Dog poo doesn’t need to be picked up in long grass

[LittleSheps]

Walking with my 3 month old in the pram in my local park this morning and see two dogs bounding a little way ahead of me, off leads. Cautiously slow down as they were big dogs and didn’t want them to run into the pram. See one of the dogs take a dump in the “wild” area to the side of the path and then see it run towards its owner. So I ask the guy “Is that your dog?” He says yes and I tell him I just saw it poo and please would he clean it up. He enquired as to where exactly so I point and he says “I don’t need to pick it up there, it’s the long grass, that’s why they don’t cut it”. To which I tell him I see plenty of kids (including my 3 year old) run in and out of these areas - lots of bushes, longer grass to the main park, trees, a lot more fun! and he should pick it up so that no one treads/falls in it. He said no and got a bit shirty with me saying if it bothered me that much I should pick it up. I should probably have just sighed and walked away at this point but his attitude really irked me so I told him that if he was a responsible dog owner he would carry bags and clean it up and if I had a dog and it had done a shit in the park I absolutely would but it’s his dog, his responsibility and that he shouldn’t ruin it for everyone else just because he isn’t keeping an eye on his dog and can’t be arsed. He then told me to shut up, waved his bags at me and walked away.

So was I being reasonable in asking him to pick his dog shit up or was he right about not needing to pick it up “because it’s in the long grass” and I was being unreasonable and should’ve minded my own business? I am not a dog owner so prepared to be told I don’t know the etiquette.

[SleepOhHowIMissYou]

I always pick up after mine but I have a doggy loo in the garden so it's not going to landfill or incinerator like the other bagged dog poo in the bins.

Slugs eat dog poo that's not picked up, it's a far greener solution if it's in an area that allows it, so I can see why people do it.

As for the bag in tree people, they might be people like me who take it home to their compost garden loos, leaving it to be collected on the way home rather than carry a bag of shit with them for miles.

[TARSCOUT]

"There is also exemption for dog owners on some kinds of public land in England and Wales, including:
Land used for agriculture or woodlands
Rural common land
Land that is predominantly marshland, moor or heath
Highways with a speed limit of 50mph or more"
In saying that, all responsible dog owners will pick it up.

[CherryPavlova]

Several of the estates locally ask people not to pick up but to flick into undergrowth to reduce use of plastic bags and stop the truly disgusting habit of hang bags on trees, gates and fences.

Of course on beaches and in parks one should pick up but in some areas, it is preferable not to.

[EasterBuns]

YANBU and I wish everyone would clear up after their dogs but as I understand the law you have to pick it up on the side of roads with speed limits of 30 or less. Obviously parks have their own rules. The person saying he could be fined £1000 is surely assuming the law applies which I doubt it would here.

[FeelinFagin]

Pick it up with a nappy bag.

Rub into dog's fur.

Let owner scream and shout as you make a hasty exit.

No? Oh well. It's a nice dream though right?

[ReceptacleForTheRespectable]

Of course on beaches and in parks one should pick up but in some areas, it is preferable not to.

There are no areas where it is preferable not to pick up your dog's shit. I live in a national park, and it is not an excuse to be lazy. Moorland habitats are not there to provide a dog toilet. Plenty of people (gamekeepers etc.) go off path in 'wild' areas, and they don't want to step in your dog's shit.

The ONLY reason that some areas say it's ok to flick poo off the path is because it is a lesser evil than people bagging it and leaving the bag. People are disgusting; just because you can get away with doing something doesn't mean you should.

[Chocolatefixeseverything]

If you have ever hit a dog shit with a strimmer you know why you should lift it, why do the think it's ok for the council workers to deal with?

[Bananabixfloof]

how is kick it off the path translate to "explicitly not allowed" ? and "does say if it's off the path, no need to pick up." is not personal choice, its disgusting to leave your dogs shit anywhere
Can you actually read? The rest of my post said pre lockdown while on holiday on an island it was kick off the path.


This is explicit. I wont go into reasons but that was the hard rule.

So not everywhere needs picking up.

[LittleSheps]

Ok this has made me feel better. I’d started to think I was being a busybody...

For what it’s worth it’s a city centre park, in a conservation area, there are numerous signs about cleaning up after your dogs and several bins, and where the dog shat was opposite the entrance to the (albeit closed at the moment) playground.

And if I’d had a nappy bag I think I would’ve picked it up but the park is 5 mins from my house so I didn’t bother taking the changing bag with me as it was a nap walk.

I knew he was just being a knob.

