I heard today they are thinking about changing the pet policy on SS again.  There have been several complaints apparently.  Has anyone else heard they are thinking about changing the pet policy on support site?  people letting their dogs run loose, not picking up after their dogs, not microchipping their pets, washing the dog feces off their balconies onto the patios below, unattended dogs on patios and balconies, unauthorized breeds, etc...  If you know of any of this please let me know so I can make arrangments to live out in town versus on base.  Our dog is part of the family...

I have not heard of this yet, but I do hope it goes into effect.  I feel sorry for you though Michael as a responsible pet owner.

I have grown tired of asking people to pick up after their dogs and having to clean my shoes, and kids shoes, of dog feces.

I also am tired of the neighbor in another building putting their dog out on the enclosed bottom terrace and having to listen to it yap forever until they let it back in.

If they do change the policy I do not think it will effect current residents, imagine housing trying to boot out a couple hundred residents over pets.

Two things need to happen.  The dog run needs to be opened and kids should not be allowed to take pets out.  I have observed that they are the worst offenders of the pick-up policy.

I hate to say this, but I've been here over a year and a half and I've noticed, "The Adults" doing as much wrong as the kids.  I am a stay-at-home mom with 3 kids and would love to have a dog, but it will be too much responsibility for me and them.  I have taught my 4 and 5 yr old to constantly look at the grass if they walk through it...I've smelled enough, "Dog Poo" on this base.   Call me a, "Poo-Gazer", but my son likes to practice golf, kung-fu moves, and cart-wheels on the grass.  I can't even enjoy watching knowing that he may step in a pile of, "Poo".  "If you can't pick up the FLOP, Don't ADOPT"!

I have not personally heard about the policy being changed. But in some aspects it would be a good idea. Some pet owners are not responsible enough. I am a proud parent of two dogs more than once letting them out to do their deed i've had to pick up other dogs messes. I've been sitting on my porch and seen adults just walk away after their dogs have pooped without picking it up. Its not the answer to all the problems but for one the dogs run should have been opened up when dogs were allowed on base. Who is to say some of the dog feces isn't from all the loose cats. I am sick and tired of seeing all the post on nah saying I can't take my dog/cat with me its a hard situation or im having a baby too much work. Possibly is but when you adopt its for life. it takes a toll on the animal whether you know it or not. Thank goodness I will not have to deal with messes on my shoes much longer

The policy is not getting changed, they are just going to start enforcing the policies that are already in place.  Too many dogs running around off-leash or not being positively controlled, not cleaning up after the dogs, leaving them out on the balconies when they resident is not home, etc. Offenders are going to be reported and action will be taken on repeat offenders.

I read the pet policy instruction and saw that if someone is has three ARI (Animal Related Indidents) they will either have to move or get rid of their pets.  What is the best way to get the word out to folks to report those that they see doing wrong so their actions get documented?  Maybe if they get their first ARI, they will do what they are supposed to be doing...

  The best way is to call the SS police precinct at 629-4262 or 4269 or the dispatch office at 626-5638 or 5639 , NOT THE EMERGENCY LINE, and report the problems. A security patrolman has to witness the violation in order to initiate an AIR.
  The thing that bugs me the most is seeing the irresponsible owners let their dogs run loose in the playgrounds. If you look on the signs on all the playgrounds rule 20 clearly spells it out for you.
  The whole idea of the dog park is good but could have been done a lot easier by just fencing in the ball field that nobody uses anyway. It would have provided a much larger area and been cheaper to boot.

    When we arrived here in April, we moved on the support site.  Almost every day, there was a dog loose in our stair well.  I called Security and they told me they did not deal with these issues and to bang on doors to find the owner.  I asked them if they seriously wanted ME to bang on every door in the building and was told yes.  So, if that dog bit someone was it now my fault for not banging on all the doors as instructed by Security?  We are now in a different building, twice I have found dog urine in the hall way, once I cleaned it.  The second time I left it to see what would happen, nobody touched it until the cleaning people came a few days later.  Many days, dogs are barking all day, and I mean all day.  Recently, a dog barked over the entire weekend, so I called housing.  I was told to call Security, after my experience last time, why bother?  Since day one I have pick up more than my dogs poop, and it gets old.  They need to do something without punishing the good pet owners, enforcing the existing rules would be a great start.  Owning a dog on the support site could NOT be more convenient as there are plenty of places to walk and you can't go 50 yards in any direction without finding a pet station with bags! 

