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.

@oOmoonhaOo
@MontyDonsBlueScarf
Fair enough if the FC have signposted not to go in but I would absolutely let my kids play in areas that have been storm damaged - given the storms we now get annually it’s a bit hard to avoid storm damage when your kids are outside daily in the forests year round.. We all know to risk assess hanging branches, fallen trees etc. Touch wood never had any injuries beyond scrapes in a decade of parenting this way.

Same here. Never so much as a sprained toe.

Risk taking ‘playgrounds’ are a thing for a reason.

@MontyDonsBlueScarf

What about the damage to the natural ecosystem though? The introduction of unwanted pathogens and bacteria? That also leaches into water systems and kills wildlife? The fact that a significant percent of fox’s diet is now dog poo?

@MontyDonsBlueScarf @oOmoonhaOo

https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/07/dog-pee-and-poo-harming-nature-reserves-study

@Elber I can only suggest you take this up with Forestry England since it was one of their employees who gave the advice that I posted on here.

@Theminer the forest is not a nature reserve. They are entirely different. My guess is that what is harmful in a smaller nature reserve may be less harmful in the very much bigger open forest, probably because it's nothing like so concentrated. But in any event research on nature reserves is not automatically applicable to forests.

@MontyDonsBlueScarf

But that’s an awful attitude! You KNOW the damage it can cause to wildlife, you KNOW Forestry England now don’t support stick and flick, yet you still do it because of a misinformed employee.

“Wardens at the forest say leaving dog’s faeces can kill endangered birds, affect rare heathland and cause livestock to abort their young.”

“It’s a bit gross, but poo also attracts foxes that eat it and they can then turn their attention to the eggs and chicks of the ground and low nesting birds like nightjars and Dartford warblers. “

“When pets are treated with insecticides such as flea treatments, their poo becomes even more toxic and the chemicals can wash off dogs as they enter ponds or streams – poisoning insects and other invertebrates.”

Pesticide run off from factory farming and the production of non organic produce which the vast majority of the uk population chose to eat is a far bigger, huge, colossal problem……I can’t actually stress it enough.

I appreciate this thread is about dog poo but as MNs are raising a pollution concern I Wonder how many eco warriors here are vegan and eat only organic produce.

Or is that all OK as long as no one flicks

Oh the irony!

@Elber what I KNOW is that the employee in question was part of a special team sent out to different locations to advise dog owners of the new findings, so I doubt he was misinformed. His advice to me on seeing my dog (and the bag of her poo, which I had in my hand at the time) was that that much poo was not going to make any difference to anything, and it was fine as long as I picked up in car parks and the vicinity of paths. Please lay off the personal comments.

I don't know why you say I still use stick and flick, I haven't done so since that conversation and I haven't said on here that that's what I do.

Yes, I agree, we are destroying our environment.

@MontyDonsBlueScarf You have been given lots of information which clearly states that dog poo is bad for the environment yet you still are refusing to think the rule applies to you and your dog and that your dog shits have no impact in your neck of the woods because they are special in a special way that you are special in a special.

@MontyDonsBlueScarf

It’s pretty clear to see that the advice wasn’t correct because Forestry England are not advocating it now on their online advice.

@Minymile and I think a very significant environmental concern is the damage caused by feeding pets in the first place. Picking up a poo is a pretty simple task - and if we encourage apathy, or ‘it doesn’t matter’ type mentality then that just filters down and the issue gets worse! Of course we should TRY to be more sustainable rather than not bother.

@MontyDonsBlueScarf
think we should pop out and bag up all the cow and sheep poo too. All those chemicals given to non organic bred animals for the uks dinner table. Think the farmers will need some help.

My guess is that what is harmful in a smaller nature reserve may be less harmful in the very much bigger open forest,

You could guess that, or you could go and read the science. Ground water run off? Nitrate imbalances? Multiple types of pathogens?

Agree @Elber
Every little bit helps.
However
Very very few bother when it comes to making real personal sacrifices that cause far far greater harm. ie our food!!!!

well said @Minymile

Given the majority opinion on this MN thread we should be at least 85% vegan and organic food only.

