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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

..if I don't clean up after my dog when it poos on the pavement?

129 replies

JillybeansNW · 09/02/2007 11:41

I think I would be if I had a dog
I have just been for morning round of school run, shops, random wander and the pushchair has been through some dog crap. I try to watch for the stuff and avoid it but when you are watching to see if you can cross the road, dodge the teenagers and stop the baby crying it isn't always possible.
I have to clean it before it comes into the house.
TO make matters worse when I knelt down to put some shopping in the pushchair basket I didn't notice the stuff on the wheels and it got on my jeans too! And my washing machine is on it's way out so I am trying not to do too much before the replacement arrives.
Arrrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhh

OP posts:
tinkerbellie · 09/02/2007 12:20

near me aswell a lot of people just let their dogs roam the street one night opened the door when i heard my hubbies on his way down the path and came face to face with a great dane
i know it's friendly but there are a fair few and it's scary when they bark at you

fairyjay · 09/02/2007 12:23

I hated clearing it up when we had dogs, although we had these little scoop things so you never had to feel the poo!

I know someone who ran down the road with a bucket of water to clear up the residue of her dog's runny poo!

Hassled · 09/02/2007 12:25

In my local park there is a biggish field with signs saying "No Dogs Allowed on this Children's Play Area". Despite this, every morning after school drop-off about 12 parents meet to let their dogs run around while they have a chat. I know some of them and am sure they would pick up their dog's poo - but they're so busy chatting they haven't a clue what their dog is doing. And these are the sort of right-on middle class professionals who only feed their children tofu. Yes, I have rung the parks/dog warden - in a moment of madness (and now I live in fear that it will come back to haunt me) I even gave my name!.

Original poster
JillybeansNW · 09/02/2007 12:25

Thing is I know there are alot of responsible dog owners out there - I see them cleaning up. I was so annoyed this morning though that I could envision myself turning into some evening doggy-doo stalker, roaming the streets and shouting at the ones who don't clean up.

Then I realised it would cut into my MN and iSketch time and I got over it

OP posts:
IntergalacticWalrus · 09/02/2007 12:29

DS1 has picked up dog shit off the ground before. Yuk.

I love dogs, but I don't love their excrement.

If you can't pick up shite, don't keep dogs.

Hassled · 09/02/2007 12:29

Oh, and I once saw a woman pick up a not particularly firm dog turd with her bare hands. She must really have loved her dog.

OrmIrian · 09/02/2007 12:29

Ahhh...but.... I heard a discussion on R4 a few weeks ago about the environmental impact of dog poo in little (non-biodegradable) plastic bags being chucked into landfill. If left to peacefully biodegrade on the pavement it doesn't do any major long-term harm....

Just playing devils advocate here as the stuff makes me heave.

But it's food for thought maybe.

IntergalacticWalrus · 09/02/2007 12:30

Btw, my mum has 3 dogs, and she buys nappy sacks for shite picking purposes. They cost less than a quid ffs.

3rdtriMOSSter · 09/02/2007 12:45

Ooh nappy sacks I hadn't thought of that I use those little freezer bags!

Caligula · 09/02/2007 12:48

Hmm, I think this thread is probably the least controversial one I've ever read on MN.

I don't think you're going to get anyone to say: "No, why on earth should anyone pick up poo? It's smelly and horrible and dogs have got to poo somewhere".

Ellbell · 09/02/2007 12:52

LOL Caligula...

I hate it too, and I have a dog! Gives dog-owners a bad name.

We constantly have piles outside our house (we're opposite the park, FFS, and there are dog-poo bins all over the place there). DD1 (6) made a sign which said 'No pooing' (with a particularly gruesome picture of a turd with a red cross through it... nice... ) and we stuck it on our gate. But of course it just got pulled down.

lulumama · 09/02/2007 12:56

By JillybeansNW on Fri 09-Feb-07 12:25:55
Thing is I know there are alot of responsible dog owners out there - I see them cleaning up. I was so annoyed this morning though that I could envision myself turning into some evening doggy-doo stalker, roaming the streets and shouting at the ones who don't clean up.

