To have a rant about dog mess?

[JoyfulAndTriumphant]

I'm pregnant, I'm sick and I'm in a bad bloody mood so perhaps I'm overreacting, but I am sick to the bloody back teeth of dog mess on the streets.

Our town seems to have become particularly bad for it recently. Or maybe it's just now I have a toddler who loves to explore that I'm noticing it more.

This morning, for example, we went for what should have been a lovely walk along the sea front. There is a path that runs parallel to the beach for miles. It's quite busy with bikes, families with toddlers and dog walkers. It's a fab walk.

It was anything but lovely today. Constantly avoiding dog mess all over the place, trying to keep toddler DD from running straight through it. Saw other families having the same struggle, wee girl accidentally ran her scooter through a huge pile etc etc. The streets are the same. Every time we walk to the local park, I'm constantly trying to keep DD from stepping in it.

I'm so, so sick of it. It's absolutely disgusting. I like dogs as much as the next person, it isn't the fault of the dogs of course, but these disgusting manky owners who think it's ok to just walk off and leave it in the street.

Who are these people?? There are poo bins and signs all over the town and all along he abovementioned path. There is just no excuse for it.

YABU. I am sick to death of coming back from dog walks with dog shit all over my boots. I have two dogs, I always pick up. It's not exactly difficult!! If there is another dog's poo near to where mine have gone I will often pick that up too but find other dogs' poo quite gross.

I have the council's dog poo reporting phone line programmed into my phone and always hope I can catch someone in the act but haven't yet. I would not hesitate to report someone!

JoyfulAndTriumphant

You are not being unreasonable

The best reason for picking up poop?

I've stepped in it - it wasn't nice

So I wouldn't want anyone else to do it

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

YANBU, OP. It drives me wild. It is horrible.

I love dogs, had them growing up and picking up after them is what you do. It's not hard. I hoick my judgeypants massively when people don't pick up their dog's poo and I worry about the dog a bit. After all, if they're neglecting one basic responsibility, what else are they neglecting? Overthinking there, I know, but I think it anyway.

Yanbu at all. I was out running this morning and had to keep my eyes to the floor to dodge all the dog shit. Can't count how many times I've come home with my trainer caked in it. It's inexcusable to me and absolutely disgraceful.

Just finished a dog walk with my dog. Counted 16 loads of dog poo on the pavement (luckily I had a load of poo bags in my pockets).

What is wrong with people? My dog does most of his poo's in the back garden, with just the emergency poo on his walks. To l ave a dog poo where other people can walk in it is beyond disgusting.

Nope - and if you started chasing me around giving me shit for not having a dispenser on the lead and assuming I was the phantom dog shit merchant - you'd be told where to go.

Oops! I take back my advice that the OP should chase people without lead dispensers.

My dad has been guilty of this. He has a spinal disease. His spine is literally crumbling away. It'll only be a few years until he is wheelchair bound.

On the extremely rare occassions he walks his dog on pavements alone, he cannot physically bend to clean up after him.

When I say rare I mean unavoidable vet trips and no one is available to help him. It happens less than once a year. I walk his dog when I walk mine and clean up after them both on a daily basis.

I also know a man with two terriers who is in an electric wheelchair. He doesn't clean up after his dogs because he can't. If they happen to poo when a friendly dog owner is walking by he asks for assistance (this is how I got talking to him) but often he has to leave it.

His dogs are all that keep him going, he has no family without these two little dogs he'd have no-one, so I don't begrudge him them. I doubt anyone would.

However the vast majority of people who do not clean up after their dogs do it because they are lazy, irresponsible and selfish. I do think if it wasn't for them people would be more forgiving of people my friend in a wheelchair and my dad who physically can't clean up after their dogs but are still able to give them a wonderful life.

The worst is around schools; my dd's first word was poo because I was constantly calling out warnings to my older dc on the way to school. The disregard for others astounds me.

Allofthecoffee - there's no excuse for people in wheelchairs or with reduced mobility not to pick up. They can use something like a handiscoop or similar handiscoop.com

I've never heard of them before. I will tell my wheelchair bound friend about them next time I see him.

He gets very distressed having to leave it so I am sure if he knew about these he'd have one already.

Most of the time he can find someone to help him, everyone who walks that route knows him and his dogs. His walks are his only form of social contact, as soon as he spots you he starts chatting away, often before you're close enough to hear what he is saying.

Yanbu.
DH and I were talking yesterday about how bad it's been around here this week. Maybe people getting dogs for Christmas and unable to bend down from all that Christmas over indulgence?!

I posted about this on our local FB page recently, got loads of people agreeing with me but it's funny how no one ever comes on and says they don't pick up and gives a valid reason. Certainly seen loads of people in mobility scooters picking up their dogs' poo Coffee.

Spoke to a woman whose very large dog has pooed on the grass in front of a row of houses, and offered her a poo bag as it was obvious she wasn't going to pick it up, said she had poo bags in her car and she'd come back with one. I hung around awhile as I was walking my dog in the area, but pretty sure she didn't come back. I don't know, maybe she thought picking up her dog's shit was beneath her.

I think there is definitely a certain sort of person who think these sort of rules don't apply to them, and it's certainly not confined to yobs.

What is it with people who hang bags of dog shit on trees out on rural walks?

Why??

We have several walks round here, all with dog bins but still you see nice decorative bags of dog crap hanging on trees and bushes!

No don't have a dispenser either, just have the packets in my 'dog' drawer and take from there.

Always have loads in the bag I take with me when dog walking and also in my coat pockets.

Used to have a dispenser years ago but found having to fill the thing up was way more fiddly than just stuffing them in the bag, also found the dispensers kept breaking.

People who let their dogs shit in public places are filthy animals. The people, not the poor dogs. Yesterday some wicked lazy git allowed their dog to shit on my parents drive. I had to go over and clear it up which was not easy (it's astonishing how much shit gets lodged in the Tarmac). One parent = disabled, with amputation, other = cancer patient. People that do this shouldn't have dogs and should face mandatory £5000 fine or go to prison. All the public parks round here are ruined by dog shit. Pavements are vile.

If you see someone without the little dispenser on their lead, keep an eye on them. Most dog owners will eventually get one because it's much easier than making sure you always have a bag in your pocket

What rubbish.

OP I totally sympathise with you over this. I HATE with a vengeance finding dog shit on the street. I am absolutely paranoid about treading in the stuff,or worse,treading in it and not realising and walking it into the house. A few years ago,my local area was particularly badly affected,with piles of the stuff every few yards along some roads. I got so pissed off,I phoned my local council's environmental department about it. They assured me they would 'look into it'. It took a few weeks,but it was eventually cleared up and more warning signs about fines,and 'poo bins' were installed. Thankfully,the situation has improved considerably since then,although there is still the odd disgusting owner who won't clear up after their dog. I suggest you contact your council's environmental dept about it.

We have just got a new puppy to go with our older dog. The old girl jumps out of the car and instantly has a poo. Scoop up with nappy bag and straight in the bin.

The pup however is a different kettle of fish. He makes sure he is deep in the woods before having a crap. I have to go climbing over logs, through brambles and god know what. However as yet I've not failed to retrieve a poo. Not much to be proud of, but hey!

If you see someone without the little dispenser on their lead, keep an eye on them. Most dog owners will eventually get one because it's much easier than making sure you always have a bag in your pocket.
Some of us have a habit of putting bags into pockets & don't need to waste money on a dispenser! I put my dog-walking trousers on & it's a reflex action to check how many bags I have in my pocket & add enough to make 3. One to be used, one for spare and one "just in case". And if you follow me round keeping your eye on me it won't be my staffy you'll be needing to worry about (and can we just quit the staffy = yob comments, it's getting tedious) it'll be the police officer I'll be ringing to report some weirdo stalking me in the park.

No one here is going to own up to not picking up their dog's shit as there is NO excuse not to do so. Selfish disgusting fuckers who don't pick up deserve to have their noses rubbed in it - that's the owners, not the dogs!

I also don't have a dispenser as I had a load of the dog shaped ones and all that arses fell off !! I carry bags with me and often hand them out to the lazy buggers that don't pick up after their dogs. There is so much shit in my local park that my dog has decided to start eating it she now has to be muzzled. Not a good look on a very friendly Doberman