AIBU to think dogs should be banned from parks?

[Allthebiscuits]

They're everywhere, crapping, barking, smelling one another's arses and fighting. Then there are those jumpy ones trying to get a lick of a child's face before bounding off to piss up the nearest tree. Not everyone likes dogs and they spoil the park for kids. I'd love to see them allocated their own area away from the rest of the park where like minded dog owners can all hangout together picking up their pet's turds and convincing each other that "he's usually so gentle". AIBU??

Near me are 3 parks with enclosed areas for dogs, 1 has high fence and is brilliant! , 2 have lower fences (bigger dogs could jump easily, but at least it is a segregated area). I use the high fenced one numerous times a week. I'm teaching 'prettypup' recall in those but at some point I will have to bite the bullet and try at an open area elsewhere so I can actually work out if she will recall properly. She comes back immediately in a controlled area.

I agree no dogs in specific play areas but open parks are for all to use.

Those saying no to dogs in any public areas are you happy to pay extra council tax to provide 'dog play areas' in each neighbourhood? Dogs need exercise off and off lead runs too for health.

I agree that there needs to be separate areas for dogs in parks where they can be of a lead safe and away from children.

It would be better for the children and the dogs.

Pet ownership and interaction is also known to provide benefits to those suffering from mental ill health and a variety of conditions.

indeed - if only there were pets that you could keep for these benefits that didn't shit up the whole place and bite people?

Oh wait - there ARE!

There are 9 million dogs in the UK. How often does your dog shit, Clara? Three, four, maybe five times a day? Let's call it four. That's 45 million bags of shit going to landfill every day, although I guess we can discount the ones that are left on streets etc. How much meat does a dog get through every day? Maybe half a kilo? Times that by nine million and that's 4.5 million kilos of meat produced every day. Has your dog ever gone scratting in undergrowth? Congratulations, it's endangered ground nesting birds and other wildlife and impacted on their habitat in a negative way. Has it ever pissed on a forest floor? Done a shit outdoor and you've flicked it to the side with a stick? Congratulations again, you've contributed to pollution of the water table. That's before you even start to contemplate the thousands of dog attacks requiring hospital treatment every year, the damage to crops and livestock etc.

But, yeah, toddlers are annoying. 🙄

Fuma interesting...why don't dog toilets exist? Dogs are supposed to be smart so why don't we have floor level flushable dog toilets?

(would also help with toddlers).

It's not just about fucking toddlers. Just about every human being, certainly in the Western World, (and I include myself in that does far more to damage the environment than any dog. You can find numerous articles and research stating that having children is about the most damaging thing any person can do in regards to the planet.

hmm...some rapid googling suggests that dogs will only crap on grass or grass substitute...seems wierd. I mean they can learn that jumping through hoops and running over seasaws stuff but can't learn to crap over water?

I love dogs! But I do believe that if they don't go back to their owners when called then they shouldn't be off the lead.

I agree.

clara the dogs aren't doing the damage - the people owning the dogs are.

Totally agree that a single child does more damage than a single dog...though that is in part because the child may later decide to own a dog too....

As for what inconvenience and harm kids can do in a park. I've seen children throwing stones at people, throwing stones at birds. Trying to harm other wildlife. Stealing bikes from other children. Moving on from parks, The local school children here leave a trail of litter on their way back from lunch. I've had children run into me on scooters, including in bloody supermarkets. A running child in a supermarket barged into an elderly relative resulting in a serious fall and broken hip. I've had my former delightful neighbour's kids throw stones at my home. Another neighbour and their feral kids set fires. Smashed windows. Pissed in my next door neighbour's garden.Terrorised an elderly neighbour. Some brat burned down a school the other day too. I could go on.
.
Thankfully most parents are more considerate than that, but it's not just about toddlers.

M3lon what pet do you know of that doesn't defecate?
Oh wait, I'll just wait til we train a couple thousand mayflies to replace guide dogs

They should have designated dog areas for running about and crapping and be on leads the rest of the time.

What are you going on about dog toilets? Humans used to shit on the ground too, now we block up all the sewers with fat bergs and baby wipes

Dogs crap on the ground because that is how they go to the toilet. You wouldn’t be able to drag a dog to the local dog toilet when they want to go, they will go. The dog toilets would be absolutely disgusting. Actually picture it. Little Bobby playing with his friends around the dog toilet as mummy on her phone, fell in and now mummy is suing the council

@fuma - half a kilo of meat a day???!!!! Are you assuming all dogs get fed that much meat!! Rubbish, most dog food contains less than 30% meat and the meat content is usually the stuff that us humans would turn their noses up - unless they regularly eat in McDonald’s that is

These threads are always a great example of the circle of insanity that is mn

People do know shit’s biodegradable and full of nutrients? That’s why we put it on crops. I stick and flick in the countryside where it joins all the cow and sheep shit in the fields.

However, only one of the two can maim someone

Kids on scooters?

I wish UK parks had fenced-off dog areas like they do in America.

Dogs need to run and play which is impossible to do on the lead, but so many places restrict dogs ability to play.

I'm very lucky in that I leave near plenty of dog-friendly beaches so mine can run and play whenever he wants, but lots of dogs don't get that chance. That being said, dogs need to be well-trained to recall if they're going to be allowed off-lead.

there is a fundamental difference between the shit of herbivores and that of carnivores.

you can put herbivore shit in your compost or on your garden....not so much with dogshit, with or without its plastic wrapper.

Carnivore shit still biodegrades, yes? Or we’d be knee deep in fox and raptor shit.

Where I live children’s play parks are strictly NO DOGS and is fenced off with access via gates. I am a dog owner and would not be happy if this wasn’t the case as: not everyone feels safe around dogs, some dog owners think its okay to have their dog off lead because “they wouldn’t hurt a fly”, some dog owners dont think they should have to clear up after their dogs. The point that the OP has brought up that gives me the rage is the “smelling each other’s arses” bit - this is what dogs do - you obviously think you shouldn’t have to be subjected to such a hideous sight

In Australia you get dog parks, dog beaches etc

Also in many parks there's an area where you're allowed to take your dog off the lead but they have to stay within an area, you're allowed to walk them in the rest of the park with leads.

I don't mind this system. My sisters dog, a puppy farm rescue is extremely nervous around other dogs but totally fine with children and adults so the dog park is a no go unless it's 2am.

Dog only parks and dog free parks would make it almost impossible to walk her

Alsohuman People do know shit’s biodegradable and full of nutrients? That’s why we put it on crops. I stick and flick in the countryside where it joins all the cow and sheep shit in the fields.

Please don't. If it lands on what you think is a field of grass, that could be used to make hay for winter fodder for animals. Coming across dog shit in their food isn't only disgusting, it can cause problems for their livers if they eat it. It won't degrade quickly enough in the way you think. Ditto a grazing field.

Get a grip people and STOP comparing children to fecking dogs.
The rights of a child are not comparable to the rights of a dog.
This thread is sheer and utter craziness.

Thats great and all but we're talking about omnivores here

Which can be composted as long as you know what you're doing