A dog-owning citizen barks out a 311 complaint about supposedly irresponsible parents at Medal of Honor Park in South Boston:
With the warm weather coming soon, could the city put some signs up to remind people bringing their children to play at the park that they can't just run around every grassy area there is? These patches of grass are where we bring our dogs to let them off the leash for a while. Yesterday, I couldn't even let my Buddy off his leash because of all the SBCA kids running around. It's not the kids' fault, it's their parent who need to be more considerate. Maybe the city could help in this effort.
About an hour later, a citizen fed up with dogs in Medal of Honor Park suggested what the dog owner could do with Buddy:
To the person who thinks Medal of Honor park is for just him and his dog . There is a dog park one block down the street on first street for you and your little buddy !! Why don't you try it and let the kids play in the park !! You idiot!!!!
A frazzled 311 jumps in to declare not that the second citizen is correct, that, in fact, there is a dog park on East 1st Street, but that he or she better stop using 311 to complain about other complainers:
Refrain from responding to other cases submitted via the 3-1-1 app. Please use this app in its appropriate manner or your ability to submit requests may be suspended.
311 might be forgiven its touchiness, because dog owners, parents and assorted Southie kibbitzers have been using the service for months now to battle over whether the dogs are adorable pets that need some space to roam away from pesky tots who have their own fenced-in playground for Christ's sake or whether they are all drooling, defecating Cujos lunging at pregnant ladies and other innocent people just trying to get some fresh air. One 311 poster volunteered to knock the teeth out of smug Yuppie dog-owning faces; one person offered to sell tickets to the bout.
Some examples from the past few months:
When I bought my condo the realtor told me that M Street Park was a dog park and I didn't pay this kind of money to not be allowed to have my dog have free access to the park. This is getting ridiculous. It seems like every day there are more out of control children running through M Street Dog Park. They have a fenced-in area in which they can play. We need an officer or authority figure to tell parents that the kids should stay in the fenced area.
Keep your GODDAMN dogs on a leash!!!! What the hell do you think this is!!!!! Go back to Pittsburgh!!!!
There's a couple people hiding in the bushes up M st park, telling on people who let their beautiful dogs off the leash for a few minutes. What's wrong with you people. Come out of the weeds and show your face! Cowards!
Hello, we have noticed many people are not leashing their dogs in the Medal of Honor park in South Boston. Some of the dogs are unruly and we have seen them jumping on strangers, my wife and I included. We would appreciate if the City could do more to enforce the dog leashing rule/law (maybe more visits by animal control)? Many thanks for your attention to this!
These ancient Southie boomers and their kids who've never left the house they grew up in, who won't go out and blaze their own trail aren't going to tell me that their kids are more important to them than my dogs are to me. Yes, I will let my dogs of their leashes and yes, you and your kids are going to have to deal with it. That's why my property taxes pay for the children's area that's fenced in to keep your kids safe. We won't be made to feel unwanted. It's our neighborhood too.
Dogs off leash! - when is someone going to do something about the dogs off leash at M Street Park, so so so sick of this. I'm pregnant and walking my dog while another dog comes over to mess with him in the snow storm! Enough!! The people over there think everyone is ok with dogs coming up to them and that's far from the truth and not safe. Do something please!
Hey Boomer, take your grandkids to Marine or Moakley Park. This is a dog park and has been for a couple of years now. The time machine is broken and 1991 isn't coming back. Deal with it.
The city doesn't respond to unleashed dogs because the realtors target unmarried dog owners with their flooded market of one bedroom condos and it's the real estate/development industry that pays off the city and state politicians. It would be easier for you to go to the park and scoop the poop yourself than it would be to get the city to enforce the leash laws. Dogs aren't even supposed to be in the park and definitely not supposed to be on the ball fields. Call your mayor and city councilors.
All the complaints (with bonus complaints about boozed up, screaming, bottle-smashing teens).