    For what it is worth, I have lived on the support site before, we left in 2007, when they only allowed two cats per resident.  As a pet owner with a dog now, I can say the support site is NOT a better place because of this change, it is largely due to the irresponsible owners.  Many of the existing rules, like dog and cat stickers, breeds allowed, barking, etc., are no longer enforced.   I hope they do tighten this up or it's going to be a long three years.

I personally feel they need to seperate dog owners to one side of the base and none dog owners to the other cause its plain in simple, grumpy people who hate there lives and animals will do and say anything and over react just to get rid of the animals and make it hard for pet owners! I literally hate Base Housing and grumpy trouble makers have made it that way! Its so Funny caue one of my neighbors said we neglect our dogs cause were gone all day and had security come to our house to inspect, This is funny cause I do Not Work and I stay Home everyday!When me And  My huband go out to the grocery and in to town every now and then the dogs stay in our home, we do leave the back door open though in case they wanna get some freash air while were gone and its never more than a few hours. I have been called on about this several times ontop of the fact that our water heater thing leaks a mop bucket of water a Night and it was blamed on my animals and they werent even out side. I have taken pictures of the puddles of water that drains over my balcony each morning, they have came out 3 times to try and fix it and within 2 days its back to doing the same thing but naturally it gets blammed on my poor babies cause of Noiesy neighbors who don't no what there talking about and always expect the worse. The security came out for a 2nd time and I showed them how it leaks and they said well you need to get it fixed ummmmm hello they been out here 3 times!!! What I wanna Know is why if my Neighbors have a problem or Concern why dont they come talk to me like adults so I could address there concerns as an adultn instead of going behind my back and talking of things they really dont no anything about, they base everything off of assumptions and I get harassed because of it. I have never been the type of person to call on people but I see base housing is a replay of my High school years were everyone is inmatture and just wanting to start unnecessiary drama that could be prevented. I think Im a Start calling on the true bad pet owners so they can be miserable for awhile cause I clean up after my pets and I see people all the time not cleaning up after there pets, but from now on Im a be Mega Biocth like the rest of them and keep note pad ready to call on them cause Im sick of Noisey people walking past my house saying and talking trash when they have no clue what there talking about. I feel I need apologies from all these people who cant mind there own buisness. I will never live on Base Ever Again its a Circus and the Navy and MA'A Abuse there power with all these riduculous rules, I feel like Im in a Prison and have no rights and everyone is in my personal buisness 24/7!!!!

Hi !

People should treat people the way they would like to be treated. Every one should respect and help each other. There are people in the world who are just plain old sad people. Ignore them. Don't take the bait! Be happy and remember, life on base is temporary!

I don't find the Support Site pet rules so oppressive, they are the kind of rules people should be doing anyway if you are a polite neighbor, no matter where you live.  It's very easy, if you moved in to housing with pets, the rules haven't changed.  You simply obey them, it's not terribly difficult.  I have never called security about barking dogs (only one loose in my stairwell), many people won't be as patient as I am with pets.  However, you can't blame anyone who doesn't want to listen to their neighbor's barking dog.  It's their right to not put up with that, they have every right to call security and NOT confront the individual.  I would rather call security and let them decide on the legality than try to reason with someone who thinks they aren't breaking the rules in the first place.  Just two days ago, a little boy, probably first or second grade was walking his dog next to my building (guess mom and dad were too busy for the family pet).  His dog crapped by our playground, he started to walk away and I yelled to him, "hey, you need to clean that up."  He said he was and changed directions towards the pet bags, watching over his back to see if I was looking.  I believe only because I stayed on him, did he pick up his dog's mess.  This kid doesn't even live in my building but brought his dog over to crap by our playground!  I feel like I'm doing twice what I should because it's rare when I'm not bagging another dog's waste when my dog goes outside.
I think it's time for people to be held accountable for their pets by Security and the CO, make them follow the rules or go on the economy. 

