Letter: Dogs should not be running wild and defecating on graves

Posted 2/21/19

I write this letter with a tremendous amount of sadness and hurt. My husband died suddenly in June. We buried him at North Burial Ground.

We both grew up and lived in Bristol all our lives. …

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Letter: Dogs should not be running wild and defecating on graves

Posted

I write this letter with a tremendous amount of sadness and hurt. My husband died suddenly in June. We buried him at North Burial Ground.

We both grew up and lived in Bristol all our lives. North Burial Ground seemed like the right place to bury him, as it always looks so well kept. It is convenient for my family and I to visit. I am there every day.

My sadness is from my grief and loss. Making my experience very hurtful is the disrespect I am feeling for me, my husband, and for all those buried in North Burial Ground.

The behavior of some dog owners who permit their dogs to run wild and unleashed, urinating and defecating on the grave of my loved one and the graves of others, is insensitive.

Some owners are not picking up the dog waste. Additionally, on more than one occasion, I have been startled and scared by dogs running wild. An example that illustrates my concern is that of an old friend who was walking on a street in Bristol and became startled when she noticed a dog running towards her. Consequently, she fell to the ground and sustained various injuries that eventually led to her death.

The cemetery is not a dog park. The commissioners of the cemeteries hav eposted signs reminding dog owners of the town ordinance, which states, dogs are to be on a leash, and their waste is to be picked up.

North Burial Ground is a beautiful place where family members are able to visit, reflect, grieve and pray for their loved ones. Although I personally feel dogs should not be allowed in the cemetery, I realize that it is impossible to enforce a no-dog policy. However, I would hope dog owners would be sensitive to the sadness, grief and loss of the loved one visiting the cemetery.

Kathleen Moran
Bristol

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