To not pick up dog poo...

[Moonfishstar]

... when in a quiet forest, but to flick it with a stick into dense undergrowth instead?

I don't see any issue with this, but I've got a feeling lots will disagree with me, so I wanted to get some other opinions.

YABU. Pick up after your dog FFS. People are so entitled, it is disgusting. Part of dog ownership is cleaning up after them.

The concept of people throwing excrement around is very gross to me.

In Ireland in the 60s, 70s and 80s we didn’t have running water or a bathroom so everyone went in the fields.

I do always bag my dog's poo but I do question, like others have said, if we are actually harming the planet doing this. Dog poo in nature will naturally biodegrade pretty quickly. Wrapping it in plastic and putting bags of it into landfill seems insane. There must be a better way

@Wehavealaughdontwe

And the environmental impact of feeding dogs in the first place is massive, not just their poo.

And yet Forestry England, which manages publicly owned forests in England on behalf of the Forestry Commission, is quite clear in its Dog Code?

No, take it home either way. It is damaging to the environment and wildlife. Not taking it home because you are lazy is not an excuse. The signs may still be up but the science has moved on. You wouldn’t pit your baby to sleep in its front like we used to because the science has moved on. Pick it up, take it home, bin it properly and don’t be selfish.

I've only seen the stick and flick message in one place when on holiday in Wales. It surprised me as I thought everywhere would encourage you to pick it up. The only time I don't pick up after mine is if they go deep into the bushes/brambles that I can't get to.

Your dog isn't a wild animal, nor part of the forest's ecosystem. Its shit isn't going to benefit anyone who lives there.

Why exactly won't you just pick it up?

A sense of perspective is needed.

I don't have a dog now but when I did I would always pick up: in parks, on paths, near roads, in villages, in fields, so about 90% of the time. I would even pick up other people's dog poo that they hadn't collected, so I in fact left most places cleaner than I found them.

I didn't pick up: from ditches (streams or lakes on occasion, strange dog that she was), in the middle of hedges, deep in the woods etc.

I believe that you should clean up after yourself where needed, but not introduce even more plastic waste into landfill if it can be avoided.

Realistically nobody is going to step on it if it's in a bush.

@Prunesqualler

Exactly. Just because the signs are still up, doesn’t mean that it’s ok. The science no longer supports the old Forestry Commission outdated guidance. The poo damages the ecosystem and the environment - so you pick it up.

C'mon, a dog turd is hardly the pinnacle of environmental catastrophe. 😂😂😂

It doesn’t go to landfill anymore. It mostly goes into incinerators and they have both negative and positive impacts - for example they can generate energy for use locally.

Where did you get this from @Elber ? Where is the link to the place you got it from? You keep posting stuff against what the OP is doing, but are not putting any link. Without that, the authenticity is questionable.

As with other pps I have looked at the Forestry Commission website and I cannot see what you have posted here, anywhere there. When I google it I get information saying it's OK to flick dog poo in bushes/undergrowth in the woods.

.

It’s a part of it. Our wetland, rivers and streams are really struggling due to pollution. Dog waste is part of this. The more we sit back and shrug our shoulders the worse it gets.

@Flickersy

But it’s NOT good for ecosystems, it disrupts the balance by adding unnatural pathogens and too high a nutrient content. Also if the dog has been on medication - that is also unnaturally introduced into the ecosystem.

If you do it, that means it’s ok for ALL dogs to do it.

Maybe don't have a dog if you can't be arsed to pick up poo. It's one reason I don't have one.

Pick it up and dispose of it properly, otherwise you are a pretty disgusting person.

99.9% of which is human-generated from our water companies pumping human sewage into seas and rivers, chemical run off from agriculture, and our plastic rubbish.

Worrying about dog poo polluting the water in that context is like being worried your tap is leaking when your house has already been inundated by the river.

YABU

Are you walking on a track or footpath? The size of the forest doesn’t matter if you are walking along a track or footpath within a few miles of a carpark/entry point.

@SweetBirdsong

Where? Where does it say it’s ok other than historical outdated guidance? The latest advice is bag and bin.

Where does it say that? Why won;t you post a link? You keep copying and pasting 'information'.. Where are you getting it from?

That sounds reasonable... However MN is generally devoid of perspective and nuance. Topic after topic, there are posters who think every opinion has to be absolute and anyone who disagrees vilified as scum.

From Forestry Commission webpage:

Your Forest Dog Code

Take the leadForests are great spaces for your dog to enjoy, just make sure you know when you need to use the lead.
Keep your eyes peeledPlease respect other visitors, wildlife and livestock, keep your eyes open and your dog within sight.
Have good controlDoes your dog come when called? Make sure your pup understands your commands to keep you both safe.
Keep our forests cleanBag and bin your dog's waste. Any public or household waste bin can take bagged dog poo.