Thursday, December 29, 2011

Starting the Day

Sometimes, with life being so pressured, we don't have time to eat breakfast and walk the dog!


That problem is now over!


Just follow the example of this young lady, who walks the dog, eats breakfast and clears up after the dog all in one go.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Scotland Again - What is Happening?



Since highlighting the FOI requests made by Emma Horrell, Dog Fouling and Red Rubber Bands HQ has received a number of communications regarding Scotland. I hope to blog about them later.

One deserves particular mention and that is a communication relating to night time dog fouling. The Shetland News, where the truth is great and prevails, informs us that a poster campaign has been launched in Lerwick. Instances of dog fouling have increased by 60% in some neighbourhoods compared to the light summer evenings. I am really curious to know how this has been measured. Is it measured by reports to the council, by the observations of enforcement officers or the activity of carpet cleaning companies? I don't know.



I do know that a meaningful poster campaign has been launched. This is very important. Clearly, there are those, who believe that dog fouling has less effect in the dark. Could this be why the problem appears to be so prominent in Scotland? Scotland has more hours of darkness than its Southern neighbours. Perhaps there is an unspoken feeling of safety in the dark and an attitude that what you can't see can't harm you? I could understand this to be the case as, frankly, you could virtually slide to my village pub in the evenings!

I think the poster says it all and I will do no more than leave you with its words and picture of wisdom. I love the spotlight theme - floodlight those faeces!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Dog Poo Christmas Ornaments and Gifts




On Christmas morning, what better than to feast our eyes on a series of ornaments and gifts, which help us to celebrate Christmas with our favourite substance - dog excrement.


We start with "Yule Doos", a frosted tree ornament. I love the strap line "When a Tinkle's Not Enough"! I can just imagine a Christmas tree overflowing with these representations of dog waste.







Then we have a (thankfully) unscented dog poo candle. Imagine these around the table on Christmas morning!





But my favourite has to be "Chocolate Doo Drops". Quite frankly, I can taste them as I type this post!

Whatever your chosen favourite, have a very happy Christmas and don't forget... there is no amnesty during the holiday period! If your dog produces some festive fouling then you must still engage in a Christmas clear up!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Hot Babes II

Remember the post detailing how hot girls were forced to wear skimpy bikini's to advertise a new type of poo bag?

Well the advertisers have jumped on this selling point again and used another hot girl in their campaign, this time to advertise Catch-A-Poop.

I think they have made a mistake using her in their advert though, as I didn't even notice that she was carrying a 5ft long pole with a luminous yellow plastic bag stuck to the end of it!



PS: Who is Joey Villani, Celebrity Pet Grooming Judge, A.K.A The Dog Father anyway ??????

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Drumchapel Housing Co-operative - Mutt Shots!




Once again, we are back in Scotland. Drumchapel Housing Co-operative has come to the attention of the Clydebank Post.



What can possibly be the cause of this interest. Yes, you guessed it, dog fouling!

With a clever play on words, the campaign is described as "mutt shots". Those of you, who are familiar with law enforcement programmes from the US will instantly think of "mug shots". You would be quite right to do so!

As the Clydebank Post explains; Drumchapel Housing Co-op holds a photographic register of their tenants' pets as well as details of the name, age, breed, colour, sex and a written description of each animal.

This enables housing officers to identify the owners of pets in the event of antisocial behaviour such as continual barking, dog fouling or aggression towards other animals or humans.

The landlord currently has 150 animals on file and owners responsible for antisocial behaviour, such as dog fouling, are in breach of their tenancy agreement.

They will receive a fixed penalty notice and ultimately risk losing their homes if they fail to clean up their act.

That said, the Daily Record sees it differently. It explains that the measure has been brought in because pet detectives in Glasgow find it hard in the winter months to identify owners covered up with scarves and hats.

