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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect this area to be dog-shit-free?

36 replies

SickOfAllThePoo · 02/02/2022 10:08

Name changed for this as it's very outing.

We live on a new estate (built in last 10 years) close to the centre of town but in a rural area. It was built on what was formerly a number of privately owned buildings and car park.

The estate is not adopted by the local authority, it's owned by the management company. It’s a mix of flats, terraces, semis and detached homes - privately owned, privately rented, housing association, etc. Some have large gardens, some have small yards and some have no private outdoor space at all.

The estate is designed and laid out around a huge, beautiful, protected tree and an enclosed (by small fence) green space but there are a number of other small green spaces dotted round the estate as well as planted/formal shared space in the middle. All these areas, while owned by the management company, and paid for by the residents, are technically accessible to the public.

The space around the big tree has always been used by the residents for little meet ups, for kids to crawl or run about in without parents having to worry about them running into the road. This ramped up over lockdown for obvious reasons. In recent months though someone or a number of people have been letting their dogs poo on this area and not picking up after them. This means if anyone wants to use the space you have to go out first with doggie bags and clear up poo. Crucially, this could well be residents but could be someone who doesn't live here but uses the space anyway.

A number of residents have moaned about it on the shared Facebook page and ideas have been thrown around about how we can prevent it. A few people have suggested that we make it a No Dogs area. We are within walking distance of a very large park and a number of smaller areas suitable for letting dogs run around on. The logic is it will make it easier to police the general dog poo issue as no dogs should be there at all. It also means there shouldn't be any remnants of dog poo there. However some residents (with and without their own gardens) use this space to let their kids and dogs run around in together and always pick up after them. They don’t feel they should be penalised for other's poor dog-shit etiquette.

AIBU to think that this nice secure, central, high quality space should be an area which (human) residents should be able to spend time without worrying about the inevitable side effects of it being used as a dog toilet? Or should those people with dogs be able to use it as a run around / pooing area?

Any suggestions for dealing with the general dog poo issue welcome!

OP posts:
womaninatightspot · 02/02/2022 10:23

Suggest a camera and anyone failing to pick up will be named and shamed on facebook/ Return dog poo to errant owners and hang it up on their front door handle.

NotNowAlan · 02/02/2022 10:27

I'd vote to making it dog free, and I say that as a dog owner. Dog poo is foul and if little ones are running around it's potentially a health risk

steppemum · 02/02/2022 10:28

It is a hard one, as I am not sure making it dog free will stop the offenders.

I have a dog, and there are some places I wouldn't go with him, or we walk through on the lead, as I think some places should remain poo free. I am not comfortable with toddlers crawling where dog poo as been picked up either, as there are always bits left on the grass.

If there genuinely are other places around, then it would not be unreasonable to make this area dog free.
But as I said, I am pretty sure your offenders won't take any notice

Original poster
SickOfAllThePoo · 02/02/2022 10:38

Agree the offenders are unlikely to adhere to the No Dogs rule but at least it might make it easier to spot as anyone with a dog shouldn't be there anyway.

It's also made me think that actually any dog poo there is grim. Great if it's a magic that leaves no trace once picked up, but some poos are runnier than others.

We've toyed with the idea of CCTV - it's definitely an option. There are houses surrounding the tree so Ring doorbells might do the job.

OP posts:
steppemum · 02/02/2022 10:38

@womaninatightspot

Suggest a camera and anyone failing to pick up will be named and shamed on facebook/ Return dog poo to errant owners and hang it up on their front door handle.
this is a good idea.

Try first to address the issue.

camera, and also signs saying - this area is for families and children, well behaved dogs welcome, but please do not allow them to poo here.

(it's not hard, most of us know our dog's poo habits, I wouldn't take my dog there in the morning until he has been to the loo elsewhere)

ComtesseDeSpair · 02/02/2022 10:38

It should be dog free. As to “penalising” the good owners: I never understand why anyone would want their children playing and sitting and rolling around on grass where their dogs have just taken a shit. Surely it’s a positive for everyone?

