Press "Enter" to skip to content

West Loop Residents Angry: Dogs Do Their Business While Dog Owners Fail to Do Theirs

November 25, 2009
By Jean-Virgile Tasse-Themens
A dozen residents of the West Loop protested at a Town Hall meeting last week about the constant presence of dog feces on sidewalks and in parks. Residents are upset about owners not cleaning up after their dogs in those public spaces.
John Finnegan, a resident of the West Loop since 1996, told Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) and Ald. Walter Burnett (27th) about authorities’ slow reaction to find new ways to educate the dogs’ owners and reduce the quantity of feces.
“We just spent a lot of money to fence the parks and installed signs, and still people go inside with dogs, let them [DEFECATE] everywhere,” he said.
Finnegan told the aldermen that his kids come back with dog feces on their shoes after playing in Skinner Park or when coming home after school.
“It is very embarrassing every time I call the police, and nothing is done,” he said.
The Chicago Police Department commander for the 12th district, Denis Keane, said it is a difficult situation to control.
“The officers have to view the infraction and when the police arrive on the site after a call, it is sometimes too late, and the people are already gone,” he said.
The Chicago Municipal Code says that dogs owners, except for a blind person, have to remove the excrement.
Any person who violates the regulation shall be fined not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense.
Keane said that when residents call 9-1-1 regarding the problem, the dispatchers have to give priority to emergencies. Keane also said police do not record the numbers of complaints received about this problem.
Burnett said he doesn’t get a lot of complaints at his office, but when he walks in the parks of his ward, people want to speak with him about dogs and clean-up problems.
Burnett said the plastic bags in Lincoln Park was a pilot project from the Streets and Sanitation Department, but the local alderman there had to refill containers because the department didn’t provide extra bags.
He said that in the 27th ward, he looks to develop long-term solutions.
Burnett said the city installed signs that show the regulation regarding dogs feces in green spaces because kids have classes outside.
He said the principal of Skinner Elementary School, despite the signage, told him people don’t respect the regulation and the result is that classes can’t go outside.
Robert Hoban, president of the Skinner Local School Council, complained vigorously about that problem. At the last CAPS meeting, he told the police officer that the Local School Council is concerned regarding the children’s safety.
He said the district has a new charter school, but the city is unable to give the public services that come with.
Burnett said newly designated spaces, called dog-friendly areas, should provide cleaner spaces for residents and their children.
Burnett said dogs’ feces attract germs. “It has some chemical reactions that make the rat poison not work,” he said. “With a designated area, it will be easier to control the proliferation.”
Mary Claire Maxwell, a supporter of the new dog-friendly area at Skinner Park, said she has been working on the project for eight years.
Maxwell said she doesn’t think the new dog-friendly area will resolve all problems. She said the presence of dog feces on sidewalks and in parks is due to a lack of education and awareness.
Tags: 27th Ward, 2nd ward, Ald. Bob Fioretti, Ald. Robert Fioretti, CAPS, Chicago Police Department, dogs, Lincoln Park, Local School Council, Near West Side, Skinner Elementary School,Skinner Park, Streets and Sanitation, West Loop
This entry was posted on November 25, 2009 at 9:00 am and is filed under City Life, Community Concerns, Local Politics, Outdoors, Schools & Education, The Editor’s Choice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

November 25, 2009

By Jean-Virgile Tasse-Themens

A dozen residents of the West Loop protested at a Town Hall meeting last week about the constant presence of dog feces on sidewalks and in parks. Residents are upset about owners not cleaning up after their dogs in those public spaces.

John Finnegan, a resident of the West Loop since 1996, told Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) and Ald. Walter Burnett (27th) about authorities’ slow reaction to find new ways to educate the dogs’ owners and reduce the quantity of feces.

“We just spent a lot of money to fence the parks and installed signs, and still people go inside with dogs, let them [DEFECATE] everywhere,” he said.

Finnegan told the aldermen that his kids come back with dog feces on their shoes after playing in Skinner Park or when coming home after school.

“It is very embarrassing every time I call the police, and nothing is done,” he said.

The Chicago Police Department commander for the 12th district, Denis Keane, said it is a difficult situation to control.

“The officers have to view the infraction and when the police arrive on the site after a call, it is sometimes too late, and the people are already gone,” he said.

The Chicago Municipal Code says that dogs owners, except for a blind person, have to remove the excrement.

Any person who violates the regulation shall be fined not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense.

Keane said that when residents call 9-1-1 regarding the problem, the dispatchers have to give priority to emergencies. Keane also said police do not record the numbers of complaints received about this problem.

Burnett said he doesn’t get a lot of complaints at his office, but when he walks in the parks of his ward, people want to speak with him about dogs and clean-up problems.

Burnett said the plastic bags in Lincoln Park was a pilot project from the Streets and Sanitation Department, but the local alderman there had to refill containers because the department didn’t provide extra bags.

He said that in the 27th ward, he looks to develop long-term solutions.

Burnett said the city installed signs that show the regulation regarding dogs feces in green spaces because kids have classes outside.

He said the principal of Skinner Elementary School, despite the signage, told him people don’t respect the regulation and the result is that classes can’t go outside.

Robert Hoban, president of the Skinner Local School Council, complained vigorously about that problem. At the last CAPS meeting, he told the police officer that the Local School Council is concerned regarding the children’s safety.

He said the district has a new charter school, but the city is unable to give the public services that come with.

Burnett said newly designated spaces, called dog-friendly areas, should provide cleaner spaces for residents and their children.

Burnett said dogs’ feces attract germs. “It has some chemical reactions that make the rat poison not work,” he said. “With a designated area, it will be easier to control the proliferation.”

Mary Claire Maxwell, a supporter of the new dog-friendly area at Skinner Park, said she has been working on the project for eight years.

Maxwell said she doesn’t think the new dog-friendly area will resolve all problems. She said the presence of dog feces on sidewalks and in parks is due to a lack of education and awareness.

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *