Homeless People Pee on the Street, But You Probably Get Persnickety With Them Too

A short while ago, I was chastised by a neighbor for letting my dog pee on the grassy median between the sidewalk and the street.

Fine: I live in a neighborhood that demands that dog-walkers scoop up the poop that gets inevitably dropped. This makes sense. People around here have lovely, precisely manicured landscaping. Who wants those horticultural artworks fouled? Moreover, even on the plain grassy spaces, feces would pile up quickly if every dog's waste was left behind. It's a city. Too many dogs live in too little space for anyone to fairly treat themselves as an exception to the rule. Biodegradable though it may be, dog feces accumulates in an urban environment more quickly than it disappears.

But urine? I understand why someone would take issue with a dog emptying his bladder on a person's prize-winning petunia. The chemical effects of dog piss could surely damage such delicate plant. Pee in the exact same spot of grass could probably wreak some havoc too. I'm not arguing that urine of any sort is an especially salubrious contribution to ground water. And it's not as though I am letting my greyhound take a leak on some kid's lollipop.

But my dog has to pee somewhere. Moreover, how could I clean it up? Are doggie diapers the only choice for the responsible city-dwelling dog owner?