Where do you suggest people take their dogs? If JP had a real dog park system like Brookline, this might not be an issue.

If its bout you just not liking dogs, don't live in a city. This article is great, it's unfortunate that people feel the need to leave nasty comments.

I could say the same thing to you about living in the city. Perhaps if you don't have anywhere for your animal to relieve itself without imposing on others, then you shouldn't live int he city. Comments like yours are totally ignorant and speak to the culture of entitlement in this country. we see it with parents and pet owners alike. Same mentality.

Hey Matt, a dog belongs in the country, not the city. Time for you to move out.

It might be easier to take you seriously if you didn't go straight to insulting and sounding like a crazy person. Comments like yours are totally ignorant and speak to the culture of obnoxious jerks who just want to complain and insist on being right. Aren't there more serious issues in this city than something that really doesn't impose upon you? Seriously.

Francine: Um... What? Dogs only belong in the country and humans only belong in caves and planes shouldn't exist and your music is too loud and get off my lawn. :)

Excellent Point, Matthew. Loved your comment. But unfortunately these dog owners are nasty self-centered pigs walking around with their bag of dog feces....shame on them...no class and no respect for the community and Bunker Hill Monument.

Erm...it disappeared around the time that the "pooper scooper laws" went into effect--1970s-80s? "Curbing" your dog meant taking it to the curb to poop rather than on the sidewalk. Please remember that no one picked up poop in a plastic Baggie in those days so taking your dog to poop in the gutter was considered the decent thing to do. I am a dog owner and a hard core believer in cleaning up after your dog, but could you folks ease up a little bit? Why are you going after people carrying bags of dog poop? Those are the ones who are cleaning up! Sheesh...

The city should support the needs of the public. You may not agree, but that doesn't make it a fact. That is common sense. Also, I don't care if you own a lion and a zebra.

Matt, what a selfish comment. You should support the city, not the city to support you. Grow up and be a man. I got a feeling that you think everyone owes you something. I bet your on welfare.

Nope, I'm not selfish, I don't think anything is owed to me, nor am I on welfare (?). I don't understand where any of those play a part in this conversation.

I'm also not going to hurl childish insults back at you

My dog is leashed and I clean up after him. I'm not quite sure what "despicable" acts you're referring to. And yes, thank you--I know what "curb your dog" means.

Allowing your dog to even releive itself in public is an irresponsible act of the owner. If a dog is well trained the dog can go several hours with out messing. The point is: dog owners are using our streets instead of their own yard. And I agree that owners should keep their dogs off the Monuments grass.

And your idea of enjoying the Bunker Hill monument is letting your dog crap on it. Lovely. Listen, people lay out on the grass when it's nice. You chose to have a pet, so now the burden is upon you to find a place for it to relieve itself without imposing on others. You, no doubt, allow your dog to run off the leash in Winthrop Square as well. There are signs clearly stating that PETS STAY ON THE LEASH. These are laws, and they are not subject to interpretation by the self entitled.

Matt,
You need to get educated right now. Search: woman looses limbs from dog saliva bacteria. Click this link if it works: http://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2012/07/30/woman-loses-hands-feet-from-bacterial-infection-caused-by-dogs-saliva/

People with depressed immune system can die from dog bacteria.

Ronnie - It's not Dog bacteria it's common bacteria we all have on us. Staph is one of the most common bacteria (all strains).

As I stated before this report was disproved. You really need to check your sources there is a lot of made up stories and urban legions that people believe are true and just aren't. This is one of them.

I actually L'OLed at that one. There are plenty of rainy mornings when I wish this were the case...

Mike, if you dont own property then dont own a dog. Get a job and then one day you might own property. And then guess what? I am comming over your house with my dog to use your front yard to help your grass grow.

Would you sit on the grass if you knew that a human just took a dump there? You probably let your dog lick your mouth, too. Gross.

Wow. Yes, clearly because I pick up after my dog I, um, love it, and "don't have a man" Yeah. That makes total sense.

