h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My mother-in-law lives in Studley, a large village in Warwickshire. As she is elderly we walk her dog for her. Most people in the area walk their dogs across the fields, so dogs fouling the pavement is not usually a problem. (The farmer keeps cattle or sheep in the fields, so there's always stuff to avoid anyway.) What *is* a problem is the people who ride their horses through the village. On several occasions we have encountered horse manure *on the pavement* and on one occasion this was outside the local supermarket! We're not talking stuff that probably fell from a 'muck cart'. This was actually pooped by a horse that somebody rode on the pavement, which is illegal, by the way.

I can step over dog poop. The horse manure on the pavement requires stepping into the road to avoid it.

We get a lot of this where we live as we are in a village in the countryside and near a stables. We regularly nip out with bucket and spade to collect the free organic compost that the horses very kindly leave behind for us - does wonders for the garden

k

I was going to say that - I bet no-one complains about it cos they use it in the garden.

I live near a footy stadium and on home games we have the mounted police a couple doors down from me. They leave us a nice parcel too, but fair play to the police - it always gets shovelled up by them.

The main problem with dog poo is the disease that unwormed pets can pass on to people/kids. This is much rarer now as vets and pet owners are more educated these days and worming dogs is done routinely preventively rather than when they see worms.

But just the same as spitting is frowned upon these days (when I was young everyone was doing it with no shame), society now expects people to take more responsibility for their actions, and whether it be horse poo, safe disposal of cat litter, nappies, sanitary protection, condoms and all those other yukky things we pretend don't exist etc - if you use it, made it, or take care of it then it is your responsibility. I just happen to know about dog poo as a former dog owner and a vet nurse frequently covered in it!

I am sick fed up with dog owners who just walk away from their dogs mess and make no effort to clean it up. For example, our corner shop is about 100 yards from our house, yet I have to walk on the road as both pavements are full of dogs mess. All the lamposts down that street have the councils warning of a heavy fine on them, yet every lamp post base is covered with dogs mess.
It seems to me that these dog owners just dont care at all, which I think is selfish. For example, on one occasion I caught the owner moving away after his dog had fowled right in front of our gate, I asked him to clear it up and was given a mouthful of abuse for my trouble!

I know there are some responsible owners out there who do pick up the mess, but I think they are a minority compared to the amount of dog owners there is in our village. The law is in place, but not being applied, thats why I havr to walk on the road
Smudger,

Some county councils now employ extra dog wardens to patrol parks and play areas in the early morning to catch the walkers before work and they do 'poo watch'. They watch the dog doo it - check it is fresh then approach the owner - if they deny it they make them walk back to where the dog did it and hand them a pooping ticket (like a parking ticket)

Apperntly these poop wardens get to know the dogs and their doings quite well, and eventually catch the regular culprits!

However, this costs money and the councils always have demands on their money so unfortunately not many can afford to do it.

They shouldn't fine repeat offenders - they should put them on park clean up duty so that they have no choice in cleaning up dog poo.

I live at the end of a street so all the dogs from the street are 'ready to drop' by the time they reach my front door. I am just unlucky because like you it is a popular spot but, the street is also a designated 'sunshine street' or something similar - meaning that after 4pm it is a kid friendly zone so cars have to lower their speed. You would think that the locals would care more since it is their kids that have to walk through it.

There is a big 'green' opposite me, next to the shops, and in front of the oap bungalows, so it's routinely used as a dog toilet.

I've asked the council for one of those dog poo bins there, as that might encourage people to clear up after their dog, but they don't seem interested.

I think any costs that the council occur while solving this problem should be paid by the fines of the constant dog owner offenders.

I fail to see why people with kids who dont have dogs should have to put up with stinking problem. During the summer months we cant even open our windows in the house for the smell that comes in.

Maybe if the old dog license law was invoked at a reasonable price, the money taken could also be used for such clean up operations that the councils take on.
Smudger,

Mina,
My mum lives in a similar position. She started a letter writing campaign and got all of the local residents to write to the councillors of the ward (not 'The Council', the representatives personally) and to the MP. They kept on at it for a year or so and now have the appropriate poop bins. It can be done

k

I will be inspired and see what I can do. Although I have to admit that most of the residents of this street are very old, and might not be able to sidestep the poop to get to the post post.

We had a good today, our eldery friend who lives across from us came out of her faster than usual. Realising some thing might be wrong with her, I pulled our blinds back to see she was OK.

She then proceeded to hand over a plastic bag over her fence, to this poor bemused bloke who had just let his dog foul in front of her gate!

He was totally taken by surprise, but he did clear it up, as he did so, she gave him a right of rage, and told him never to allow that to happen again!!
Not bad for a 82 year old lady!!
I think the dog was surprised as well, as they both took off at speed
Smudger,

Go girl!!

Surely most of these idiots that leave dog mess live nearby...

I'm a dog owner and I always bin the dog mess, not only because I would consider it ignorant and antisocial and a health-hazard not to, but because I don't want my neighbourhood to be full of dog mess.

I agree bucketbob and most people I have come across clean up their dog's mess promptly.

Living on the coast we are banned from certain parts of the beaches during summer. We don't mind this as we can still use the beach further along.

What does annoy me is the amount of dirty nappies, waste food, cans and broken glass left behind by holidaymakers on all stretches of beach.

Personally I object as much, if not more, to my dog stepping on broken glass as any mother does to her child stepping in dog mess. Not to mention the fact of possible rat infestation by leaving waste food lying around

There are good and bad in all walks of life but remember before you moan about dog owners, you can't have it both ways!

Yea! you have got it spot on there : MrsP1404, there are good and bad dog owners. Around here folk take their dogs up to our area to "Do its business" then go back to their own area

Speaking of other litter, I took our G/Kids to the play area in the park, and found stacks of broken bottles and even some used syringes the junkies had left!
Drugs are behind most of all the problems everywhere these days, it used to be such a nice area as well

Smudger.