To think the time has come for zero tolerance over letting your dog sh*t on the pavement!!!

[myredcardigan]

I've just spent half an hour scrubbing dog shit off the wheels of the pushchair and from the soles of DD1's trainers.

I've had enough of this happening regularly on the path that leads past school and into the park. It's difficult to always avoid when you've got a 5yr old, a 2yr old and baby in the buggy.

I just think it's unbelievably inconsiderate and something needs to be done. String 'em up I say!

A friend told me that a friend of hers (a man) was in the park one day with his toddler daughter, and another dad.

A man came by with a dog, the dog crapped and the owner ignored it. The father then called to the owner that the dog had pooed, and he should clear it up. Owner just walked away, so the father picked up the poo with a bag, and smeared it over the back of the owner's coat, saying that this is what would happen to some kid if they fell over in it.

Apparently, owner was so shocked he did nothing (and believe me I would not advocate this kind of direct action where I live - you would be at risk of getting stabbed).

I once very politely pointed out to a man that his dog (which was behind him) had crapped, and it was a health hazard. Man told me i was in danger of getting a slap. I am 5 foot 3 and he was over 6 foot. I laughed and said "are you actually threatening me" (I was v. scared). I would not do this again as I think by definition anyone who lets their dog do this does not give a shit (pardon the pun).

My observation is that middle aged women pick it up (I suspect that I am middle aged...) but others don't. Most of the other dog walkers near me are men in greige clothing and teenagers. And I wish they all would, as poopscooping doesn't make a family's shoes immune from walking in it.

There is also someone round here who takes the trouble to pick it up in little bags, but then just leaves the bags lying around (der !!!)

Kimi - please don't harm the dog - its not the dogs fault

screaming, this reminds me of a day when i was walking my dog at the local woods. You know, a forrest, full of foxes no doubt crapping everywhere. There are dog shit bins, but i never pick my dogs poo up in the woods. If he poos on the path i pick it up and throw it into the trees, but never had to do this because most dogs prefer to poo in the bushes anyway. But one day, the bin was overloaded with bags of poo and there were poo bags piled up around the bin, tied to the fence !!! Some people take their responsibilities a little too far! And the people who leave the poo bags dangling in the trees at the woods too - WHY?????

lemagain why indeed?!?

Some people walk their dogs through the park outside my house, pick up their dog's poop, tie it to a tree (in a bag, obviously, tying poop to a tree would be tricky at best and nigh on impossible and messy at worst), continue their walk (which generally comes back past the tree) and pick up the bag on their way back- so they don't have to carry it with them I guess.

I have 3 mutts and pick up every goddamn crap they do. I also ask others to do the same- even offering bags when I am feeling brave.

Female, not yet middle-aged but feel like it most days.

silentbob I have tried giving people the benefit of the doubt. Hoping they're coming back for it, they've forgotten and will pick it up tomorrow. But no. It's always there a week or three later... sigh

I too have spent the morning hosing off dog shit off my p&t wheels . I had a freak sneezing fit on my way home from dropping the boys at nursery and didn't spot it in time .

I am just grateful my wheels are quick release so I could ditch them in the garden to be jet washed without having to bring the whole buggy through the house caked in poo.

People are sooo inconsiderate, there is loads of poo around here at the moment - it is like they see one person hasn't cleaned up their dogs mess and so think it is OK to leave theirs too.

I like dogs and am consideringgetting one. But I am utterly beside myself over the amount of shit on the pavements near us.
I am almost considering prowling the streets morning and evening to catch the offenders, just so I can go and shove it through their letterboxes with a ''I think you dropped this'' note...

To be fair, there WAS more poo around when I was a child, and there weren't the laws there are now.

BUT it wasn't so unpleasant because it used to turn white in the sun (Ah I remember the Summer of '76 white poo in the baking sun)

I agree, I have 2 dogs and ALWAYS take bags out to clear up after them. We do have very good disposable bins that helps encourage people but they don't empty them as often as they should so they overflow.

It really annoys me that other dog ownser don't pick up, it's disgusting round here. My ds can't go on th grass verges as there is so much dog mess. I am not pious at all but know that I can't go out with 2 dogs (1 large who does them most amazingly large piles of Shi*te you could ever see but I digress...) without at least 3/4 nappy sacks.

Lol at molly, I think you would have to be very committed to follow that plan through

I was thinking a poster campaign on street lights and telegraph poles with catchy slogans written by the local school children..."Please clean up your dog's shit, I don't like it on my shoes, not one little bit"

btw I am not middle aged (that's the second time I've said that this week -wierd)

screaming ah when dogs were given proper bones (and there was the butchers to get them from) instead of designer dental "snax"

Tattifer Oh, I quite agree- there are very few who come back for the damn stuff. The park warden here ends up collecting them all up. Poor bloke.

muppetgirl I hear ya! I have 2 gigantadogs who manage at least 4 damn piles on 1 ealk. Why do they do that? The microdog is just as bad- she is off the lead and always fooks off to the other side of the park to do hers in private, so I ave to chase around after her, dodging every bugger else's damn poop on the way! I have to take a whole roll of sandwich bags with me!

walk not ealk. I is a stoopid.

I think laminated posters made by the kids may be a good idea actually.

tattifer too right. When we could play in the streets .....

I might get my boys on the case to make some posters
Maybe talk to the school as well......

YANBU. This annoys me no end as we often pass several loads of it on our 5-minute walk to school!

Mind you, I began a sound working relationship with a local drugs dealer based on me telling him to clean up after his big status symbol dog. He said he didn't have a bag so I whipped one out of my uniform pocket and presented it to him. We've never looked back...

I have just been researching how dangerous dog poo is (because a house my DP have been considering to buy has loads of dog sh*t in the garden) and have read that the Toxocara eggs (the worm which affect 90% of puppies and 50% of adult dogs and which can infect humans) can remain viable in the soil for up to 10 years!!! And someone has just allowed their dog to leave a big steaming pile on my front lawn - am furious

totally agree with all who wish to do nasty things to people who let their dogs crap everywhere. also can't abide people putting their dog poo bags in my bin when it is out awaiting collection though I know that isn't logical.

But the dogs are nothing compared to the horses that shit on the bike lane where it stays for weeks and weeks decomposing and this is just by a school too. nearly made 'shovel your shit' signs but thought the parents passong by with their kids might object

ohmeohmy Living in London I see horseshit as something wholesome, rustic and fragrant