YOu are out of control and making out of line, sexist comments all over the place. I made one simple request: that dog owners respect the area around the monument, and you went off hysterically because someone dared to question your lifestyle. Excuse us. We didn't realize we were dealing with the queen of Charlestown. Since this "discussion" spun into the idiotic I'm am moving on. Have a great night.

Rock- Hey guess what I am a WOMAN....and by your comments I'm going to conclude that you are a neanderthal or maybe just one of those ultra macho guys with small....feet (code for a male private part, just in case your brain is too small to figure that out on your own)! BAZINGA!
It seems that people on this thread think that if you pick up after your dog you are somehow lower on the species totem pole than a human...maybe I will start acting more like a human in their eyes and stop picking up after my dog....
What is the difference between a dog peeing on grass and pigeons crapping all over the place or humans throwing their disgusting cigarette butts all over the place??

Ken, I guess you dont get it. Its not about the dogs, its about the dogs owner. I love all animals including dogs. I own a Dalmatian (11 years), but pet owners can not degrade our neighborhoods and cause disease. These violators are amateur dog owners and show no respect or pure love for their dog.

Michael--the point being that no one on this thread--NO ONE--is saying that dogs have the right to poop anywhere and that owners shouldn't clean up after them. It's an article about dog training; a few nutters started ranting about irresponsible dog owners and how dogs shouldnt be allowed in public and we were off to the races. Note the comments about "nasty self centered pigs walking around with their bags of dog feces"--some people apparently think that we carry around bags of dog poop for fun? More signage, more enforcement, more public trash cans, more responsible dog owners--yes. But this thread was total lunacy from the get-go.

Mike, you got to be stupid if you dont think dog waste dosent contain disease. Here is a small list of harmful toxins contained in dog waste. E-coli, Salmonella, Ring Worm, Hook Works (worms can last in soil for up to 5 years), Leptospirosis (found in dog urine), MRSA (flesh eating bacteria). Children who play on grass and then rub their eyes can contract worms which can cause blindness. Pregnant women can even loose their baby from the above diseases. Research the rest.

Mike, you are the type of person who dosent wash their hands after leaving the bathroom.

Board of Health needs stop reckless dog walkers from infringing upon our health.

No need for unnecessary attacks, Ann.

Yes, these things are possible, but do you have stats on people getting sick in our city? No, no you don't. You know why? Because it isn't a problem. You just want to beef up your case by saying these things might possibly happen in certain conditions sometimes...

Ann - Leptospirosis is very rare and you won't find it here in the city at all. Review this - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002352/

Staph (any kind including MRSA) is around us and can be carried in humans as well as our pets, or even on a sharp edge of something that cuts you. Most cases can be stopped by simple cleaning and dressing of a cut properly and when an infection is getting worse getting to someone who knows how to manage it quickly is very important. As of late there have been more reports of MRSA cases occurring in hospitals after someone has had surgery. So your not safe even there!

Hook & Pin Worms are every where! And it's not our pets fault, sorry. Many wild animals and even common Earth worms carry them. So when our dogs walk though the dirt & grass they pick them up (just like your kids do) and if we don't clean their paws they can ingest them, not only making our dogs sick but the possibility of adding more into the the environment. That is why most owners have their dogs on a monthly de-wormer, so their dogs don't get sick but also not be a vector for them. Besides a good pet owner is picking up his pets waste so the there is even less possibility of them being the cause here.

And, yes, there are some owners which don't take care of the pets these are the ones that need to be educated and/or fined when they fail to do their part.

So lets not make mountains out of mole hills here.

Ann - This just aired on the TV this morning: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57566049/superbugs-a-ticking-time-bomb/ And you think dog poop is the big killer of people - Nope!

