Why Won't Dog Owners Clean Up After Their Dogs in Public Places?
@bagarad (14283)
Paso Robles, California
December 18, 2016 2:37am CST
I spent over an hour yesterday cleaning a pair of athletic shoes because someone did not clean up after their dog at the park. We've had rain and the grass is growing again. It's pretty high now. High enough to cover up what doggies have done. So I was chasing photos as usual, and I must have stepped in some of it.
There are signs all over the park asking people to clean up after their dogs. They even supply bags. But people just don't seem to care that the five minutes or less they save by not cleaning up the mess means someone else will have to spend an hour cleaning shoes.
When I thought to take the picture I had already used the screwdriver to try to clean one shoe. It was worse than the one I haven't started on yet. These shoes have all kinds of little cracks that fill up. First I used the screwdriver. Then I used a toothbrush and Pinesol, but the brush wasn't stiff enough. Then I tried the toilet brush and Pinesol, which was better. In the process, the brush holder came apart and now I must buy a new one if my Hubby can't figure out how to get the two parts back together. I couldn't.
Yesterday was very busy, and I really didn't need this. That is one reason I needed that special sunset (which I shared in another post) to regain my perspective. I'm quite sure by next week I will have forgotten all about this.
Has anything unusual happened to you this week?
9 people like this
11 responses
@Morleyhunt (21737)
• Canada
18 Dec 16
That was one of my pet peeves when I lived in town. We have a dog.....if for some reason I forgot/ran out of poop bags....I went back to clean up her mess.
3 people like this
@Morleyhunt (21737)
• Canada
18 Dec 16
@Mike197602 I've met too many. I've stepped in what their dog has left behind. I wasn't amused.
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
18 Dec 16
because you are a responsible owner and not lazy...many people are neither
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
18 Dec 16
I wish more dog owners were like you. Probably most are. We remember most those who aren't because we stop in what their dogs leave behind. If caught, instead of paying a fine, they should have all their shoes pressed against doggy poo so they can remember how the clean-up feels.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
18 Dec 16
I've never heard of this happening here. Most rules about dogs in parks in this city aren't enforced, including the one about dogs being on leashes. I've not heard of anyone being fined yet. I'm pretty sure they haven't tested for doggy DNA.
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
18 Dec 16
@LadyDuck They are fined £80 here too.
2 people like this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16518)
• China
18 Dec 16
It was an annoying thing! Now that the dog owners ignore the signs,can't the park managing department ban them from walking their dogs in the park?
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16518)
• China
19 Dec 16
@bagarad It is a matter of conscience!The park managing department might as well install cameras to see who on earth are doing it,then let it be exposed.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
19 Dec 16
@changjiangzhibin89 They don't have the money. They are spending it all on a new ball field and parking lot.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
18 Dec 16
In this town, there would be a lot of protests. At least half the people own dogs and think they should be able to walk them in parks.We do have designated dog parks, but most dog owners want to walk their dogs in their own neighborhoods.
@Bluedoll (16774)
• Canada
18 Dec 16
@bagarad hopefully some of the protesters would be able to show that they are responsible dog owners that pick up after them. I've found many are but some are well shouldn't have one. I shouldn't talk however if you came into my home you might find a bird having accidents but I do clean it up.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
18 Dec 16
If they are your friends, they are probably responsible dog owners. Most are. But some are like the lady I have often seen letting her dog do his business in my corner flowerbed. Once I saw them approaching when I was in the yard and they were slowing down. I asked her to please keep her dog out of the flowerbed. She said she never lets her dog into flowerbeds. I saw them out the window in the flowerbed a few minutes after I went back in the house.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
18 Dec 16
Because so many people are careless and thoughtless and should not be pet owners.
2 people like this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
18 Dec 16
Maybe they should have their dog licenses suspended until they have spent a day cleaning up a local park of you-know-what.
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
20 Dec 16
I haven't stepped in doggy-doo in a long time but then I haven't been in a park in a long time. My grand-dogs when they visit use our yard all but one does anyway, and the humans who own them do know where the shovel is... Because we live on a steep ravine, the doggy-do its thrown over the bank. The all but one is my grand-dog Zuzu who is a well trained country living dog...she will step down about 15 feet in the ravine and leave her business there...what a good girl.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
20 Dec 16
I'm afraid some dog owners who walk their dogs in the riverbed, accessed from the park, let their dogs do their business there. We get some drinking water from the river. Of course, other people walk the riverbed, too, including me. Wild animals also do their business there -- rabbits being the most obvious. I've never seen deer there, for some reason, since they are in surrounding areas. I guess that's why the city has water treatment plants -- to get contamination from any source out.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
20 Dec 16
@bagarad I think our doggie poo is just turned into dirt mixed in with leaves and mother nature's bounty. There is a stream at the bottom but far enough from my bank to not pollute. We only see water in it when it rains and it ends up in Lake Ontario.
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
18 Dec 16
owners don't clean up after their dogs because they are lazy...it's as simple as that.
Here if you don't clean up dog mess you are fined.
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
18 Dec 16
@bagarad there are people to enforce the fines.
They also give littering tickets.
1 person likes this