Spidey66 · 02/02/2022 10:52

I'm a dog owner (who picks up the poo!) but tbh if an area is dog free, it's dog free. Like I go up the local park and an area marked as a nature reserve and the swings is dog free (not that i'd go in the swings normally but sometimes I see someone in there I know and talk across the fence.)

What I'm saying is it wouldn't bother me if an area is dog free, I'd just take her somewhere else.

Greenlight4 · 02/02/2022 11:09

I'd second the camera suggestion so you get an idea of the problem

There was a big local campaign about dog poo here on a certain space, cameras showed it was a dog but was most foxes, other wildlife and cats so in your case making it dog free wouldn't help

We also had a spate of Christmas lights cut and things stolen from door steps which after long campaigns about how the neighbourhood had gone down hill, turned out to also be foxes

Tiramysu · 02/02/2022 11:11

Make it dog free, even if the poo is picked up there will be poo reminants there which is disgusting.

Original poster
SickOfAllThePoo · 02/02/2022 11:27

@Greenlight4

I'd second the camera suggestion so you get an idea of the problem

There was a big local campaign about dog poo here on a certain space, cameras showed it was a dog but was most foxes, other wildlife and cats so in your case making it dog free wouldn't help

We also had a spate of Christmas lights cut and things stolen from door steps which after long campaigns about how the neighbourhood had gone down hill, turned out to also be foxes

Grin Bloody foxes!!

Interestingly, some people have suggested it's fox poo. Some is, but some definitely isn't.

OP posts:
EL1984 · 02/02/2022 11:39

I vote dog free or install a 'dog toilet', usually a sandy area that is managed by the estate so there is a designated area to poop.

I live on a garden square and pay for a key to the garden. Clearly says no dogs on the gate and in the T&Cs we had to sign when picking up the key..... I see dogs in there all the time. My 11 month old baby was learning to walk and sat in dog poo last year then I got it all over my jumper as I had to carry him home. Made me so angry. The management company said they would do a patrol twice a day but I still see dogs in there.

I dint think dogs should be pooing where people play/picnic.

Original poster
SickOfAllThePoo · 02/02/2022 11:49

@EL1984

I vote dog free or install a 'dog toilet', usually a sandy area that is managed by the estate so there is a designated area to poop.

I live on a garden square and pay for a key to the garden. Clearly says no dogs on the gate and in the T&Cs we had to sign when picking up the key..... I see dogs in there all the time. My 11 month old baby was learning to walk and sat in dog poo last year then I got it all over my jumper as I had to carry him home. Made me so angry. The management company said they would do a patrol twice a day but I still see dogs in there.

I dint think dogs should be pooing where people play/picnic.

Eurgh, it's disgusting isn't it? I hate dog poo on pavements etc too. I think we should DNA test it all and be able to cross reference with a register tho I appreciate it's not likely to catch the worst offenders.
OP posts:
Daenerys77 · 02/02/2022 11:49

It sounds reasonable enough to have a small area of privately owned land designated as dog-free, but realistically, you will need cameras to enforce it. This is Mumsnet though, so the Barking Militant Tendency will be along shortly to point out that dogs are far more important than children/families/human beings.

Original poster
SickOfAllThePoo · 02/02/2022 11:50

@EL1984

I vote dog free or install a 'dog toilet', usually a sandy area that is managed by the estate so there is a designated area to poop.

I live on a garden square and pay for a key to the garden. Clearly says no dogs on the gate and in the T&Cs we had to sign when picking up the key..... I see dogs in there all the time. My 11 month old baby was learning to walk and sat in dog poo last year then I got it all over my jumper as I had to carry him home. Made me so angry. The management company said they would do a patrol twice a day but I still see dogs in there.

I dint think dogs should be pooing where people play/picnic.

