"I don't pick up my dog's poop"

We received the following anonymous email today - it was simply entitled "I don't pick up my dog's poop".

I like the honesty and it reminds me of the Scottish reader who also admitted to us that he didn't "pick up his dog's turds".

Is anonymous a responsible citizen ? I think not. If we listen to his logic then there is no need for small companies to clean up the toxic waste they produce - after all, most companies do clean up their toxic waste and what does a little amount of toxic waste really matter!!

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Sir,

Mostly, I'm a responsible citizen. I pay my parking tickets, my taxes and my library fines. But for some reason, I just can't bring myself to pick up my dog's poop. 

It just doesn't seem like a very big deal to me; a few turds in the grass by the side of the road doesn't hurt anyone, now does it? If it's right smack in the middle of the pavement, well, yes, that's a different story, but even then... I sometimes don't have a bag with me. 

I know what you're saying to yourself. You're saying, "If everyone thought like you, we'd have giant mountains of dogshit on every corner!" True, but everyone doesn't think like me. 

Most people do pick up their dog's shit, and for that reason, my dog's shit is of little matter. So if you've stepped on some dogshit and you live in the North East, there's a likely chance it came from my dog. 

And I'm sorry... but not that sorry!

--Anonymous 

Reward your man for a job well done.

With tongue firmly in cheek, Greene King IPA's recent national marketing campaign has again shown us how dog fouling has been accepted into everyday life.

The campaign was aimed at "rewarding" men with a proper pint for doing those "arduous" tasks they make such a big deal about. 

Clearing up dog mess from the lawn is one of them ...

Maybe if we gave a pint to all those that picked up after their dog then shit on our streets would become a thing of the past ? 

Only a thought 

:-)

Oooogh my back is killing me ...

Brought to you by the same people that gave us those unique Xmas decorations ...

How to cure a bad back :-)

Ireland - How Does It Stay Afloat?

Personally speaking, I love Ireland, North and South. The people are warm and friendly and the scenery stunning. We all know that Ireland has had a troubled history and we are now moving into an era of peace, which reflects the wonderful nature of the people of the Emerald Isle.

Now that the troubles are behind us, can the various parties and communities unite? While we have no interest in politics, I have to express my pleasure that the political parties appear to be coming together to combat dog fouling. It appears that Ireland is sinking under the weight of excrement flowing in its streets.

We have already seen how Cllr P J McAvoy of the SDLP has hit out at dog fouling in Ballymena. Our article can be seen here. P J's stand made me wonder if this has become a cross party issue in Ireland. I wasn't disappointed, it certainly has evolved as we might have hoped!

As far back as October 2010, Portadown Sinn Fein councillor Brian McKeow was calling for the erection of more dog fouling bins along the Moy, Drumanphy and Derrylettiff roads. Brian surveyed the area and was "surprised at the amount of discarded litter and dog foulings".

For the Ulster Unionist Party, this is very much a current issue. The Londonderry Sentinel reports (on the day of this post) that UUP in Londonderry say they have been contacted in recent days by residents in Newbuildings regarding the on-going problem of dog- fouling in the village. Local Party Vice-chairman Ronnie Mc Keegan, who is also a resident in the area, said this problem must be dealt with once and for all.

The Alliance Party does not want to be left out of this fouling furore. Cllr Tony Hill, North Down: Bangor West, includes on his profile: I support efforts to reduce the level of litter and dog fouling in our streets. Dog owners must be encouraged to clean up after their pets. I welcome impending new legislation which will allow Councils impose stricter controls on offenders.

Lastly, in the North, the DUP will not be left out of the race. Speaking at last Monday night’s monthly meeting of Craigavon Borough Council, DUP Alderman Stephen Moutray described dog fouling as a “deplorable practice”.“Along with Belfast, we are the most pro active council in Northern Ireland when it comes to this issue,” said Alderman Moutray. That is, indeed, good to hear! Article here.

I couldn't end this post without slipping over into the South. Mayo Fine Gael County Councillor Seamus Weir has challenged a person to come up with a device to harness dog fouling similar to the dung catching devices for horses in Killarney. As Seamus puts it, "The public are so annoyed with dog fouling and we as a forum should look to someone to come up with a dog harness to capture the fouling. I would prefer them carrying it than me having to carry it. It might sound silly but if someone comes up with the idea they could make millions". Come on Seamus, if you care so much why haven't you read this blog? These devices were invented long ago. Get with us and get with it!

Signs In Essex - That'll Stop Them!

Many thanks to our Essex followers for bringing the issue of home made signs to our attention. As far back as November 2010, the Friends of Concord Beach were producing their own anti-fouling signs. A good example is shown above. It has to be said that this sign is amusing and might strike a chord with some dog walkers. Article here.

Clearly, the streets of Essex are still running with excrement. Councillors Beverley Davies and Sue Lissimore have taken up the Essex theme of producing their own signs.

I have always held to the view that, if there is an existing model, feel free to borrow it with pride (plagiarise!). Beverley and Sue clearly don't follow this line of thinking as they have come up with a new sign. As you can see below, their home-made sign has all the impact that a mass of words on a piece of paper can have. I really can't imagine anyone taking the time to read it. That said, at least it will give younger dog walkers something, upon which they can practice their graffiti.

The best part of the picture is Sue's dog, which appears to be plaintively looking at Sue saying "mummy, can I please be excused"?

Let's hope that Sue and Beverley are better at politics than they are at sign writing. That said, we thank them for joining the fight.

Article here.