Ann- I'm not sure what you want to happen...to get rid of all dogs in the city? If that's the case, I say we get rid of the rats first which means we have to get people to stop littering! And then we outlaw all the people who enjoy feeding the pigeons and the squirrels because those are the real disease spreaders. And then, if you're really worried about salmonella and ecoli and leptospirosis we absolutely have to get rid of deli meats, eggs, sushi, spinach, watermelon and probably chicken also....better safe than sorry! The fact is, is that we are all disease spreaders...25-30% of us carry a staph infection in our nose- should we be quarantining a quarter of the population? No...people need to wash their hands and relax. Another fact is that having a pet has MANY documented health benefits such as decreased blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels and decreased levels of anxiety due to loneliness.

Ann, you are the type of person who loses arguments because instead of producing meaningful points to back up your case, you call people names and say they don't wash their hands. i'm still waiting for that case of human hook worms contracted through grass once pooped upon. whenever you are ready ann...

No one said that. What is being said is that the likelihood of getting sick is not a major threat as proposed by the hyperbole spewed in the comments. You could also gt cut by broken glass on the street, get a communicable disease from discarded needles or used condoms, get an infection from the Charles... the possibilities are endless. The point is that we don't have an epidemic in this city caused by dog waste, so please stop making it sound like our streets are overrun with poop.

Also... I agree with you - people should pick up after their dogs. It's careless and irresponsible. It angers me that those who do this make all dog owners look bad. Instead of complaining online and skewing reality, why don't we work towards a solution that will make everyone happy? Dogs will be in this city whether you like it or not, why not work towards a positive solution to the issues we face?

OK Brad - How many people got sick in Boston or even New York city over the last five or ten years that could be traced to dog waste? .... .... .... .... .... .... .... Still waiting .... .... .... Nope not a one!

OK, How many people got sick from lack of human hygiene serving food (just in Boston alone is about 2,000 reported cases in 2012, and likely more not reported (per Mass Health & Human Services).

Adding numbers to a list doesn't create facts. Your arguments are invalid.

Dan,
You need to get educated right now. Search: woman looses limbs from dog saliva bacteria. Click this link if it works: http://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2012/07/30/woman-loses-hands-feet-from-bacterial-infection-caused-by-dogs-saliva/

Doesn't involve dog waste so it does not apply here:

First - Any open cut can be infected by anything. Even a kiss from your spouse on your wound could have cause the Staph infection (any kind).

Second - This report was disproved as the woman later stated she failed to clean and dress her cut.

Third - one freak incident used as an example doesn't prove any point.

Dan I agree with you . There seems to be a lot of dog haters here. I love my dog and clean up after my dog. "When a dog has to go ,he will go" and as long as you clean it up there shouldn't be a problem. All the dog haters here don't realize that dogs "are protection," they warn you of intruders, they bark if your house catches fire. They help disabled people and find people after disasters. They are better than owning a gun! a gun don't warn you ahead of time like a dog can. More dogs have saved lives than people. Dogs do more than just poop so the dog haters need to stop complaining! A dog just might save your life someday!

Yes! Dog owners make sure your pet is de-wormed monthly so this is not an issue. As well as make sure you pick up your dogs waste.

Now for the rest of the story:
This is not a problem if people learn to wash their hands after they do their business. Better than 50% of people don't wash their hands after using the toilet! More hook & pin worm infections are caused by cross contamination by food workers than by dog poop.

The biggest risk kids can have with dogs is with new born puppies as they are too little to be de-wormed. Most breeders de-worm the mother before birth so the risk is very low.

Adult dogs which are de-wormed are not a risk and only can get re-infected when they eat dead animals they find and when they clean their feet. So if you are walking your dog make sure it does not pick up anything up and wash their feet when you get home to help control the risk.

Gee, its almost like a kid you would do the same for them too. When they run in the grass without their shoes on.

Guess what! Other creatures that live among us are the real carriers of hook & pin worms - Rats, Mice, Pigeons (and other birds), and simple Earth Worms!

