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Original poster

To think that leaving bags of dogshit on the floor when you go for a walk

328 replies

Member869894 · 15/04/2020 23:34

...ground, even if you intend to pick them up on your way back is selfish and inconsiderate of others

OP posts:
MRex · 16/04/2020 20:18

We have plenty of bins near here, as well as in the local park. Special dog owners still leave bags of poo and never collect them. The issue is not bins, it's selfish people who won't finish the job of clearing up after their dog.

Itstheprinciple · 16/04/2020 22:30

This seems to be worse and worse lately. Or maybe I'm just walking more in my local area but I comment to DD each time we go out about it.

Mothership4two · 16/04/2020 22:42

This thread reminds me of several "I don't have a daily shower" ones. The hysteria that some people may leave a small plastic bag out of the way for, probably, less than an hour and then collect it later, is typical MN. I have done it on one particular walk I occasionally go on, if my dog has a crap at the beginning, and have NEVER forgotten to pick it up. We always clear up after our dog.

Leaving it there and making little 'poo trees' or not clearing up after your dog, deserves the VILE and DISGUSTING comments as it is unsightly, dangerous to animals and bad for the environment. Personally I think tying it to a bush or fence is a strong indication that the owner does not intend to retrieve it.

LastTrainEast · 16/04/2020 22:47

dog owners you don't want to carry the bag around and I get why. No one wants to be anywhere near dog shit.

Guess what. We don't want to be anywhere near your dogs shit either. You wanted a dog. Let it use your kitchen floor instead of bringing it to where we are walking.

lotusbell · 16/04/2020 22:49

For those saying they leave it somewhere discreet and out of sight and pick it up later, can you give us examples of where you consider discreet and therefore acceptable? Would love to know why you think that because it's out of sight, it's ok to leave it for any length of time.
Other owners have said here that they leave it somewhere prominent, which is even worse! If it's prominent that means it's in sight and obvious to other people, not just you as a way of reminding yourself it needs picking up.

Honeyroar · 16/04/2020 22:54

Oh I can give you some examples lotusbell. They poke them in my dry stone walls or hang them on wire fences. Or poke them in drains. Revolting people. And 99% of people never come back for them. They’re liars as well as revolting. Usually I have to collect them myself.

Why is it so difficult to carry a little bag?? I have three dogs and can still carry it. Tie the bag tight so there’s no smell and tie them onto your lead if you don’t want to hold them.

LolaSmiles · 16/04/2020 22:55

My concern about people saying they leave it out of sight is that it smells and becomes an attraction for other dogs who then run up to it, can split the bag, get it on their paws.

As dog owners we are responsible for planning appropriate dog walks. Part of that is having a plan to deal with dog mess that fits the walk. If there's no bins close by and you're unhappy carrying a poo bag for part of your walk then don't walk your dog there. Walk your dog somewhere with regular bins.

Though I have a feeling this suggestion will generate irritation from dog owners who want to exercise their dogs in nice grassy fields and open land whilst not wanting to deal with the reality of exercising dogs in open fields with bins only at entrance points.

lotusbell · 16/04/2020 22:58

@Mothership4two, but that's you. If every owner who does this could honestly, hand on heart, say they ALWAYS go back and collect it, then there wouldn't be any black.plastic dumplings of shit lying on the ground, hung in trees or tucked away behind lampposts, would there? But there are, all over the country. They could be lying there hours, days or months. It is fucking faeces! The fact it is encased in plastic is neither here nor there. Everyone knows what it is. In the time taken to come back and retrieve it, it could be stepped on, biked over, picked up by another dog. There is no excuse.

lotusbell · 16/04/2020 23:00

Well as I said earlier, @Honeyroar, someone had charmingly shoved one into my hedge. Why you would inflict that on someone's property?!

amusedbush · 16/04/2020 23:07

It's rank. I always pick up after my dog and carry it until I get to a bin.

It's not glamorous but it's part and parcel of owning a dog.

Last week I bent down to pick it up with the poo bag inside out over my hand, as you do. However, at the same time the dog lunged towards a pigeon, so I stumbled a bit as I grabbed it. The wind picked up as I tried to close the bag so it flapped backwards over my hand, and I shuffled away from two strangers at the bus stop with an excited terrier, quite visibly holding two pieces of shit in a pincer grip Blush

Mothership4two · 17/04/2020 01:03

@lotusbell you don't have to trot out the argument why leaving poo bags is not a good idea, I know, as I have said in my posts. I was commenting on the tone of those on this thread who are attacking dog owners who do go back and pick it up. I think I saw a "you shouldn't have a dog" comment, another comparing it to radioactive waste along with the vile/disgusting/etc posts. Some are very MN OTT.

Yes it is just me that can say I pick it up, but my actions are the only ones I can comment on. On the extremely few occasions I have left a bag, i don't leave it where it can be stepped on, biked over and I have never ever seen a dog pick one up. I think getting angry at dog walkers leaving a poo bag for a relatively short space of time is a waste of time, but if people want to vent, so be it. At this moment in time I have bigger issues on my mind. I think there is no excuse for getting nasty/narky on MN but people still do it.

