A poet once wrote: “Let every man sweep in front of his own door and the whole world will be clean.” ~The Rotarian, November 1952
Does anybody truly like to pick up dog poop?
Whether it’s from your own dog or from some stranger that happened to squat on your lawn, it’s a nasty job.
There’s the stink, of course. But letting it ripen in the sun seems to stiffen it so the stench isn’t as wicked.
In most cases.
Of course, depending on what the dog ate, or how its digestion processes food, that’s not totally reliable. And some messes are particularly foul-smelling, regardless of time.
Then, there are the flies. Sounds gross, but flies prefer dog feces to lay their eggs on, and those eggs hatch into maggots. Yuck, right? Who wants that on their lawn?
I always carry a couple of dog waste bags when I walk the Monk. Not that he potties every single time, but just in case. Most regular dog walkers seem to do that as well.
But others refuse. And you can see piles of dog poop scattered about wherever you go.
One neighbor apparently is so tired of cleaning up after lazy/stubborn/thoughtless dog owners that he’s placed a sign in his front yard. The sign firmly reminds everyone to clean up after their dog … and he’s even provided FREE doggie waste bags for them to use.
I need to ask him if he’s had any takers. Apparently not, from the look of things.
Fortunately, I don’t live in a high-traffic area, so my yard isn’t a magnet for dogs to squat on. Until recently.
I don’t want to point the finger of blame at anybody (maybe it’s just coincidence), but when a new family moved into my neighborhood — with three dogs and no fence (invisible or otherwise) — that’s when problems started.
These “free spirits” roam at will, dumping a load wherever they please, and nobody says a word. Nor do their humans go behind them with a poop bag.
A spokesperson at City Hall said we have a leash law, but enforcing random squatting is next to impossible. It can be a touchy subject.
How does your community handle this? Any suggestions for me (other than holding my nose with one hand and scooping with the other?)
Musings by an ND Domer's Mom 
Ugh! This is definitely one of my pet peeves. So far the people in this neighborhood seem to respect the poop scooping rules. But I have noticed something that baffles me on some of my walks in the woods. I keep coming across bags with poop in them laying on the side of the trails. As if someone cleans up after their dog, but leaves it there in a bag. At first my husband thought they were planning to pick it up on their way back but some of the bags look like they’ve been there for a while. I just don’t get it…
I don’t get it either, Barbara. If it’s too much “trouble” to scoop the dog’s poop, do they really need a dog to begin with? I suppose many think they’re getting away with something — and perhaps they are since they’re not paying a fine — but are they so unconcerned about the rest of us, who have to live with that mess?
I’m happy to say this isn’t much of a problem in areas I frequent. At my apartment complex, it’s usually a newly moved in resident who takes a little time to get with the “pick it up, please” routine. My complex provides bags in a couple of places, and people tend to walk their dogs at non-residential properties nearby, so it works out. At the marinas, bags are provided, too. In both places, dogs have to be leashed, and that helps. Once in a while a dog gets loose, but it’s very rare.
On the other hand, there’s gold in them thar’ piles of poop! Once a week, my complex has a company come in and pick up anything that’s been missed. Out of curiosity, I looked up poop-scooping companies in our town, and found at least ten. My favorite name? Doody Calls!
Doody Calls?? What a fabulous name, Linda! Very clever — and their marketing person must have a field day designing logos, slogans, and such!
I grouse about the dog poop, but the cat pee is equally annoying. And there’s no way anybody is going to regulate that! I guess that’s the challenge of living in a neighborhood, rather than on 40 acres in the middle of nowhere. But then, you’d have wild animals like coyotes, possums, and the like to fend off. Perhaps if everybody just took a minute to consider others we’d all be better off.
“But others refuse. And you can see piles of dog poop scattered about wherever you go.”
So true, Debbie! I see that a lot in our public parks, even though the city provides free doggie waste bag dispensors, scattered throughout the park areas.
“These “free spirits” roam at will, dumping a load wherever they please, and nobody says a word. Nor do their humans go behind them with a poop bag.”
It’s the same in Philadelphia. They make laws, but then they don’t enforce them. People can do whatever they want here with no pushback.
Even more so than our park, our sidewalks are very often littered with dog poop from people walking their dogs down the streets. It so gross.
I find it amazing that some people have no consciousness about consideration for other people. But then again, I’m not amazed. LOL!
Great post topic, my friend! Have a faaaabulous week!
X to you and the Monk!
You, too, Ron? I’m so sorry to learn so many of my online friends are having exactly the same problem. I’ve had dogs most of my life, but I’ve never seen something this out-of-hand.
