetery is a place to be respectful and now we will have dogs defecate and piss on everything. Classy as always. Once again disappointed with the city and councillors, except Loregio. He brings up questions that need to be asked.  
 
Edited by Hackeda, 2016-10-04 16:27:10

I see more litter on the ground than dog poop. At least the dog poop is biodegradable: litter not so much. I pick up more litter/trash on my walks with my dog than I do dog poop.

I bet that those of you who think that are the same ones that let their cats run loose and crap all over the neighbourhood.  
 
You think it`s acceptable to attend a grave side service at the cemetery and step in dog poop? Jeez!  
Especially wearing nice shoes?

Johnbisonbear said "I bet that those of you who think that are the same ones that let their cats run loose and crap all over the neighbourhood.     You think it`s acceptable to attend a grave side service at the cemetery and step in dog poop? Jeez!   Especially wearing nice shoes? "

And it's not just dog poop. Fecal matter carries a buffet of bacteria.  
 
Upon learning that cemetery staff will clean up after dogs that are walked in there, how many owners will grab a bag for the mess?  
 
I love dogs but I think this part of the bylaw is crap.  
 
(Not to mention the new earlier time  
that you have to be there so you won't be charged a service fee for the OT paid to staff which is why Loregio was asking for flex hours-because the city is a business and should act as one. No one supported his concerns.)

Funny how a thread comes up about no pets in rentals and everyone is in an uproar how they are their "children" and they do less damage than actual kids. Now a cemetery comes up and it is no place for a dog. What if the dog was that of the one buried?

Dexterous_Tech said "Since most city bylaws seem to work off the complaint system, shouldn't we just let the dogs in until one of the "residents" files a complaint? "

Naw,just wait for a mourner who is wearing three hundred dollar oxfords to step in sh&t and send the city a bill Shoes just aren't the same afterwards.  
 
Probably wouldn't do any good to complain as city is just now cracking down on the fencing bylaw at the cemetery that was probably written twenty/thirty years ago.

while i think we should be respectful in cemeteries i am not one who thinks that life should stop because someone died (and yes i have both a child and recently my father die)there are too many restrictions in life as it is and i see nothing wrong with allowing dog walkers to walk their dogs and reflect on life through the cemetery, maybe even go visit their former owners grave or even a strangers and allow some respectful joy to ones who used to live life as well  
 
poop could be an issue tho and i would say if a person was caught leaving theirs they should be banned

A Weathered Heart said "    Johnbisonbear said "I bet that those of you who think that are the same ones that let their cats run loose and crap all over the neighbourhood.     You think it`s acceptable to attend a grave side service at the cemetery and step in dog poop? Jeez!   Especially wearing nice shoes? " Sorry but you placed your bet wrong. I'm not one of those people that let my cats run loose. My cats are inside at all times.     I think that some of the reactions over dogs in a cemetery are a tad over the top when there are much worse things that happen in cemeteries as is.     Not to mention, there are more important things than worrying about a dog pooping. "

Yes I know there are much worse things happening in our cemetery. That's a no-brainer.  
 
It's not so much the dog pooping, the cemetery is supposed to be sacred ground. Some people are more religious than others.  
 
I bet there won't be people walking their dogs in Brandon's Jewish cemetery, hmm.. maybe because the grounds are fenced in?

if the graveyard was fenced properly they would be able to have security dogs which should cut the vandalism greatly. open during daylite hrs closed after dark.

where people that say it is just dog poop, get over it, are coming from.  
 
just a matter of time before there is a fresh pile of dog doo that was dropped on the plot next to a funeral.  
 
or worse yet some head case will let their dog off leash and it will run over to a funeral in process.  
 
even on leash a dog may react poorly and start barking at another dog on leash, while a funeral is under way.Or at the individuals at the funeral.  
 
it will be a distraction to those wanting solitude.  
 
I dont have a problem with someone walking their dog through the cemetary per say, as a matter of fact dogs can be very intuitive they may know their best friend is buried there, and that is all very touching and right out of a walt disney movie. But i'll bet there will be more bad things come of this than good.  
 
I can't even put in natural flowers where my folks are buried but I can take my dog to the city cemetary and let him do his business, on top of someones plot. whether I pick it up is irrelevant. the desecration has happened.  
 
If i am walking my dog beside a funeral in process and he starts barking , don't tell me to shut him up, my dog , my right to be there.  
 
and if he wants to take a dump at the next available plot well so be it, all the people at the funeral will just have to suck it up.  
 
yep, a real good decision our city council made. good thing we dont pay them very much.

goshdarn said "where people that say it is just dog poop, get over it, are coming from.     just a matter of time before there is a fresh pile of dog doo that was dropped on the plot next to a funeral.     or worse yet some head case will let their dog off leash and it will run over to a funeral in process.     even on leash a dog may react poorly and start barking at another dog on leash, while a funeral is under way.Or at the individuals at the funeral.     it will be a distraction to those wanting solitude.     I dont have a problem with someone walking their dog through the cemetary per say, as a matter of fact dogs can be very intuitive they may know their best friend is buried there, and that is all very touching and right out of a walt disney movie. But i'll bet there will be more bad things come of this than good.     I can't even put in natural flowers where my folks are buried but I can take my dog to the city cemetary and let him do his business, on top of someones plot. whether I pick it up is irrelevant. the desecration has happened.     If i am walking my dog beside a funeral in process and he starts barking , don't tell me to shut him up, my dog , my right to be there.     and if he wants to take a dump at the next available plot well so be it, all the people at the funeral will just have to suck it up.     yep, a real good decision our city council made. good thing we dont pay them very much. "

I was told that the dogs will NOT be off-leash, ever. Because that part of the bylaw is never ignored.  
 
I was told that the dogs will be walked on paved pathways ONLY. If this is true, a lot of dogs are going to have to learn to urinate and defecate on those paved pathways.  
 
If cemetery staff will be going around picking up dog poop, I'd like city staff to go around the paths and parks we frequent and clean up after my dog also.  
 
Should be interesting when an excited dog bolts from it's owner to meet and greet another dog 30 plots over.  
 
When the next election arrives, we should remember that the only councillor who brought this up at the meeting was Loregio. The others that were voted in ignored our calls and emails regarding this issue. Councillors are suppose to be our voice around the council table. Too bad they run their own agendas. They need to do a better job bringing tax payer's concerns to the table and stop ignoring us.

If someone decides to take their dog for a walk through the cemetery, they either appreciate nature, or are visiting a loved one. In either case both of those types of people are going to pick up their dogs poop. We aren't going to get the ignorant people who take their dog for walk around the block once a week and let it poop where it pleases, as any walk to the cemetery is going to be far longer than a block. The people who walk their dogs the extra distance are responsible dog owners and are the ones who consistently pick up poop. People are much more likely to pay their respects while walking a dog as they have an excuse. When I'm buried I would much rather be surrounded by life (people, dogs) opposed to no one and despair.