Dog poo doesn’t need to be picked up in long grass

[LittleSheps]

Walking with my 3 month old in the pram in my local park this morning and see two dogs bounding a little way ahead of me, off leads. Cautiously slow down as they were big dogs and didn’t want them to run into the pram. See one of the dogs take a dump in the “wild” area to the side of the path and then see it run towards its owner. So I ask the guy “Is that your dog?” He says yes and I tell him I just saw it poo and please would he clean it up. He enquired as to where exactly so I point and he says “I don’t need to pick it up there, it’s the long grass, that’s why they don’t cut it”. To which I tell him I see plenty of kids (including my 3 year old) run in and out of these areas - lots of bushes, longer grass to the main park, trees, a lot more fun! and he should pick it up so that no one treads/falls in it. He said no and got a bit shirty with me saying if it bothered me that much I should pick it up. I should probably have just sighed and walked away at this point but his attitude really irked me so I told him that if he was a responsible dog owner he would carry bags and clean it up and if I had a dog and it had done a shit in the park I absolutely would but it’s his dog, his responsibility and that he shouldn’t ruin it for everyone else just because he isn’t keeping an eye on his dog and can’t be arsed. He then told me to shut up, waved his bags at me and walked away.

So was I being reasonable in asking him to pick his dog shit up or was he right about not needing to pick it up “because it’s in the long grass” and I was being unreasonable and should’ve minded my own business? I am not a dog owner so prepared to be told I don’t know the etiquette.

[Saucery]

There’s no etiquette, he was just being a dick.

[BumpBundle]

It completely depends.
On some areas you have to clean up because if it's a farmer's land, for example, dog poo can be harmful to the animals. In other areas, there's no obligation to pick up dog poo - for example on heathland or woodland.
So, without knowing the specifics of the land, no one here will be able to tell you whether he should be picking him up. If you're worried about animal poo then you probably shouldn't allow your son to run through the long grass because it's likely there will be poo from foxes, rabbits, badgers etc in there and they won't pick up after themselves.

[AlohaMolly]

YANBU my 4 yo DS loves to run/cycle through grass too and it’s driving me insane the amount dog shit around. Our village even has strategically placed poo bag dispensers but the people that don’t pick up are scumbags and choose not to, it’s not that they don’t have bags. In the last three days I’ve seen massive piles of shit in the middle of the path, too.

He was BU and a massive arsehole.

[doughnutmuffin]

The etiquette is you pick up your dog shit no matter where! And really in terms of etiquette a dog shouldn't be off the leash anyway. Good for you for saying something

[PlantPottingPlantPotting]

That’s disgusting. I hate dog shit & it’s dangerous (toxoplasmosis) he should clean it up

[AuntyRigsby]

At least on the short grass you've got a chance of seeing it and avoiding it.

[NancyBotwinBloom]

He's a dick.

I pick up all my dogs poo and I hate doing it but it's part and parcel. Makes me heave.

I had to leave a runny poo a few days ago and I felt terrible. What are you supposed to do about runny poo?

[Bananabixfloof]

I dont know which park it was, it's very unlikely that it's not to be picked up, however a park near me (a massive woods really) does say if it's off the path, no need to pick up. As it happens I do out of habit.

In another park, anywhere it's to be picked up, and on holiday before lockdown the rule on the private island was kick off path and that was a hard rule. So can you see your parks rules online?

[Mollymalone123]

Shame you weren’t able to get photo evidence or video it as it’s £1000 fine here.He is a dirty lazy git .

[ChocolatelyAsFuck]

It doesn’t depend. Unless your dog shits in the middle of the M4 and picking it up could kill you, you need to pick it up 100% of the time, no exceptions.

People who don’t pick up after their dogs are lazy and disgusting wastrels.

[Sparklesocks]

That’s gross. I think dog owners should be obligated to pick it up regardless of where it is. People who don’t pick up shouldn’t have dogs.

[mrscampbellblackagain]

You pick up dog shit wherever your dog shits. Quite simple.

People don't pick up in fields here and it infuriates me. I see them not pick up and then see cows in the field - it is so irresponsible.

[Bringonspring]

You should always pick it up, it’s disgusting not to.
Good for you OP for telling him

[TinyPigeon]

It's the park @BumpBundle right there in the opening line...

No YANBU that's fucking gross.

[Bananabixfloof]

@ChocolatelyAsFuck

It doesn’t depend. Unless your dog shits in the middle of the M4 and picking it up could kill you, you need to pick it up 100% of the time, no exceptions.

People who don’t pick up after their dogs are lazy and disgusting wastrels.

I've just posted two places where picking up is either explicitly not allowed or personal choice.

[Cherrysoup]

National trust say to flick it off the path, as does my local council if in the council/Woodland Trust maintained woods. In a park, I’d pick up, tho, kids shouldn’t be restricted to the path, how boring for them! He was being a twat.

[Msmcc1212]

YANBU. Disgusting. No excuse. He was being a twat. My DS had a dog that would crap in really awkward places - right under bushes for example - she never left one!

[DrManhattan]

It should always be picked up.

[PunkrockerGirl59]

Yanbu. He's a dick and a filthy minger. Well done on calling him out on it OP

[Auntgiraffe]

YANBU. Gross. I have a dog and what happens when other dogs poo in the long grass is my dog bounds through the long grass, stands in it and brings it home between his paw pads. Fucking great!

[Reenskar]

It depends. I always pick up if it’s somewhere people walk/play. In woodlands however I think if my dog poos somewhere in a dense bush where people are v unlikely to ever tread I’d leave it- I honestly think this is better than putting it into a plastic bag that won’t rot down for years to come.

Don’t get me started on people who leave dog poo bags lying around though...that’s the worst .

[Raaaa]

I think it should always be picked up however I've see many people not bother and heard things like it will decompose into the land. So now I just say to my toddler look out for poo so far she's not stepped in any

[ShinyFootball]

Long grass is worse as you can't see and avoid it!

He could at least put it on a non biodegradable bag and hang it off a tree like they do round here

[BumpBundle]

@TinyPigeon Parks can include heathland and woodland genius.

[EmpressSuiko]

I’m a dog owner, have had dogs my whole life. Never have we left dog poo behind, complete laziness and it drives me mad whenever we’re out and come across dog poo left on the ground, nappy bags or poo bags are so cheap, there’s no need to leave it.