It’s especially disgusting when people let their dogs poop on the sidewalks. Don’t they realize their neighbors are walking there? Don’t they care that school kids are biking there? What slobs our culture has become!
Doggie waste bags really aren’t that expensive. But leaving feces around for it to decompose and draw flies can lead to all kinds of health issues (as TD has pointed out below). No police officer wants to be on “waste patrol,” but there’s no point in having a law if it isn’t enforced.
Have a great week! xx
Ugh, no fun! How about getting a trail cam and putting it where the offense is likely to occur? Then you’ll have evidence!
HaHa, that just might work, Eliza … especially since the “offenders” seem to prefer the cover of night to sneak over and do their duty!
Debbie, I think that your neighbor has a generous solution with their yard for pet owners who are out walking their pets, but that won’t solve the issue of those who allow their pets to roam free or the stray animals (Cats or Dogs). Most, not all, people in my neighborhood do carry bags and pickup up their dogs’ poop. No one is following their pet cat to pick up its poop!
Myself, I wondered why homed cats were allowed to roam freely, but not homed dogs. It’s the stray and neighbors’ cat poop that is a problem in my yard. I appear like a wicked witch with a broom and water hose every time I see a violator approaching my property and Yorkie does her job barking at her highest pitch!
Your post sent me with my morning’s coffee to our city website. I learned a few things. It’s not a matter of thoughtful consideration, but rather a sanitation concern as a health hazard issue. This is what I found for Corpus Christi, TX.
“Yes, City ordinance 22.11 requires the owner or person in control of an animal to remove any feces deposited by the animal on public or private property immediately. Animal feces deposited upon on the owner’s private property must be collected and removed daily.“
PET WASTE POLLUTION
“Pet waste left on the ground can be carried by rain or irrigation water into our local creeks and bays, contributing to water pollution. Pet waste contains pathogenic bacteria and parasites that can affect human health. When pet waste is washed into our waterways it decays in the water, which impacts oxygen levels that can be harmful to fish and other aquatic wildlife. It also contains nutrients that increase weed and algae growth.”
“Rats and other rodents, like mice, will be attracted to dog [PET] poop as a food source. Rats can decrease property values and present health concerns to both people and pets, as their urine and feces are known to cause illnesses such as typhus and salmonella.”
“Wildlife and birds eat food that is found outside, like plants, insects, and other wildlife. As they digest they extract some nutrients from these sources, and anything they cannot use leaves their body in feces or urine. This means that native wildlife are using nutrients from their home, and returning any unused nutrients back to their original area. There is no increase or decrease in nutrients between the plants, insects, and other wildlife in the ecosystem. Pet foods that we feed our dogs are designed to be nutritious and healthy. However, the nutrients in the pet food don’t originate from the area where our pets live, so any nutrients found in dog waste increase the amount of nutrients in the environment.”
These are misdemeanors up fines to $1,000 a day.
Are these ordinances enforced or effective, you might wonder?
My answer is unfortunately “No”.
And there are a lot bigger issues in my tiny world than dog and cat pollution. So occasionally, I vent my anger to the actual violators of roaming cats and dogs with a broom and water hose, and allow my annoying barking dog to vent her grievances too. 🙀💦🧹🧹💦🙀This technique, though I appear like the wicked witch is effective! The roamers avoid my property most of the time.
TD, I’m grateful for your thoughtful reply, and I thank you for this information. We, too, have a leash law, but too many people’s dogs roam free (or escape like Houdini!). My son Domer said his apartment complex takes a DNA sample of every dog that moves in. If they find untended poop, they submit a sample to the lab and boom, guilty party is fined. Of course, that probably wouldn’t work in my neighborhood. Sigh.
I know what you mean about becoming the wicked witch with a broom and water hose. I, too, have run off stray cats (and Monkey has a barking fit that he’s left indoors while I’m “having all the fun”!). If people are going to have pets in a residential area, they need to take care of them, NOT send them to the neighbors’ homes to potty. Grrr!
Oh that’s too funny what Domer’s apartment complex does! 🤣 I have never heard of that happening. And no that technique would not be doable in a residential area here either. So here we are… the wicked witches. I am glad that you can see some humor in it.
The Domer says it seems to work well, unless somebody somehow sneaks a dog in without notifying the manager and never has its poop initially tested.
Monkey thinks I do the Witch Thing pretty well — he runs for cover when I get out that broom!!