So What Im getting from your Post is That I should get Harassed By Security for following the rules!! Because Once Im aware of the policy I follow it yet I continue to get harassed just because I have pets! My dogs Hardly bark and if they do its a bark or two then there back in the house, that really is enough to have security come in my home and harass me, I dont think sooooo!!! I agree that rules should be followed, I follow them and still get harased and thats not ok! I have a Nieghbor that simply doesn't like pets in general and calls for no reason just to make my life miserable! You said we should be neighborly with one another then you go and say its peoples right not to be neighborly to go behind you backmand call the MA'S, thats  there right to call instead of trying to be kind and confronting there concerns in an adult manner??? I mean what are these people gonna do when there back in a normal society and they call the police cause there neighbors barked during the day? Cause the police dont waste there time for silly stuff like that cause they have more important things to do like solving crime and protecting us. Why waste the MA'S time for stuff we could probably handle amoung one another! At least try and talk to your neighbor and then hey if there not considerate after that then I can understand you calling on them, doing it b4 hand and not trying to salvage any kind of friendship with people who will be your nieghbors for at least 3 years is just being BITCHY!! Enforce policy but dont punish the people who follow the rules cause it makes it an un pleasant enviroment which this base is!! I pray these wives who have been military wives for too long please join reality again cause all the silly rules they enforce on base are definetly not apart of the real world, people will laugh in your face for some of the stuff the  MA'S get called for here, I feel sorry for them cause the MA'S on this base are lil toys for power hungary wives who wanna through rank and ridiculios stuff just b/c they think they have the right to and literally have nothing better to do with there lives!! I can think of a lot more important things they could be doing instead of coming out for complaining neighbors!! The Housing set up and floor plans are awful and its impossiable to have complete peace or privacy so were screwed either way SO try and make the best of it! I pray the letter we wrote to move off base to our chain of command is approved cause this base is ridiculios on so many levels, they have there own set of rules that dont apply anywhere else in the world, its a mini cult!

Unless I was a total glutten for punishment, why would I want to confront you about your dogs and get stuck in a pointless conversation about your paranoia over your neighbors, your attitude towards security, and your broken water heater?  I'd rather let you share your joy with Security.  There is a great solution if you hate your neighbors and the Support Site so much, it's just one word....   move.  How I pitty your neighbors.
Merry Christmas!

No dogs = No problems.

@ Timothy:You are right, even though I'm a dog owner on the Support Site, I wasn't always.  I left here 5 years ago when the Support Site only allowed two cats, it was MUCH better.  We had our cat, it was a much quieter place.  My wife and I make sure our dog bothers nobody and pick up after her.  I sometimes wonder why I bother since our neighbor locks his barking dog in his apartment and leaves for the weekend.  Why I haven't called Security, I don't know... maybe I should.  Anyway, you are right.

I agree that people should be responsible pet owners and do the things that you would expect people to do: pick up after their dogs when they "do the doo"; have them on a leash at all times; take them to obedience training or make sure that their dogs are at least trained to listen to the owner; not have their child take the dog out when the dog is stronger than the child and is taking the kid for a walk instead; etc. I used to have dogs before coming to Italy (one had cancer and had to be put down and the other did not travel well at all, so she is now the beloved pampered puppy of my brother and his wife), but when I did have them, they were trained to actually LISTEN to me and my family. They were trained and well behaved, and that's how it should be. Dog owners who let their dogs do what they want are just as bad as the parent who let's their child do what they want.

