to think that the keeping of dogs for domestic purposes should be banned.

[AKMD]

That?s it really. I am sick to death of having to watch my feet to make sure I don?t accidentally tread in dog muck left to steam by some selfish, lazy dog owner. I resent not being able to take 2yo DS to the park directly opposite my house because it?s used as a dog exercise ground and you can?t play toddler football without the ball and toddler falling into said dog muck. I hate that every time we go to the slightly nicer park there?s at least one dog without a lead who decides to come and sniff DS and that while he backs away the owner stands there laughing that ?he?s only being friendly?. I loathe and detest the particularly ?friendly? dogs who lick DS while I drag him away, probably just after eating another dog?s poo or a dead rat or some other disgusting thing they just found. I have personally seen the scars left on a young child by a ?friendly? dog turning savage and ripping the toddler?s cheek off. The problem of people getting bored of their dogs and dumping them in rescue centres is sickening. The stories of dogs being bred to fight, being neglected, being bred for ?beauty? despite the ?beautiful? characteristics causing the animals pain and suffering are beyond belief.

IMO domestic dog owners as a general class have proved that they are irresponsible and selfish. Fear of treading in dog poo on a pavement or in a park is common to everyone and I am so, so sick of people blaming it on a tiny minority. Domestic dog owners can?t be trusted to be responsible so they shouldn?t have them, end of. People should only be allowed to keep dogs for working purposes ? guide dogs, sniffer dogs, police dogs, sheep dogs etc. - if they are licensed.

AIBU?

The thing is that even now councils can't afford to 'police' the dog fouling laws so although I see the sentiment in the argument for DNA poo testing it is not feasible as it will not be 'policed' , secondly it will only affect again the responsible dog owners who comply with all the requirements of keeping a dog - none of which are compulsory .

I am a dog owner , I pick up my poo and I hate dog poo being left about . It is more sensible and achievable at the moment to pester local councils and councillors in your area if dog poo is such an issue and get them to start enforcing the dog fouling laws that they have.

They don't at the moment so no chance of them dealing with DNA analysis !

Fair point, Katie. Not too many people have that excuse, though.

I always pick up after my pooch.
But dirty shitty nappies left on the beach at Perranporth & Newquay, really pisses me off, vile disgusting parents.

I don't like dogs. I don't trust them around children. There are many, many irresponsible dog-owners. Would I ban them? No, but I'd make it much, much harder to obtain one, and I would have some kind of regular inspection service to ensure that all dogs have well cared for and are not being trained to be aggressive.
My most embarassing moment ever was as a teenager being in (very reluctant and very temporary) charge of two vile Dobermans while their owner popped into Woolies. This was in a pedestrian precinct area. One of them decided to take an enormous crap in the shop doorway. I was mortified beyond words. Even as a strapping 16 year old I hadn't the strength to pull him away from the immediate door area. This was years before it was de rigeur to carry plastic bags, etc, so the owner just sauntered away from the steaming pile.

Cant be bothered to read 17 pages of people telling you that you are being VERY unreasonable and a loon as well but

YABU!

I think most of us could live with the odd stray poo from a guide dog.

Do guide dogs shit while working though? I've certainly never seen one take a slash against a lamp post while at work :o They're very disciplined.

For some reason they are always training guide dogs in our town. They are so lovely. It takes all my willpower not to try to make a fuss of them (totally verboten).

I think the bottom line is; no one likes to see poo on the pavement. It affects us all, not just your PFBs! (Obviously that last part doesn't apply to everyone here!) It is disgraceful and lazy, selfish people who leave it there should bloody well be fined BIG TIME. There is no excuse for leaving dog poo, obviously guide dogs are the exception. I just think the whole DNA testing/banning dogs is beyond ridiculous and not the answer.

AThing guide dogs are trained to 'busy' on command before their harnesses are put on while they are still 'off duty'.

Ginger

It doesn't always work that way, particularly with elderly dogs and those with stomach upsets.

There are always exceptions, elderly guide dogs are retired, and nobody can blame a dog with a poorly tummy, in general, that is how guide dogs are trained. They are also trained to go on hard surfaces so the faeces is easier to pick up.

crash so what do you propose, then?

I own two dogs and wonder if I am wrong in thinking that people should apply for a licence before having a child. Not all dog owners let the animal poo everywhere the same as not all mothers take children for a meal then let it scream for an hour therefore ruining other diners evenings.

Op...you've gone quiet.

Probably dodging the dog poo in her local park !

I was off doing things in RL...

It might be thought 'inhuman' to suggest that impounded dogs who cannot be rehomed are destroyed, but I don't agree. What is the alternative? Don't take away dogs who are being mistreated by their owners, because any kind of life for them is better than none? That is not only accepting animal cruelty, it is perpetuating it as the poor creatures breed. Take away dogs and keep them in pounds until they die? Apart from the fact that there's no space to do that, what a horrible, cruel life for the dog.

So you think it is ok to impound the dogs then euthanise them. Are you for real. As stated in other posts there are plenty of dog owners who do not look after the animals but plenty of us who do. So are you also suggesting children who are not looked after correctly should be put in pounds or maybe teenagers who lets face it can sometimes be a pain.

Wow, Ginger, thanks :)

That's interesting, guide dogs are amazing.

And you can fuss them, as long as you ask first and don't let them kiss you or nibble your hands ( the ones being taken out by their puppy walkers). Puppy walkers take on a guide dog pup from 6 weeks to 12 to 14 months to start their basic training and 'manners'. After then they hand them over for their formal training before they are matched to their blind person. Guide dog puppy walkers are fab!

Should dogs who are being abused or neglected by their owners be removed from those owners? Yes, of course they should.

Children who are neglected or abused can be taken away from their parents/guardians and placed into the care system.

In neither case is the fault the dog/child's who is taken away (well, most of the time anyway).

Yes but said children are not then euthanised which is what you suggested .

"What is the alternative? Don't take away dogs who are being mistreated by their owners, because any kind of life for them is better than none?"

Come on AKDM, now you're taking the piss! First I have a struggle to get you to answer the question as to what you'd do with the dogs which you would impound. I think I had to ask you about that three times before you answered. Then, finally, you referred me to an answer to a completely different question, now you're doing it again!

You weren't asked about what you'd do with dogs which are mistreated by their owners, no-one, I think, except you even raised the topic of mistreatment in this context.

You were asked what you would do with the dogs which you'd impound because their owners had not got a license and/or a microchip for them. That's what Cravey was referring to, nothing to do with fricking mistreatment! At the risk of sounding somewhat like Jeremy Paxman, please can you answer the actual question next time?

cravey So you think it is ok to impound the dogs then euthanise them.

actually, yes. just as it is done already.
if a dog cannot be rehomed for whatever reasons it is pts. I actually think this is kinder to the animal then keeping it in the rescue kennel/pound indefinately.

So are you also suggesting children who are not looked after correctly should be put in pounds or maybe teenagers who lets face it can sometimes be a pain.
they are already. it's called foster care or other interventions from social services.

Do you know much about the rescue system, Mousy? Have you ever been behind the scenes of any?

I have to disagree in the fact that the care system does not as far as I am aware euthanise children after a spell in the system. The original poster did not say dogs should be rehomed she suggested that dogs be banned and then euthanised.