😂🤣😂
I get tired of so called “privileged” dog owners who never feel the need to pick up after their dog. My method is to ask them if they need a bag. This is usually met with some kind of remark to the tune of “mind your own business.” Well Parvo carried in dog poop is my business. Although our pups are vaccinated against the virus, like covid it can still infect a vaccinated dog. Yes we have a leash law here but enforcement is almost impossible. I wish there was a way to curb the idiots who violate the law.
John, I’m sorry you’re having a similar problem. I hadn’t considered Parvo, but that can be a painful killer. Monk, too, is vaccinated, but there are plenty of selfish dog owners who just don’t bother. Sure, it’s expensive to own a dog, but if you’re going to have one, it seems to me that you have to take care of it. AND its poop!
I agree.
We live in a rural area on a decent amount of acreage, so our dogs have always had free range to roam (and poop). So while I do come across dog poop on my walks, I see other kinds, too, such as coyote.
When we had several dogs living inside (as many as four at a time, including Rottweilers), I did have to scoop the fenced in back yard. I used a bucket and a trowel and dumped it into the woods. Now that it’s just Pat and I no longer have children playing in the back yard, I just let it fertilize the grass. The rare times I’ve had Pat out anywhere, I’ve used the little bags to get it up (and been thankful he’s a Boston Terrier mix rather than a Rottweiler!).
I find myself scooping the back yard daily. It becomes a problem when there are FEET of snow and ice, but any time there’s a thaw, you’ll find me scooping. I think Monk is appreciative, but I’ve yet to train him to point out his leavings! At least he’s better than his predecessor, who had the disgusting habit of chomping down on the frozen morsels. Yuck.
I suppose plenty of farm dogs just “go” where they will, and the owners don’t give a hoot where. It’s different in a city, where other people might come into contact with it. It’s especially nasty to find it in my front yard, where Monk never goes!
We’ve had our share of poo-eaters and I tried every deterrent I could find, to no avail. Thank goodness Pat doesn’t do that! When I lived in town I always followed the rules. What was bad there was the neighbor cat who used my backyard as its litter box. My schnauzer liked to rub his face in it! Gross!
Yes, I can smell cat pee all along my fence line, and it makes me furious!
I am not sure how it’s handled in our town, but I know it is a problem. Certain public areas have been closed off to dogs, which is too bad. But I certainly understand. Back in the day, when I grew up, dogs wandered freely, and it took me a while to get in the swing of picking up dog do. But eventually I got in the swing and always carried plastic bags with me. My daughter, who grew up in the age of leash laws, has always carried bags with her when she walks her dogs.
When I was a kid, we never walked the dog. I guess we assumed he got enough exercise running around in the back yard. Today, we all know exercise is essential — for us AND our dogs — so a daily walk is in order. And carrying bags is more convenient because there are plenty of cute bag carriers (that can also hold your keys and some treats).
I half-jokingly asked the lady at City Hall if I should scoop the offending dog’s poop and carry the bag over to the neighbor’s house — tied up and neat — then leave it in the middle of their driveway. With a straight face, she said she wouldn’t advise that. Probably not the best way to keep peace, huh?!!
No, not the best way. 😉
Although I’m not a dog owner, I imagine this problem is more common than not. We receive group messages from the HOA. I have no doubt that most dog owners here are like not dog owners everywhere … that is responsible, but with a few being the privileged thinking that don’t owe anybody anything. Good look.
As my folks used to tell me, Frank, one bad apple can spoil a whole barrel. One lazy/selfish dog owner, who seems to think his pup’s poop doesn’t need to be scooped, can trash up an entire neighborhood. Not to mention the flies, sanitation issues, etc. Sure, dog feces are “organic,” but we don’t allow people to poop outdoors!
I’m so sorry! We had this problem with our next door neighbors’ dog many years ago. They were the nicest young couple, and their dog was nice too, but they let it poop wherever it wanted to and never cleaned it up. And like your neighbors, everyone just sort of put up with it until they finally moved away. (People tried gentle hints and even “no dog poop” signs, but they didn’t sink in.)
No one likes to pick up dog poop (and as one who walks shelter dogs, i speak from experience because I pick up a lot) but it is the only right thing to do. Maybe wait until it’s dark and then return the poop to the yard from whence it came? Or have a polite word with the neighbors? It’s so hard because you have to live near these people and don’t want to make enemies of them!
That’s the thing, Ann — I don’t want to make enemies of these new neighbors, and honestly, I don’t know for sure that it’s their dogs committing the foul. In the times in which we live, nobody wants to antagonize anybody else!
Now, if I could actually catch the “free spirits” in the act, that’d be a different story. Then, I’d gladly give their owners a fresh scoop-bag and assure them it’s okay to come onto my lawn to clean up after their pets.