Now what I wish is that CAT OWNERS would do the same! It drives me crazy when a cat is on top of my car with their claws and scratches the paint job on it. My motorcyle has been host to I don't know how many cats because they like to get under the cover and climb on the seat which leads to scratches/claw marks on it, etc. I put a cover on it to keep it nice, not so that it becomes a home to a stray or someone's outside cat. Yesterday I came home from the grocery store and before I had even turned off the car, a stupid cat had jumped up on my windshield and was looking at me. It jumped off when I opened the door to shoo it away, but as soon as I tried to open the back door to let my kids out, the cat was right there tring to GET IN my car! I shoo'd it away again and was bringing in the groceries--I left the back hatch open so that I could go back and forth easily...well, I was about to the close the hatch when that same cat comes running out of the car because I spooked it. I had no idea it was even in there! I just about lost it when I saw the cat run out of my car! I have one child who is very allergic to cats and it doesn't take much for her eyes swell and itch. I can't even take her to peoples' houses who have cats without giving her medicine ahead of time because she'll start to react within 10 minutes of arriving at the house. So obviously, I don't want to have a cat jumping into my car and making it their personal kennel. I know this cat belongs to someone because it has a collar around its neck and I've seen it in the stairwell to the building next to mine on many mornings.I feel that if you are going to own a pet, and I don't care if it's a dog, cat, rabbit, hamster, etc., you should keep it indoors and not let it run loose outside. These cat owners who think their cat should be outside, should realize that they are just as much of a problem as a dog owner who doesn't pick up after their dog or lets their dog bark all day. At least a dog doesn't make another person's car their sunning spot or have claws that scratch up the paint job.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, change the current pet policy/instruction for pets on Support Site. It matters not what the rules and regulations are for pets on Support Site the average pet owner will not abide and all suffer. The common sense thinking says, "these are all squared-away military people. If anybody can follow orders, rules, regulations and instructions, they can.” However, this is so far from the truth. Do keep in mind the background/environment of the average individual within the military, which will always be who they are. Also, the make-up of that family has only one military member. The rest of that family has the attitude that, hell, I aint gotta follow no damn regs! Allow me to take you on a journey back to the good ole days. I remember back in 2003 when you could go outside on Support Site and picnic in the grass, having a new born roll around in the grass. Today, I don't allow my 14 year old to walk through the grass. I tell him when walking home do not cut through the grass because the grass is like a poop mine field. Anyone with small children be very leery of allowing your children to utilize the fenced-in play grounds. I see several pet owners taking advantage of these areas as a way to allow their dogs to run free without a leash. OMG!!! These are not pet parks; they are meant for the children... Interview the maintenance personnel and obtain their honest opinion of the cleanliness of the average tenant on Support Site. Now, if the inside of their house is straight up NASTY, how much do you think they will care about the outside grounds. My son and I love wrestling; to think I have to wrestle with him on the concrete. Pet waste stations and AFN commercials are a waste of funding, time and effort. Neither of the two will bring forth the slightest amount of improvement. Ban pets from Support Site and such funding can go towards bringing back the mother nature beauty that once depicted Support Site. For those of you who were not here prior to pets, just imagine being able to lay down a red and white checkered table cloth, picnic and frolic admist Support Site grounds. Well I tell you my friends, that can be tomorrow's reality. BLUF: Get the pets, especially dogs, off Support Site. The one responsible dog owner out there, don't take this personal...

I do not think that the rules or pet policy are going to change any time soon. So much funding was put towards the creation of the NSA vet clinic and to simply abolish it so soon would be a waste. I do agree that people often do not clean up after their dogs. That is certainly the wrong thing to do but those people are out there. If the conditions are that bad...move out onto the economy where your yard can remain dog free.

BLUF: means "bottom line up front" and should be short and go at the beginning (up front) of an explaination. The Vet clinic is for the working dogs we get to use it since the vet is here.  Parents have small children walk dogs who don't pick up poop.  As a side note parents also send small kids to drag large bags of trash to the dumpsters that don't have the strength or height to put them in.Dog owners should not let dogs in the kiddie parks, tell them if you see them. I do.The same problem exists in the dog park. Inconsiderate owners who don't pick up the poop.  It's a dog park, not a poop farm.BLL: (Bottom line last) I love my dog.

The reason we had a vet clinic here in the first place, believe it or not, is because the Army vets are the only ones authorized to inspect all the meats that arrive for the military in Naples.  When there were Navy gallies at Capo and Afsouth (now JFC), the NSA Steakhouse, the Commissary, the various eateries & McDonalds at NSA Agnano, Lago Patria Receiver site club and burger grill, and the DoDS Schools in Naples & Gaeta, it was VERY hard to get appointments because the vets were always out inspecting meat as their primary duties.  Even back then they would tell you to go see Dr. Damiani or the German lady.