[Nottherealslimshady]

@YesPleaseMary my dog walking a meter into thicker grass to have a shit in peace is very different to kids running about and playing. She's always on the lead so she cant go far in and disturb the birds or other wildlife. She has zero interest in wildlife except for "oh I think I smell that a squirrel was here recently" yeah babe it literally just walked past you.
Kids could easily crush a whole nest of eggs in one step without even noticing.
It would be a waste of plastic and landfill space to walk into unsuitable space to pick up animal shit amongst all the other animal shit to bring it home in the car and put it in our wheelie bin.

[Nottherealslimshady]

"there are numerous signs about cleaning up after your dogs and several bins, and where the dog shat was opposite the entrance to the (albeit closed at the moment) playground"

You're absolutely right he should have picked it up.

[HavelockVetinari]

@MinesAPintOfTea

The places that say "flick it with a stick" moved to that policy to deal with the dog walkers who decorate trees with poo bags. It is still much better to bag and bin than leave on the ground, but they have given up on dog owners being that responsible and so go for something they will all do that is less problematic

This. Leaving it is selfish, lazy and gross.

[ScarletFever]

@Bananabixfloof

how is kick it off the path translate to "explicitly not allowed" ? and "does say if it's off the path, no need to pick up." is not personal choice, its disgusting to leave your dogs shit anywhere
Can you actually read? The rest of my post said pre lockdown while on holiday on an island it was kick off the path.

This is explicit. I wont go into reasons but that was the hard rule.

So not everywhere needs picking up.

Yeah I can read, thank you for being so rude and defensive.

So where is this exclusive private island where you are not allowed to pick up your dog shit?

[Cinderella66]

@Nottherealslimshady I think that's a shitty attitude.

[Heroicasymphony]

Or you could always train your dog to only shit on your property. That's what working dogs do so it's eminently possible. Ok so it takes a bit of effort but it's better than just shrugging your shoulders and polluting habitats both immediately and in the longer term via the water table (which is what happens when you talk about it "biodegrading" - waste doesn't just vanish leaving no trace.)

[Porcupineinwaiting]

@Nottherealslimshady sorry, nature reserve manager here and that's nonsense. There is very little wild carnivore shit in your average square kilometre of wild land and dog shit is a real problem for wildlife on do many levels. It adds nutrients, it adds parasites and the wildlife your dog is disturbing doesnt know that your dog is harmless, it just smells "predator".

[forsucksfake]

Assholes really should not be allowed to own dogs. He is a first class ass.

[ReceptacleForTheRespectable]

my dog walking a meter into thicker grass to have a shit in peace is very different to kids running about and playing. She's always on the lead so she cant go far in and disturb the birds or other wildlife.

A metre off the path/short grass? Why the fuck shouldn't kids go there? Ground nesting birds are more spooked by dogs than people. If there are ground nesting birds a metre into the long grass, your dog will be disturb them.

Also... just a metre away and you can't be bothered to pick the poo up? Seriously?

Like I said. People are disgusting.

[BobbinThreadbare123]

OK, let's be clear here. There is an Act covering this: Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. Basically, pick the dog shit up everywhere except carriageways with a speed limit over 50 mph, woodlands or marsh/heath. This applies to England and Wales. Scotland has a similar Act which covers any public open space. I don't see why you wouldn't bag up even if you took your dog up on the moors; it's available for anyone to hike on so you should be considerate.

[ReceptacleForTheRespectable]

I don't see why you wouldn't bag up even if you took your dog up on the moors; it's available for anyone to hike on so you should be considerate.

Totally agree. Just because there isn't a legal obligation doesn't mean people shouldn't be considerate regardless.

[CrazyMoma]

Dog owners should pick up their dogs poo no matter whether they poop in long grass or not. He's being irresponsible. I'm a dog owner & pick poop up, it annoys me when others don't, i also (maybe wrong) thought it was unlawful not to clean up after your dog? Either way it's disgusting to leave it for someone else to step in

[Nottherealslimshady]

@Porcupineinwaiting I'll take your word for it. I always thought they'd be used to having other wildlife pass through so long as it wasn't chaotic movement. So as long as she wasn't running and disturbing much she was fine. I've always made an effort to keep her out the way of wildlife and livestock and rarely see other dog owners stopping their dogs terrorising them, never mind those encouraging their dogs to chase them! So thought we were doing pretty well to minimise our impact. And it's the same with children tbh!

[Cornana]

I have two dogs, I always make the best attempt to pick up their pooh. He should have at least tried.

[Maestro7]

Flick of off the path??? That is so disgusting. Even if somewhere said you don’t HAVE to pick it up you should pick it up. It’s rotten leaving if lying there. I would never leave my dogs poo anywhere public where other people could walk in it as I’ve had the misfortune of walking in dog crap myself before and it’s rotten. I can’t believe some dog owners are saying that unless they are explicitly told to pick it up they won’t. Would you leave it in your own garden??? Or do you always pick it up are you don’t want to stand in it? If so please apply the same to anywhere else. @LittleSheps YANBU