AIBU to wonder why people keep leaving piles of hair by the river (pics)

[elevenswan]

I walk my dog on quite a quiet, narrow path by the river. About once every 2 months I go for my walk and there are loads of piles of hair/fur all over the grass. LOADS of it, maybe 20-25 piles, in groups of about 3-5 clumps, each group spaced 15-20 ft from each other.

When it's dry it looks like human hair, when it's wet or looks more like dog fur. WHY IS IT THERE? If it's dog fur, why are they going to a narrow path in the pissing rain and -2 temperatures to groom their dog with battery operated clippers? Or why would they groom their dog at home and then walk to the river dump its fur in perfectly spaced piles? Also it's in three different shades so do they bring three dogs to a towpath for a mass grooming session?

If it's human hair, like offcuts from a hairdressers or something, why put it there every two months? And if it's not from a hairdressers then WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!?! Does someone go there and shave their head?

It's driving me mad trying to figure it out. If it's you (I'm in North Yorkshire) please tell me why so I can stop getting freaked out by it every bloody day

[Japonicathehorseygirl]

I have seen similar and assumed is was dog grooming. I think it's a bit odd, why not do this at home and bin it?

[BonnyScotland]

omg that's weird... is it from cows maybe ? I NEED to know now lol

[DesolateWaist]

It's the hair ball from a leopard or such like that is living there.

[Rainydayspending]

Dog fights?

[Japonicathehorseygirl]

I am also astonished about the size of dog that would produce so much although it could be from lots of little ones

[yousignup]

DP is a farmer and uses hair to discourage rabbits from his lettuces.

[chickensaresafehere]

I see the same in our dog walking field.Someone obviously takes dog(s) & brush into field with them & brushes them.
Why they can't do it at home though,I don't know?!

[brasty]

You sure it is not just washed up through the sewers system?
Either that or you have witches.

[Becks4Saints]

People leave out animal fur for birds to line their nests with x

[elevenswan]

There's no cows, leopards or lettuces! It's definitely been cut not just brushed, you can see blunt edges from scissors/clippers. There's enough for about 3 big dogs worth I reckon, in black, light brown, and reddish brown

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

We have this in our park - I always assume it's people grooming their dogs - although "professional" dog groomers have been seen dumping bag fulls over the fence

[elevenswan]

Oooo becks maybe that's it? Would they normally leave so much?

[Becks4Saints]

When I brush my cats (have a few) this time of year there is lots and I'm embarrassed leaving it in the garden, maybe they are too so leave it down there.

My kids keep telling me I should take up knitting the cats fur as this is also a thing

[EdenX]

Maybe they're leaving it for the birds? I went to a talk by about birds and the bloke suggested leaving human/animal hair out as otherwise birds use plastic in their nests and it can be bad for them (eating it or getting strands of plastic rope wrapped round their legs).

[SistersOfPercy]

I used to see a guy grooming an old english sheepdog on fields by us. He left humongous amounts of hair daily

[Nospringflower]

My partner takes the dog for a walk up a hill and while they are up there he grooms her and presumably leaves the hair lying about. When I write it like this it does seem strange - why do it up the hill and not at home?! I guess its because there is a nice view and it would only be in ok weather!

[Saucery]

Grooming a dog means an enormous amount of dog fluff flying about in your garden with some breeds, so I can see why people do it out in the open.
Be careful leaving hair from dogs just treated recently with spot on flea/tick treatments. That's not good for the birds.

[RedSauce]

When my dog is wet from going in a river/lake, I sometimes dry and brush him there and then. Rather leave the hair there than in the car or at home. And it helps waste some time for him to drip dry too.

And trust me, with hairy/malty dogs you can brush out a LOT of hair.

Also never knew the thing about birds nests, so thanks MN . I'll make sure to leave more out in the future.

[emmyhNL]

We've got 2 huskies and regularly pluck them outside. Several farmers have asked us to do it as it deters some pests and I also read on a RSPB page to leave the clumps in locations where birds can easily find them to line the nests with.

I like to think that there are some birds being kept warm by the thick undercoat of my dogs!

We do it also in our own garden and there's flocks of birds that come in to pick it up

[PrimeraVez]

A friend used to put hair clippings along the boundaries of her (bloody massive) garden because apparently it discourages foxes.

[NoFuckingRoomOnMyBroom]

Yeah when we had our Akita we used to groom her on her walks so the birds/other animals could have it for nests/dens etc. When we'd done her there was always a massive pile as she shed so much.

[ChopOrNot]

Is there a dog-groomers anywhere in the surrounding area? Who grooms outside leaving clumps to be picked up by the wind? Maybe it is the resting place the prevailing wind brings said clumps left....they travel through the air like hairy, shaggy fairies, carried by the wind until nature brings them to rest by the river in soggy lumpy troll-like blobs?

[spiderlight]

This is what we do after we've groomed our dog. I might leave a few of these out on our walking route

[RB68]

dog grooming of v hairy dogs

[elevenswan]

I can understand brushing outside, cos all the hair does fly about, but with these piles you can see it's been cut with scissors or most likely clippers. It's freezing here today, heavy rain, clipping my old (small but furry) dog used to take about 40 minutes, they'd have been frozen!