Also, the dog toilet is a great idea in theory, but the area isn't big enough to really distinguish between dogs on the toilet area and dogs pooing nearby so probably wouldn't have the desired effect of clearly indicating who is using it properly and who isn't.
OP posts:
Original poster
SickOfAllThePoo · 02/02/2022 11:53

@Daenerys77

It sounds reasonable enough to have a small area of privately owned land designated as dog-free, but realistically, you will need cameras to enforce it. This is Mumsnet though, so the Barking Militant Tendency will be along shortly to point out that dogs are far more important than children/families/human beings.
Is genuinely like to hear from them (it'd be cathartic if nothing else as I don't feel comfortable having it out with the neighbours who are happy to let their dogs poo where our kids play).

I don't really see how dogs trump people, especially when those people have gardens of their own or can walk to the park.

OP posts:
Original poster
SickOfAllThePoo · 02/02/2022 11:53

*those dogs are owned by people who have gardens or can walk to the nearby park

OP posts:
Gizacluethen · 02/02/2022 11:55

I'd make it dog free and use CCTV to police it. You can't really police whether dog poo was picked up by cameras, you could pretend to pick it up, you could argue it was just a wee etc. I say that as a dog owner.

EsmeSusanOgg · 02/02/2022 11:57

Dog owner here. If there's a big park nearby, then make this area dog-free.

billy1966 · 02/02/2022 11:59

@womaninatightspot

Suggest a camera and anyone failing to pick up will be named and shamed on facebook/ Return dog poo to errant owners and hang it up on their front door handle.
This.

A few years ago someone in my area was allowing their dog out to shit on a lovely green very near me.

I recognised the dog.
I stopped my car, filmed and photographed him mid shit and followed the 100 metres back into his house.

I also took a picture of his owners house and reported both to the local police station.

Even though my children no longer play there, other children do and it pissed me off to know someone was deliberately allowing their dog out to do that.

I have never seen the dog there since.

I think ANYONE who allows a dog to mess and not clean up deserves to be reported and name & shamed.

Disgusting behaviour.

Cherrysoup · 02/02/2022 12:01

Can you ask the management company for a no dogs/childs’ play area sign? I think that’s fair enough given there are other areas for dogs nearby?

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 02/02/2022 12:06

Ask management to put a "private - residents only" sign on the space first to deter those who aren't paying towards the upkeep.

Then see if there is any improvement.

RincewindsHat · 02/02/2022 12:12

Gross. I'm a dog owner and my dogs poo on a bit of communal grass outside the back of a private carpark owned by houses surrounding us, and if it was used by anyone for picnics, kids playing etc I would never consider allowing my dogs to poo there. Another vote here for banning dogs from this area. (I'd vote for that even if everyone picked up after their dogs.)

Original poster
SickOfAllThePoo · 02/02/2022 12:13

@Cherrysoup and @BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz - these are sensible suggestions. I suppose even if we want to make it No Dogs it will only happen in increments because there is resistance from residents who are also dog owners. And if the signs do put the culprits off and we haven't had to be heavy handed that can only be a good thing.

OP posts:
Original poster
SickOfAllThePoo · 02/02/2022 12:14

@RincewindsHat

Gross. I'm a dog owner and my dogs poo on a bit of communal grass outside the back of a private carpark owned by houses surrounding us, and if it was used by anyone for picnics, kids playing etc I would never consider allowing my dogs to poo there. Another vote here for banning dogs from this area. (I'd vote for that even if everyone picked up after their dogs.)
As a former dog owner, I feel the same. I'd be ashamed at people knowing I was happy to let me dogs poo there even it was technically allowed. It's not very neighbourly, is it?
OP posts:
Original poster
SickOfAllThePoo · 02/02/2022 12:17

The argument the resident dog owners use is that they like to play there with their kids and they can't stop their dogs pooing anywhere. Our dog never, ever pooed in our garden as we trained her to only poo on her walks (twice daily). If you can train cats to poo in litter trays and puppies to poo on pads and then outside how hard can it be to prevent your dog pooing on this communal area even if they must be there with the rest of the family?

OP posts:
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