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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think the dog mess problem is getting much worse since Covid?

169 replies

sadpapercourtesan · 05/02/2021 15:28

It's actually spoiling most of my longer walks, now. Sad It's so disgusting, especially when it's left right in the middle of a pavement so people have walked through it already and made it virtually impossible to avoid.

In the interest of not drip-feeding, I have ASD and I know I am a bit of a loon about disgusting things/poo/bad smells. I avoid the local park in high summer because the stench walking past the dog bins makes me swoon.

Has anyone else noticed the dog mess being much more of a problem in recent months? What can be done about it? I know it's on me to "get over it" and not let it stop me from going for long walks, but I honestly find it so difficult when there's shit every 50 metres or so and even though I'm ridiculously hypervigilant, DH and the kids aren't.

OP posts:
ElsieMc · 06/02/2021 10:13

Where I live is near a beach, tiny village. I watch people drive onto a car parking area, sit in their cars, turf out their dogs to poo everywhere, put them back in and drive off. I avoid the main beach area for this reason and I live here. My dogs have often been gone for by the same dogs offlead when they run onto the road. If I say anything I get tons of abuse, one man actually threatened me with violence when I simply asked him to please put his dog on a lead.

The Council removed the bin from this car parking area, but put it back this year. Its made no difference and the hedgerows and wood are full of beer/lager cans, maccies, kfc stuff. It is actually grim and it has got worse during both lockdowns.

Flytipping as well. Council did trace a full three piece suite dumped by the beach as it was on a local Sell and Seek and they were called in for interview. It was from the village the investigator lived in and she knew them!. Sorry to digress but it's all part of the same theme.

takingwhatineed · 06/02/2021 10:19

I expected there to be in the village I live in, but there isn't. There are lots more people walking about, so maybe not the opportunity to leave it.
I'm a dog owner and always pick up after my pooch. I get grossed out by dog poo so I don't think your reaction is too different from lots of people OP. I've also thrown shoes out in the past if I've trodden in it.

GingerBeverage · 06/02/2021 10:23

I've noticed far more dog poo on the streets in and parks (London). The majority of people have 1+ dogs, makes sense there will be more filth.
I feel like sticking union jack cocktail flags in it.

Bubnomore · 06/02/2021 11:24

Definitely a significant increase.

Technology is available to chip dogs, and it should be mandated that a DNA sample should be taken from the dog at the time of doing so. Also, the technology and systems are available to test Poo on the streets, and appropriate fine to be levied to the owner. Supposedly no 2 dogs have the same poo.

The country needs money at the moment and think this is one where I totally support a very high disproportionate heavy fine (not £50! think £,000’s) - as surely nothing can ever justify leaving poo in the streets and expecting the general community to put up with it, and suffer the consequences. Surprised that no local authorities has jumped on the bandwagon as an automatic money generator.

This system is being used in some privately owned apartment complexes etc. in America. Hoping it’s only a matter of time before it’s introduced here - think it would permanently improve the situation and a fair way to generate revenue versus the usual round of cutbacks that means no one is probably available to clean it up.

AaronPurr · 06/02/2021 11:31

The country needs money at the moment and think this is one where I totally support a very high disproportionate heavy fine (not £50! think £,000’s

I also agree with a heavy fine for those who don't pick up after their dog. There needs to be a stronger detterent for such foul behaviour.

TweeterandtheMonkeyman · 06/02/2021 11:34

I get very upset about it too OP . I love where I live but there’s a big green space right by my house where people drive and park up in my street for dog walks. I’ve had piles of poo actually on my driveway before now. It has been really getting me down in this lockdown & I agree it’s got a lot worse.

LittleBoPeep95 · 06/02/2021 11:34

My local park is absolutely covered. There's a large grassy area and the whole thing is caked in dog shit, its fucking disgusting.

muckypaws · 06/02/2021 11:44

I was particularly disgusted recently when I took our dog to a dog park, ie. where you pay to go to an enclosed field. The place was full of dog poo! So folk had gone to the trouble of booking and paying for a field, then just left poo behind them. I asked the owner about it and they said they picked up 20 or 30 bags of poo that day. Incredible!

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 06/02/2021 11:50

Everything is getting worse since Covid.

Twatty cyclists, walkers out in packs, human mess, litter. Noise. And yes, also dog mess.

Lots of new puppies with clueless owners. Bored teens sent out to walk the dog and who never bother picking up.

Dog mess is only a part of the general mess.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 06/02/2021 11:52

Oh and the councils feel like Covid's given them an excuse to do fuck all.

Pimlicojo · 06/02/2021 11:53

I'm in a London borough and I would say no. I see a lot more people walking dogs but I walk every day and I very rarely see dog poo. Bins are overflowing though.

