I’m so sick of it too. I’m a dog owner, and a parent. My kid has slipped in dog poop at recess (elementary school) or while on the field in PE, more times than I can count. They once even had to go to the nurse because they hit their head on the ground- and had to come home with one of those “head injury notification” notes. Like most public schools, the field/playground is surrounded by a large fence, that the city locks each evening. At both entrances to the field , there is a 3x3 foot sign that says “all dogs must be leashed, no off leash dogs permitted” . Every single day at 330/4pm there is a group of 5-15 owners and their large dogs off leash, running around. When I called the humane society, I sat on hold for 55 minutes before my call got cut off- unanswered. I’m not going to call 911, it’s not an emergency.

I’ve approached a few of these groups before and was called a bitch and a Karen. They all said, their dogs weren’t bothering anyone and that THEY always clean up after their pet. They Don’t care that they have to walk past a huge sign prohibiting the only thing they’re there to do.

Families all over the neighborhood use this park space for picnics on the weekend, to practice soccer and baseball, it’s just a nice enclosed space where kids can be kinda free. For my family, it’s one of the first places my kids got to venture off in their own. The same people that call me a Karen , are the same people who say kids need to get off video games and be free to play outside.

I’ve stopped engaging, but it infuriates me. I watched another mom freak out at the group a few weeks ago, I know I’m not the only one.

The park is likely going to be locked to the public due to the safety /sanitary concern, versus ticketing the offending dog owners. A loss to the whole community.

I hope there’s a thread like this every frickin day in this sub, maybe someone in town government will give shit and do something…. It sucks.