To put out a bowl of water for dogs/cats/wildlife at the end of our driveway?

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I really want to put out a bowl of water for the animals. I've seen a few others doing this and it always makes me think "what a lovely thought". We live at the very edge of a popular hiking trail where lots of people walk dogs and I think it would be appreciated.

However - I have this nagging question "what if someone poisons the water, then everyone thinks you have done it".

People can be sick, i dont want white spirit pouted into the bowl, then to be accused of doing this myself. It's putting me off the idea of doing this nice thing.

YABU - loads of people put out water, you'll be fine
YANBU - its a justifiable concerns; dont do it!

My dog does this too. He is also a dick.

So can cat owners

I have many bowls of water out for wildlife all year round, indeed I have long flat wooden sticks in mine so that wasps and other insects can easily escape. 2 days ago I cleaned one out that one of my cats uses as it was starting to get manky, and filled with fresh well water, cleaned the flat piece of wood that the wasps use to sit on to get a drink and yesteday, I dipped my finger in it to see how hot it was and one of the wasps who is obviously terrritorial bloody stung me! I was only checking it wasn't too hot for them all. Little bugger.

What? Animals lick each other’s arses. They are not going to be fastidious about sharing water bowls ffs.

Peak hygiene neurosis.

We've had people leaving spiked boards covered in leaves, and barbed wire strung at neck height on bridleways. There was a mountain biker nearly decapitated and horses severely injured (along with their riders who got thrown).

There are some right nasty bastards out there.

I'm fairly cavalier about germs (I'll let my own dogs drink out of rivers and lakes though they're vaccinated against lepto and I try to stay away from places where there's a lot of waterfowl poo) but I tell my clients to bring their own water and collapsible bowls and not let their dogs drink out of communal bowls and I don't let mine do this either. All I see is a bowlful of kennel cough. There was a particularly bad outbreak of kennel cough where I worked a few years ago, the dogs were much sicker than they usually are and we nearly lost a couple of pugs. That, in combo with the heatstroke dogs is not a good mix.

You are paranoid. Also animal can smell poison they wouldn’t drink it. Also no one would do that. Please put the water out.

Have you sought any kind of help?

It must be tough to live with paranoia.

Peak hygiene neurosis.

And peak Mumsnet! 🤣

I wouldn’t worry about dog walkers - for one its far to hot to be walking a dog, and I wouldn't let mine drink from random places.
However for wildlife it’s a great idea - a shallow container that nothing can drown or get stuck in is ideal. Something like a shallow seed tray rather than a deeper bowl, and be prepared to keep it full all summer if you start it as they will come to rely on it. Put it in a quiet spot near a hedge for predator cover. We keep a wallow filled with water all year round and get swallows, swifts, house matins, wag tails, blackbirds, sparrows, gold finches, pigeons, hedgehogs, hares, rabbits, muntjacs and an occasional Labrador (ours!) using it.

Dog ownership has truly jumped the shark.

My cocker would never drink from a shared bowl. It is thoughtful that they are provided but my boy turns his nose up. Can’t say I blame him. He got a brilliant dog water bottle for Christmas. Loves it.

My neighbour leaves a bowl of water out along with a container full of water so it can be topped up if its dry. Its in the shade of her driveway entrance next to the pavement.

Often see dogs drinking out of it.

My Bedlington won't drink out of any of the bowls people kindly provide around town, either. She will, however, drink horrible, dirty water out of plant pots.

I have a bunch of shallow hedgehog dishes, and they're great for providing food and water for wildlife, but you do need to fill them up quite often this time of year.

I don’t let my dogs drink from public water bowls, kennel cough is spread that way. I bring my own water

Honestly I wouldn't overthink this, do it.
I've got a big bowl of water on my patio which is mainly used by next door's cats and others. I also have a water bowl at the front near the hedge for the hedgehogs. The poor animals in this heat 😩