Just to reiterate, I do not condone people who leave these bags and don't come back. As said, I personally believe that most don't intend to come back as they tend to be slung willy nilly or tied up.

PapayaCoconut · 17/04/2020 05:07

"The hysteria that some people may leave a small plastic bag out of the way for, probably, less than an hour and then collect it later, is typical MN.*

I live in a leafy suburban part of London. There's a road I used to walk to nursery that has a dog shit bag - and this is not an exaggeration - approximately every five meters, either decorating the chain link fence like some dystopian Christmas baubles or just left on the ground for people to step on and run over with bikes and buggies. Many of them have clearly been there for years.

People like you, who are in the habit of leaving bags "to come back for" created the conditions for this. People see others leaving shitbags behind and walking off, thinking is acceptable. If people started leaving nappies or other rubbish behind "to pick up later" it wouldn't be long before the ground was just covered in garbage. This kind of behaviour lowers the standards. It's not OK to leave rubbish on the ground! Bloody hell, any five year old knows this.

PapayaCoconut · 17/04/2020 05:08

Bold fail:

The hysteria that some people may leave a small plastic bag out of the way for, probably, less than an hour and then collect it later, is typical MN.

Whenwillthisbeover · 17/04/2020 05:14

Can I add the dog walkers that think it’s ok to get to the poo bin, that is currently full, taped up and covered with a bin bag and note advising its full, and then drop said poo bag on floor in front of it.

Dirty bastards.

LaurieMarlow · 17/04/2020 07:51

People like you, who are in the habit of leaving bags "to come back for" created the conditions for this.

Exactly this. You make other people think it’s okay.

You also can’t guarantee that the bag won’t fall, get stepped on, torn, attract other animals in the meantime.

It looks appalling, even if temporary.

In what other circumstance is it okay to leave your rubbish lying around temporarily? I can’t think of any.

People who do this are disgusting and selfish. Plenty of them around unfortunately. Sad

snowybean · 17/04/2020 08:09

If you're in a rural area, use the stick and flick method!

Wolfiefan · 17/04/2020 08:11

@snowybean not if you’re walking over fields.

ErrolTheDragon · 17/04/2020 08:29

If you're in a rural area, use the stick and flick method!

If you're in an area where that's specifically advised, you can. This includes some NT land, forestry commission - these areas tend to be woodland, maybe some coastal paths - but not pastures.

snowybean · 17/04/2020 08:32

Of course not if you're walking over fields 🙄

yearinyearout · 17/04/2020 08:35

Depends where it is. One place I walk has only one bin at the entrance, and regular walkers leave bags at the side of the path to save swinging a bag of poo round for an hour. They always pick it up on the way back so no problem. Those that leave it hanging on trees and don't pick it up are twats.

MeridianB · 17/04/2020 08:41

People doing this are scum.

Picking it up later simply means everyone else has to see a tree, bush or street with your nasty mess on it, purely to suit your comfort levels and convenience. If you don’t want to bag it and dispose of it properly then don’t have a dog.

Dumping plastic waste in outdoor spaces where other animals may be hurt by it is unbelievably selfish.

Dog poo is a health hazard for everyone.

WaxOnFeckOff · 17/04/2020 08:52

If your dog poos at the beginning of walk then why not just walk back to the bin rather than dump and retrieve? Surely the points you are out for a walk anyway and it must be more or less linear if you are passing the poo on the way back.

It's never ok to leave any litter whether you intend to or actually retrieve it or not.

ErrolTheDragon · 17/04/2020 09:14

If your dog poos at the beginning of walk then why not just walk back to the bin rather than dump and retrieve?

That's what we do. I mentioned upthread a place where there's loads of bags dumped not far into a walk starting at a car park that has bins.

Of course not if you're walking over fields
Maybe that's obvious to you, but you just said 'rural area' - which to many people equates mostly to fields.

5zeds · 17/04/2020 09:34

That's what we do. I mentioned upthread a place where there's loads of bags dumped not far into a walk starting at a car park that has bins.
Or get the bin moved to where it’s obviously needed?

WaxOnFeckOff · 17/04/2020 09:35

Yes Errol it's the old adage I think, if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem.

All the people posting that they leave bags but always retrieve them, you are also part of the problem as others see the bags and think it's okay, people still have to walk past and see it and I can guarantee that there will be times that you have forgotten even if you are generally diligent,

The clear answer is that it is never ok. Pick it up and carry it either back to the bin or with you till you find a bin or home to your own bin.

It's not rocket science and you are not a special exception.

Once again, imagine if it was your, your family member or friends job to clear up everyone else's dog shit bags or clear up all the bags left under the full bin, or what if it's your child that steps in it or pet rolls in it or whatever - pretty disgusting right?