03/27/2016
I ran up to the cemetery yesterday to take a look at an old grave and came upon a dad with a small dog and two small boys wandering through the cemetery. Now, we love visitors, but two things were very wrong. One, the dog was not on leash. Two, one of the little boys was climbing on the stones. When I very politely requested that the dad leash his dog and to the little boy (twice) please stay off of the stones, I was told by the dad that he "cleaned up after his dog," and "I must have never had little boys." So, for the record: The cemetery is posted "This is NOT a Dog Park, Cemetery Visitors please keep your dogs on leash." There is a dog park a block down the street where dogs can run free. When dogs run free in the cemetery, they p*e on the stones. When they p*e on the stones, they stain the stones. Also, it is my experience that even people who say they clean up, don't. We have an immense dog waste problem at the cemetery. It is no fun to hit a big pile with the w**d eater and get it in the face either. As for little boys. Our cemetery is also posted warning of the dangers and asking people not to climb on the stones. I have to wonder, does no-one realize how dangerous old grave stones are? Who would let a child or an adult climb on one? Even small ones can crush a child's windpipe or head. Not to mention old stones are fragile, break easily and are difficult to repair. I just don't know how to get across to people that they are welcome to visit but a Historic Cemetery is NOT a dog park and it is NOT a playground.