Then I realised it would cut into my MN and iSketch time and I got over it

that's my girl jilly !!

majorstress · 09/02/2007 12:58

I think in the future dogs should be licenced (well other countries do it), with a DVLA for dogs, and at the same time genetically fingerprinted. Poo should be tested and a nice big fine levied to the registered owner. Enough to cover the costs of administration and biohazard clear-up.

My dd1 age 6 "borrowed" great auntie's dog for the day and was adamant that she would clear up the poo in person, and she did!

But I still don't want one of our own, it would be too lonely

NorksBride · 09/02/2007 12:58

Not clearing up after your dog is totally unacceptable. Pavements, off-road paths, car parks, wherever other people are really.

I am also a nappy sack for dog poo kind of girl. Fortunately I live in the middle of nowhere and our dog goes off to poo in the woods.

Only once was I caught out on a road - I kicked it into the middle of the lane as I thought it would do less damage there and cleaned my own shoes later. [gross emoticon]

JanH · 09/02/2007 12:58

This week there was a long trail of the stuff on the pavement outside our house - obv dog started, owner couldn't be bothered with clearing up and dog was dragged away, plopping as it went, about 20 small lumps over 20-30 feet on a path used by dozens of schoolchildren every day

There was a Posy Simmonds cartoon once with somebody spraying all the dog turds in her street with aerosol paint - fluorescent pink would be nice, wouldn't it?

WanderingTrolley · 09/02/2007 13:01

I saw, from my upstairs window, my revolto pig/lunatic neighbour let his dog lay a huge solid log just outside my gate.

I went down and managed between barfs to pick up the thing with the help of Marie Claire.

I walked to his house and in a graceful, fluid movement bowled the shoit right up his path until it rested upon his doormat.

I posted Marie Claire through the letter box.

The next day, I moved house.

Drusilla · 09/02/2007 13:05

Agree with all this re it being disgusting not clearing it up etc - but please could people realize that it is highly unlikely anyone would catch toxoplasmosis (cause of blindness) from dog poo. \link[http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/toxoplasmosis/factsht_toxoplasmosis.htm#spread\usually from cat poo]

Drusilla · 09/02/2007 13:07

Damn, try again cat poo

Caligula · 09/02/2007 13:09

It doesn't matter how rare it is if you're the one who gets it though.

There was a case a few weeks ago of a girl in Devon I think it was, who has lost her sight because of it. Very rare, but devastating for her and her family.

brimfull · 09/02/2007 13:11

I always clear up after my dog,it is completely gross because she has a runny bum at the moment,feel I should be carrying a spatula around to scrape all the remnants baulk!

I do try my best to make sure she doesn't do it on pavements or people's verges.I have been known to go home to get a bucket of water before now.

Original poster
JillybeansNW · 09/02/2007 13:11

"By Caligula on Fri 09-Feb-07 12:48:34
Hmm, I think this thread is probably the least controversial one I've ever read on MN.

I don't think you're going to get anyone to say: "No, why on earth should anyone pick up poo? It's smelly and horrible and dogs have got to poo somewhere". "

Erm - I have seen that the Cod is back on here on one of the other AIBU threads - could someone go and get her?
That should sort it out

OP posts:
Caligula · 09/02/2007 13:12

I once knew someone who looked after an incontinent dog and she used to put nappies on him.

He looked very strange.

Furball · 09/02/2007 13:13

foul isn't it? We endure it everyday on the way to school. We've only got narrow pavements here and usually someone has managed to let their dog poop and left it. I have to mentally remember where all the splots are and call ahead to ds becareful there's dog poop ahead! very inconsiderate, would be still horrible but maybe less likely to be 'disturbed' if owners could maybe stand their dogs in the gutter if they weren't going to do the honours and take it home. Last two days we could have been a victim as the pavements are still covered in snow! - who knows whats underneath!

Janh - similar happened round our way where we had 7 blobs where the owner had obviously dragged the poor dog on mid poop. Which I had visions of kids slaloming between them on their skateboards [bleugh!]

themildmanneredjanitor · 09/02/2007 13:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Furball · 09/02/2007 13:16

just found this info

Up to 16,000 people a year get toxocariasis which can cause blindness. The disease is caused by the parasite toxicara found in dog poo. It can also be found in other animals? faeces, but only the dog kind can cause blindness if swallowed.

Some 100 people are affected by toxocariasis each year and it may not develop until four to 10 years after the initial infection.