[Lincolnparkdc] Dog urine is killing our flowers

Tue Jun 4 11:05:32 EDT 2019

We’ve given up on the tree boxes. Years ago, we paid for and installed the timbers to box in all the tree boxes on East Cap and Mass Ave addresses on our block.

Our boxes still get poop left by dog walkers who don’t pick up, we confront them when we see them (and it helps for them to see we have dogs as well) – most pick up when you mention it. We have even watch cats use it as their litterbox (sorry cat owners, you too have an issue).

We have come to realize, there are always some bad actors. There will always be dog poop left on the sidewalk or in boxes and the park triangles. Some folks don’t care. It is disgusting. We go by the Congressional Cemetery rules – if you see poop, please pick it up. I do pick it up when it is in front of our house or our immediate neighbors.

In addition, we get lots of trash thrown in the boxes, either by the 3 am drunks who, on the way home, drop their bottles and trash, or by the lunch crowd – those who park and eat their lunch while sitting in their cars and prefer to throw their trash out the door into the tree box or curb.

These past couple of years we have had parents/nannies who let their kids pee and poop in our box - if the kids really have to go and are no longer using diapers – they think it is alright to use our tree box. This is disgusting. No one comes back to clean it up. The hostas we have planted are the only thing that survive.

Chris Bolcik
1200 block of East Capitol

From: lincolnparkdc <lincolnparkdc-bounces at lincolnparkdc.info> On Behalf Of Mark
Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2019 12:11 AM
To: List server for the Lincoln Park DC neighborhood <lincolnparkdc at lincolnparkdc.info>
Subject: Re: [Lincolnparkdc] Dog urine is killing our flowers

Oh the humanity!

On Mon, Jun 3, 2019, 11:59 PM Sharon Swingle <sswingle100 at gmail.com<mailto:sswingle100 at gmail.com>> wrote:
Just to follow up on my dad's posting, the whole reason we even have the raised planter barrels is that, despite our best efforts, the most tolerant plants, and a huge amount of time and effort on my part over more than 15 years, we could not keep anything alive in our tree boxes because of the amount of dog urine and constant tramping and digging in the tree boxes.  And, frankly, I spent a huge amount of time picking up fresh dog feces, which is still being left even in the tree boxes with the "No Dogs" signs, and got tired of having to do that weekly.

But it seems pretty crazy that we can't even have flower barrels that are at least 18" high without people letting their dogs pee over the tops and into them.  If we can't do that, it really means that the last four tree boxes on the block will be weeds and rocks.  I have seen dog owners do this and they don't seem to realize that they are letting their tall dogs urinate on top of flowers.  If the neighbors could gently mention it if they see it, we would appreciate it.  Lori Siegal used to lobby for flowers or better tree boxes on the end of Kentucky and we were always on board, but after years of trying to improve the block, it's pretty demoralizing that we're still pleading for basic thoughtfulness.

Sharon
East Capitol & Kentucky

On Mon, Jun 3, 2019 at 10:44 PM DIana Quinn <dqquinn at gmail.com<mailto:dqquinn at gmail.com>> wrote:
That said, there are plenty of tree boxes which so not have flowers in them. And have you heard the expression “curb your dog?” That means please do not let your dog urinate in the ivy growing on my front gate. Thank you!!

Sent from an iPhone, which tortures me with involuntary and incorrect auto-corrections.

On Jun 3, 2019, at 10:37 PM, DIana Quinn <dqquinn at gmail.com<mailto:dqquinn at gmail.com>> wrote:
This is not true. make and female dogs’ urine are generally the same Ph level. however, girls swuatand their urine is more concentrated than the boys’ spray. And it isn’t “much” more damaging - it’s more damaging.
But ... the bottom line here is, don’t try to defend your male dogs’ pee pee- watch where he urinates and mind his (and her) manners!

Sent from an iPhone, which tortures me with involuntary and incorrect auto-corrections.

On Jun 3, 2019, at 9:51 PM, Sharon Raimo <SRaimo at stcoletta.org<mailto:SRaimo at stcoletta.org>> wrote:
Female dog urine is much more destructive than male. It’s the hormone difference - just sayin
Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 3, 2019, at 8:26 PM, cynthia whittlesey <cynthiawhittlesey at gmail.com<mailto:cynthiawhittlesey at gmail.com>> wrote:
I hear you. Dog urine has ruined the grass in my side yard and has damaged the plantings in my tree box and along the sidewalk. Dog owners and walkers - pls be considerate of your neighbors- pls find someplace other than people’s homes and gardens for your dogs to do their business. Cynthia W

On Mon, Jun 3, 2019 at 6:07 PM Al & Nancy Swingle <answingle at gmail.com<mailto:answingle at gmail.com>> wrote:
We have gone to considerable effort and expense planting flowers in six
barrels along Kentucky Avenue at the corner of Kentucky and East
Capitol.  These barrels seem to have become favorite targets for male
dogs passing by.  Short-legged dogs are not a threat to the flowers, but
tall, long-legged dogs seem to enjoy the challenge.  So far this season
we have had to replace several plants.
    Al and Nancy Swingle

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