Yet we are only few % ( if that) here in the UK

Right, so because everyone isn’t perfect in all aspects of their lives, dogs should be allowed to shit wherever?

I mean, water companies dump sewage in the sea… so it doesn’t matter if I take a shit on the beach? And instead of bothering to wait for bin/recycling day I’ll just empty my bins in the local pond?

Surely you can see that ‘the world isn’t perfect so why should anyone make an effort?’ is just the fast road to total ruination?!

The problem is most people make no effort if it actually affects them.
Most people know dog poo can be problematic, everyone must surely know eating animals and non organic food does seriously affect our environment.
Looking at MN comments here it seems most people appreciate the former but if you pop over onto the odd thread about eg food ( there was one recently re school meal costs ) there was an utter almost 99% backlash as soon as a MN suggested to cut costs the food should be veggie or vegan.

So looking at where the majority of MN comments stand it’s clear most really aren’t interested in doing anything to help the environment if it involves a perceived sacrifice.

The comment above re picking up cow poo is a case in point. It gets left for long periods of time by farmers and hence leeches into the ground along with all the excreted chemicals that they are given. Non organic Dairy cattle are given chemicals ( banned in other countries ) that increase milk yield and cause breast cancer. So many problems I can’t go into them all

this issue of dog poo and it’s environmental impact isn’t even touching the surface of the wider issue of food production and pollution that hurts our environment and whilst FC have addressed it they have only done so as they, on their own, can do nothing about the food which the majority of the uk population chose to eat.

On a thread like this which is addressing dangers to the environment it is worth mentioning.

Making disparaging remarks about things people do care about, and are willing to put effort into isn’t going to make them feel inclined to also care about things you think are more important.

I appreciate this thread is about dog poo but as MNs are raising a pollution concern I Wonder how many eco warriors here are vegan and eat only organic produce.
**
Or is that all OK as long as no one flicks
**
Oh the irony!

People are bothered about dog poo being picked up, that’s good for the environment. Don’t punish the behaviour you want by talking the piss.

It important to highlight the irony or hypocrisy if it’s more accurate. That’s not taking the p…,
No one on here, however, has or needs to declare their lifestyle choices but perhaps some, at least, will stop and consider the wider issues as a lot are clearly keen to protect what could so easily be lost.

Does anyone posting here buy chicken from a supermarket? I don't, because commercial practices are eco-unfriendly; look at the pollution stats along the Wye valley or walk past a broiler chicken unit in Norfolk. I spend money at my local grazier-butcher, and get smaller amounts of better meat; meat that I know grazed real fields and lived a decent life before it was slaughtered for food. I don't buy supermarket meat.

I do have a dog, and I pick up the poo anywhere that is a regular foot path. I don't walk through livestock pastures ever because I know too many people who have been trampled (some to death) by cows, and because I understand that dogs harrying sheep is a huge problem for pregnant ewes or ewes with lambs and that dog faeces can be abortificeants for cattle. But me walking my dog through a steep sided former mining valley filled with conifers that will be cut down once they hit the right size, without much wildlife ( a few stoats) really is not going to rebalance inter-species balance. Most MNetters won't let their kids walk to school unaccompanied, so they aren't going to let them walk through an area that was intensively mined and is still not well mapped.

I am only salty about people who live in Surbiton opining about wilderness behaviour.

@Minymile is making some extremely valid points.
Dog poo, cow poo, pesticides and chemicals most of which come from the more prolific farming world are all contributing to the loss of our natural environment.

We should all be more aware and think twice about the food we eat and make a simple sacrifice for future generations especially since so many on here clearly have strong concerns.

Definitely. This is way better than putting it in bags. I wonder how long the biodegradable bags take to break down? I have accidentally put one in the washing machine (minus the shit) and it came out completely fine and useable. As long as no one can walk on it, it's better

Absolutely. But changing hearts and minds isn’t achieved by being abrasive, it’s achieved by educating people- and all education is more effective if you meet people where they are.