Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To put cocktail umbrellas in every dog turd in our back lane?

46 replies

IceIceBabyBump · 02/04/2024 09:38

I live in a Victorian terrace where our back yards and those of the adjacent street back on to each other with a lane between them.

The lane is intermittently dotted with huge dog turds because some selfish cunt doesn't bother picking up after their pooch. Its really starting to grind my fucking gears.

I'm thinking of putting cocktail umbrellas in each turd to show just how much shite there is in the hope of shaming the selfish cunt into being a responsible human being.

A couple of years ago, some posters went up saying the area was monitored by CCTV and dog-poo-people would be caught and fined. It seemed to dissuade the poo-er for a few weeks but that was all - I don't think there was any CCTV.

I have my suspicions of who it might be 😏DP's not convinced and thinks he might actually be under suspicion from other neighbours.

I should say that I'm also taking more normal measures like getting in touch with out local councillors! But I'm wondering if I'd BU to combine these more adult measures with some guerilla umbrella action??

OP posts:
Bovrilla · 02/04/2024 12:01

Get a wildlife camera which is triggered by motion to start filming.

BMW6 · 02/04/2024 11:58

Could you put up a go pro camera to catch the buggers?

Maray1967 · 02/04/2024 11:58

Kalevala · 02/04/2024 10:37

Agree about the spray chalk. A toddler may be attracted to an umbrella before a parent notices, or if it becomes separated from the dog shit then a parent might even allow them to pick it up.

Yes - that’s what I thought. It might well lead a toddler to the pile of poo …

Someone used the paint/chalk spray method around our school a few years ago - it did seem to deal with the problem.

lizzowhiz · 02/04/2024 11:50

Safe spray paint is the better idea as there's no risk of it getting removed from the turds. Cocktail umbrellas could be blown off/ kicked off and is then hazardous to animals and young kids.

Do it alongside other measures such as reporting or asking the council about cctv?

justaboutdonenow · 02/04/2024 11:07

We had a real issue with it on the grassy banks on our road during lockdowns, I was always worried people would think it was us as we had 6 dogs (including fosters) in our house so would pick it up.

OH wasn't as ashamed & would just find a stick to mark them, it must have worked as the problem did go away!

Ladyprehensile · 02/04/2024 10:44

We had similar issue.
Spray paint that washes away, like I suppose they use on football pitch lines (?) could be your friend.

We also got some “Pick up your dog poo or get fined” type of notices from local authority which we pinned up.
Every little helps.

Original poster
IceIceBabyBump · 02/04/2024 10:40

Ultravox · 02/04/2024 10:37

I’d be watching non stop for the culprit and would deliver it back to their doorstep

This would absolutely be my preference but I can't. Each back yard has a six foot wall separating it from the back lane so I can't peer over to watch for the culprit.

And the lane's dead straight with brick walls on either side so nowhere to lurk and keep watch either.

OP posts:
Ultravox · 02/04/2024 10:37

I’d be watching non stop for the culprit and would deliver it back to their doorstep

Kalevala · 02/04/2024 10:37

Agree about the spray chalk. A toddler may be attracted to an umbrella before a parent notices, or if it becomes separated from the dog shit then a parent might even allow them to pick it up.

allabitmadtbf · 02/04/2024 10:33

I think it's a great idea! I've got lots of dogs and manage to pick up every single poo. It does my head in when folk don't do the same. Disgusting. Gives us all a bad name!

EatCrow · 02/04/2024 10:28

I think that’s inspired OP.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 02/04/2024 10:27

I think spray chalk is probably what gets used.

AutumnCrow · 02/04/2024 10:24

Can anyone recommend a biodegradable spray? I agree it would highlight the problem so the culprits would know that they're attracting attention, and it would be a service for people who risk stepping in, or pushing prams /wheelchairs into, a lump of shit.

We have a local fox population too - but you can tell the difference.

LeafRed · 02/04/2024 10:18

There have been threads on here before about it. It seems to stop people leaving it behind for a time then it starts up again and the biodegradable poo spray starts again.

Also it highlights it for those with less then great eyesight and especially young children who are running and not paying that much attention to the floor and those with prams.

Someone started doing it on my school run, bright pink, all the poo was roughly the same size so we assumed same dog twice a day. It was like a dirty protest and the poo spray highlighted how much there was.

Original poster
IceIceBabyBump · 02/04/2024 10:09

@Murpe Did the slightly too permanent paint thing work?

OP posts:
Murpe · 02/04/2024 09:55

Someone around my area did the paint thing, but appears to have used something a little too permanent!, leaving many small blue hoops decorating the pavements, but now indicating nothing as the poo has long since washed away. Washable though, does really draw attention to the issue, and might prompt shame in some owners to change (you can live in hope).

Original poster
IceIceBabyBump · 02/04/2024 09:47

Unfortunately we can't get the back lane gated because it's technically a throughfare with public access (or whatever the legal term is).

Ah, washable paint is a good idea 💡

OP posts:
DonnaBanana · 02/04/2024 09:44

I sympathise but that would be littering and you could get in trouble for it. Dog poo isn’t nice but it is at least a natural feature done by a dog and dogs are under the age of criminal responsibility

Tygertiger · 02/04/2024 09:41

Contact your council and ask if the back alleys can be gated. Ours were done about 12 years ago. We had to contribute but not much and all residents got a key to the gates. Completely stopped randomers cutting through and the poo stopped totally. Even if it didn’t, you’d then know it’s someone who actually lives in one of the houses that back onto the alley.

RemarkablyBrightCreature · 02/04/2024 09:41

We had a terrible dog shit problem near our primary school a few years ago - someone sprayed them all with a kind of paint that washes away. It was remarkably effective at shaming the culprits and the poo problem disappeared 😄🤷‍♀️

Original poster
IceIceBabyBump · 02/04/2024 09:40

I meant DP thinks he might be under suspicion of not picking up our dog's poo, not under suspicion of him being the back lane shitter.

Ridiculously, I didn't make that clear in my OP 😆

OP posts: