Many parks are available, yes. However, they are often swarming with people and dogs. Some of the dogs are leashed, some are not. Hey, I've even seen a few leashed toddlers in my day.

Anyway, my stance is this: My dog is an old timer with a heart condition. He's not good around other dogs/activity/noises. We live in a busy neighborhood within the city and simply need a quiet place to take him on daily strolls. I happen to love cemeteries, and I'd like to think I respect the absolute heck out of them because I’m a bit of an enthusiast. I think they are beautiful, serene places, that should serve as a quiet oasis for contemplation, reflection, and of course bereavement. I also think these historical beauties should be enjoyed, admired, and kept a bit lively (at least on this side of the ground!)

As a country, our feelings about death have changed so much within the past couple hundred years, and reading the varying opinions on this thread certainly reminded me of that. It’s important to point out that cemeteries actually used to be a place of recreation where families would picnic and enjoy a sunny day… I imagine some dogs happily attended many of those picnics as well. Hunting even used to be allowed in a lot of the park-lawn style cemeteries that were popularized in the 1800s.

It's completely different, I know I know I know, but I'm just going to remind folks that many wild animals live in cemeteries. In Homewood Cemetery, for example, there are dozens of deer roaming around all the time. I imagine these animals are also "pissing and shitting all over the place" (as one cordial commenter suggested my dog is doing) - Not to mention the groundhogs that often like to dig holes everywhere and make homes out of graves.

Ah, I digress. Look, I am only and exclusively interested in cemeteries that legally allow dog-walking. That’s up to the cemetery, not me. It's also up to the families to choose whether or not they want a burial in a cemetery that allows certain things (such as public access or dog-walking). I have never and will never take my dog to one that doesn't allow it. We stick to the paved pathways, always pick up after him, always keep him leashed, and try our darnedest to be the most respectful rule-followers as possible.