TheSpottedDog · 06/02/2021 11:56

Yes it’s getting worse, much worse. In our neighbourhood Facebook group someone caught a bloke letting his dog shit on his front garden and walking away on CCTV. It’s unbelievable. I’m putting it down to all these new lockdown puppy owners

Yohoheaveho · 06/02/2021 11:58

Yes it is much worse 🤬
There is dogshit everywhere🤬

Yohoheaveho · 06/02/2021 11:59

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Everything is getting worse since Covid.

Twatty cyclists, walkers out in packs, human mess, litter. Noise. And yes, also dog mess.

Lots of new puppies with clueless owners. Bored teens sent out to walk the dog and who never bother picking up.

Dog mess is only a part of the general mess.

This is also true 🤬
LadyMayoGoodway · 06/02/2021 12:46

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Oh and the councils feel like Covid's given them an excuse to do fuck all.
Oh yes, however ours has web portal you can report to and to their credit they do come and clean it quickly. Tried to escalate the problem we have here tho (and this was pre-covid) and was treated with utter contempt by the council and local councillors for daring to raise it.

And as I said up thread I put something on a local FB group and the admin actually had complaints about me complaining about the dog shit problem and asking what could be done/encouraging people to report it. Apparently people round here like to have the right to let their dogs crap everywhere. Unbelievable!

Same4Walls · 06/02/2021 12:59

I put something on a local FB group and the admin actually had complaints about me complaining about the dog shit problem

If I were the Admin I would have been passing their names onto the council. It's abundantly clear to anyone with half a brain why they would complain about anyone questioning the amount of dog shit...me thinks they doth protest to much.

NoWordForFluffy · 06/02/2021 13:05

What? Do Tory MPs go round picking up after dogs in their constituency?

I wish they bloody did, as our streets are shocking these days. Not only is there more than there used to be, so many people also have ENORMOUS dogs leaving a massive pile of shit on the ground. It's disgusting.

LadyMayoGoodway · 06/02/2021 13:14

@Same4Walls honestly the reply was something like ‘well I have a dog and know how frustrating it is to see, but I am not here to judge’ I mean WTH.

LadyMayoGoodway · 06/02/2021 13:19

Honestly though we’re all furious about this - rightly, but it really is dangerous.

Most people have some overview of dog mess and blindness in children. I’ve just been talking to DH (works for NHS) though re this thread and he said even into the mid 90’s Toxacaris (the parasitic disease you can catch from it) was one of the biggest causes of none congenital blindness in children. That’s a pretty terrifying statistic.

Same4Walls · 06/02/2021 13:20

[quote LadyMayoGoodway]@Same4Walls honestly the reply was something like ‘well I have a dog and know how frustrating it is to see, but I am not here to judge’ I mean WTH.[/quote]
I'll finish that response for him...

I'm not here to judge... because quite often when I take my dog out I can't be arsed to pick up his shit either.

AaronPurr · 06/02/2021 13:26

I'm not here to judge... because quite often when I take my dog out I can't be arsed to pick up his shit either.

Yep. Surely those with dogs who do pick up their dogs shit are the ones who would be the most critical towards those who choose to leave it. After all their behaviour is negatively affecting all dog owners. I'm not a judgy person, but how anyone can say they don't judge those who leave shit is beyond me, there's no excuse for not picking it up.

PinkyParrot · 06/02/2021 13:37

At this environmentally aware time it's somehow ok for everyone (or many many people) to own dogs. I mean they are eating and crapping everywhere.
But I suspect that this fad will go over the next few years.
I love dogs but they are a tie and a big commitment and I have no plans to own another one anytime soon (assuming lock down isn't forever), after this present craze I think people will decide it was great but they want their freedom back.

bumblingbovine49 · 06/02/2021 13:39

I have noticed on one of.our local walks , a lot of plastic bags.of.dog poo just dropped on the path or occasionally hung on a tree or fence.. Really common compared to a year ago. That seems worse.to.me somehow. Someone actually has a bag with them, picks up and wraps the dog shit then drops.it on the path for someone else.to take care of, adding a plastic bag for.local wildlife to choke on for good measure Hmm

Whilst not in anyway condoning it , I can imagine forgetting a bag to deal with your dog's business and leaving it on the odd occasion.. Yes disgusting but vaguely understandable , but why go.to the trouble of bagging the poo but then not carrying it to the nearest bin or bringing it home to put in the bin?

grafittiartist · 06/02/2021 13:49

Much worse recently.
It spoils a walk/ run.
I put it down to lots of new lockdown dogs, and lazy selfish people.

Yohoheaveho · 06/02/2021 13:50

Someone actually has a bag with them, picks up and wraps the dog shit then drops.it on the path for someone else.to take care
I have seen this happen, typically one person leaves the 'little back bag of fecal bon bons' at the side of the path, a couple of days later there is now a whole row of them 😖
presumably other dog owners think 'oh look that must be the place to leave my little black bag of fecal bon bons'🤷‍♀️