Ronnie - Already knew about worms (as most dog owners do). My dogs get a de-wormer monthly (again, as most dog owners do).

Bottom line here my dog doesn't have them to give to your kids and besides, I pickup my dogs poop! And, I have my own yard where they go! So you need to get off your high horse.

Ronnie G. "you're more likely to get a serious illness from kissing a person than kissing a dog." look it up! I just did and this quote was from a doctor. Did you know that a dog can sense when a person fears or don't like them? I hope we never have a major earthquake and you get buried in the rubble because the search dog might sense your hate and pass you by with his nose in the air.

Very true! Can't solve the issue within the wild life. The risk with pet cats & dogs is so low in comparison. Your trying to solve the .01% problem instead of the 99.9% problem.

In the big scheme of things Pet to Human infection of any communicable disease or parasite is really quite low. The biggest risk is within Human to Human transfer which could be easily solved by better hygiene and better management of infected people. Just look at Japan & Korea, note the face masks people wear when they are sick, do you see people walking around here doing this simple act so they don't give their cold or flu to someone? Nope!

The real issue here is the phobias people have of cats & dogs and the few people who fail to clean up after their pet. These are the ones that need to be drawn & quartered, not the law abiding citizens that don't impose on the public at large.

Yes, no one wants to walk thru a mess or want to deal with clean ones shoes off after stepping in it (me included!) That is why we need to establish dog parks and offer a means to dispose of the waste effectively. I don't see a problem covering these costs with a reasonable dog license fee as well as better enforcement of both leash laws and cleaning up ones dogs waste with heavy fines.

The sidewalk is public and everyone has a right to use it and that includes dogs. It would be one thing if that person failed to pickup his dogs waste then you have a reason to yell at them, otherwise you don't.

DanE - You need to learn to read -

I stated USE the side walk, violation of any LAW on public land requires the Police to intercede not you! As far as your property you still can't do much either! Unless it's posted and is fenced off, and even then you must get the Police to arrest the person for trust-pass. The best you really can do is yell at them to get off.

Don't even think about physical assault - You'll be the one in the clinker then!

Wow, the melting in this thread is amazing.

I'm pretty sure (I'll have to check tonight) that the signs around the monument, and most public parks in the city, say that you must keep your dog on a leash and pick up after it. Kinda sounds like having rights to me.....

In the scale of things Pet to Human transmission of any kind is not the largest risk here period. To imply otherwise is feeding the paranoia of these folks.

Anyone who has weak or compromised immune system shouldn't be walking around in public without proper precautions not because of the possibility of being infected by a pet but by contact with another human (which is the largest possibility - 99% probability of infection). Besides they shouldn't own any pets given their state of health. Keeping kids in a sterile environment may in-fact can make them more at risk as their immune systems don't get a chance to develop.

As to dogs being a carrier of a human pathogen. The pet would first need to be infected by us! Before it could be a vector for that pathogen. I find it hard to believe this doctor believes of spontaneous growth of a pathogen in dogs that attack humans. Just like human spontaneous combustion is a very long reach too.

Sammy - Define mess here, if they are leaving the pile I agree!

But, if they are picking it up what mess is there?

How about the people who spit or chew gum or chewing tobacco and drop or spit it out on the ground? Are they abusing the public space as well?

Again, in the big scheme of things here as far as human health, dog poop is not the biggest risk. And don't forget most people are picking up after their dogs.

Carolyn Costain, a well trained dog can go for hours without relieving itself if properly trained. Someone walking their dog to stimulate it shows the dog is not properly trained and they know nothing about dogs. Dogs have been crapping for thousands of years without human help. It shows these dog walkers have no brains. Does your significant other put a collar and leash on you to stim you?

You're right, Nicky. Nevermind the broken glass, litter, or used condoms. Let's concentrate on the rivers of dog waste ruining our city. It's an outrage!

I mean, you're more likely to get an infection from cut glass or riding the T, but we should seriously blow this whole dog thing out of proportion to make it sound like a major issue. I think that would benefit the most people in our city.

Why try to compromise or educate the public about the realities of sickness running rampant in our city due to all the dog owners slinging waste all over? I think it's best to just make up statistics and condemn all pet owners.

Actually, no.. they don't. Also, doesn't that make you a people hater since you hate dog owners? Congratulations on not making any sense.

"dog crap is one of the biggest threat to human health" - Are you serious? You seriously believe that this statement is true?

Nevermind drugs, violence, heart disease, cancer, homelessness... the biggest threat we face is dog feces. This epitomizes the ridiculousness of this entire conversation.

Seriously--this thread is beyond ridiculous and frankly I'm tired of receiving another email notification every ten minutes with a comment from some genius who thinks that my 20-pound dog is a menace to their health and their otherwise pristine urban lifestyle. Before I spend time figuring out how to turn off notifications, can we just shut this thing down?

Donna, I have done some research. If you'd bother to read some of the other comments in this article, you'd be more knowledgeable yourself. Yes, dog feces could possibly lead to serious diseases... but it's not a major issue in our city. You're more likely to contract diseases from other human beings. Do your research. Show me the statistics of people getting sick because of dog feces. Take the time to read about how many people are getting sick from other things. Please stop perpetuating the ignorance and misinformation.

Donna--note that no one here is advocating for not cleaning up after their dog, but the multiple comments that dogs should not be allowed in public places, that all dog owners are selfish, irresponsible jerks, etc. are awfully tiresome and pointless. I'd be happy to look at a single statistic regarding the lethal impact of dogs on the citizens of Boston and then compare it to...oh, almost anything. And then maybe we can start talking about what should be banned from Charlestown and elsewhere.

The kind of dog you have makes a big difference as far as odor and keeping him clean. Odor does not imply bacteria or cleanliness. And of course keeping your dog and his spaces clean is important.

I have a very sensitive nose, I can't stand perfume or even most cooking odors and I have dogs, which my visitors don't smell when they visit.

Sounds a bit like OCD to me. Those who compulsively worry about germs that are simply not a threat or don't exist to the degree you believe they do should seek help.

Furthermore, if you want the city sidewalks to be clean, expand your crusade to include littering, homelessness, cats, rats, etc. That should really keep you busy.

Amanda - Here's something on human odor that also can explain why some dogs don't smell - http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2013/01/a-lucky-two-percent-of-people-have-a-gene-for-stink-free-armpits/

BHD needs to fine dog onwers violating are health. Eliminate dog fouling in public.

Sandy - How many people got sick in Boston or even New York city over the last five or ten years that could be traced to dog waste? Nope not a one!

OK, How many people got sick from lack of human hygiene serving food (just in Boston alone is about 2,000 reported cases in 2012, and likely more not reported (per Mass Health & Human Services).

Are we not in the middle of a flu & no-var outbreak. How is that transferred between people? Not by dog poop! Just in Boston, close to ten people have died.

That is not to say you can't get sick from your pet, in the scale of things dog or cat poop is not even in the top 100 health threats. A pet owner them selves are at a greater risk then the general public and that is still very rare.

Why is that? Because most people pickup their dogs mess. Yes, some don't and THAT IS THE CRIME! because these folks are the ones that could pass something to all of us (including our dogs!) If they don't maintain their dogs or cats health and don't keep them clean.

I think we need to make the fine much higher than the $30 it is today for leaving a mess. A $100 should make it more attractive for the police to ticket offenders. And, $20 for a dog license and $200 if the dog is found not to have one (currently just $7). All of this money needs to be put to creating and maintaining dog friendly spaces & parks.

People need to yell at these folks for not cleaning up not blasting the people that are good owners. Remember, I'm a dog owner.

Why do you think that makes sense here?

Public space is for all to use. If people are cleaning up why does it matter in your mind. Health issues? That makes no sense. The environment by nature is unhealthy.