This seems a more likely explanation as CCTV is used to identify owners, who do not clear up. CCTV has been a much debated issue on this blog but it appears that Scotland is taking a much harder line in this area. City council leader Gordon Matheson (right) said: "Pet registers, ssuch as the one compiled by Drumchapel Housing Cooperative, are very useful for establishing the identity of the owners of animals involved in anti-social behaviour". This is welcome support from the council leader but I note that he makes no observations about the use of CCTV. Does this mean anything? I don't know. I do know that Rani Dhir MBE (left), who is a director of Drumchapel Housing states; "We have been encouraging our tenants to report any antisocial behaviour involving dogs which may have been fouling or causing a nuisance. We intend to follow up their reports where we have good evidence. We also recognise that there are many responsible dog owners who have registered their dogs, take them out only on a leash and clean up after them - they need have no concerns that their pets will be a target."Does Rani approve of the use of CCTV? Again, I don't know. Rani is, however, a member of the Commission on Scottish Devolution. I have no idea what the findings of the Commission will be. Indeed, here at Dog Fouling and Red Rubber Bandsm we eschew party politics of any kind. We can, however, observe that, whether Scotland becomes independent or not, there will be no room for hiding if you let your dog foul the streets or parks.
Personally, I can't wait for the first identification parade to take place!

Marie Hannigan is also Scottish and works in communities and housing. She has a personal dream that we will be able to recycle dog poo. Although she offers no solution, it is worth hearing her express her heartfelt desire!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Ryedale District Council - How Successful Are You?



In April 2011, Ryedale District Council launched a campaign against the blight of dog fouling. A lynch pin of this operation was Dog Warden Brian Dunn (pictured right). The "grass them up" theme was prominent in this campaign, which encouraged local people to pass information to Brian regarding the identities of those, who allow their dogs to foul public areas without cleaning up.






The poster shown to the right was a leading instrument in this revived campaign. You might agree with me that this is very welcome action and we are all behind Brian (clearly a dog lover!) in the relentless battle to keep our streets and parks clean.

Things, however, are not always as clear cut as they seem. The Malton and Pickering Mercury reports that a second ticket has been issued, by Brian, for an offence of dog fouling.

The question we must answer is; "is this a triumph"?

Let's face it, two tickets in nine months can hardly be described as a deluge! Inspector Tim Hutchinson (left), head of Ryedale Police said: “Dog fouling can be tackled by the whole community working together. Some dog owners think they can get away with not picking up after their pet if a dog warden is not around.But as more and more people come forward to report dog fouling offences, irresponsible dog owners may start to think twice about their actions.” Come on, Tim! Two tickets hardly implies that the community is behind this effort! Or is it that dog fouling has ceased to occur in Ryedale? I think not!

Yet another dilemma. The community complains but the community fails to act!

I can only leave you to read the article here.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Finally Someone Says It!





Our thanks must now go to "Your Local Guardian". A recent report highlights the fact that children at Culvers House Primary School are having to campaign to prevent selfish owners from allowing their dogs to foul public areas around the school. I think it goes without saying that we support this campaign and also that this is all too familiar an occurrence within the British Isles.


Councillor Colin Hall has pitched in and stated as follows: "There’s no excuse for leaving dog mess littering public areas. Most owners are responsible and pick up after their pets, but there’s a small minority who still let their animals use our parks and pavements as a sewer". These are strong and very welcome words but Your Local Guardian has gone that step further and said words, which we have always felt:




"Dog Fouling is a Crime.


Thank goodness the campaign has now achieved this level of recognition!


Sunday, December 11, 2011

Last minute Christmas gift

You know what its like ... you are busy at work and you just can't seem to find the time to do any Xmas shopping. The days are slipping by and still you haven't bought anything for your loved ones ...

Well fret no more. Let Dog Fouling and Red Rubber Bands take the stress out of your Xmas shopping. We have put together a selection of popular gifts and stocking fillers all with a dog shit theme!

Lets go straight for this years "must have" toy - Doggie Doo - the adorable pooing dachshund!!


The Doggie Doo game gives players a chance to scoop up as many plasticine Dachshund dog faeces as possible in order to win.

The dice game, from manufacturer John Adams, retails for up to £24 with some experts hotly tipping the game to be the UK's No1 best seller this Xmas. Dog faeces is set to become a socially acceptable form of family fun!



Next up is Plop Trumps.

Yes I know we have featured this on the blog before, but its a gift for all ages and is still available for only £5.99, online or in some souvenir shops. 

I saw it for sale in Covent Garden last week - so grab a packet today and watch your kids' eyes light up when you get them to play with shit after their Xmas lunch!


For  only £1.28 you can get your hands on a very realistic rubber dog poo that will have your granny recoiling in horror at the sight of it on her dinner plate.

Grab your camera and be prepared to capture the true essence of Xmas.













I hope this gives you a few ideas - have a Merry "dog shit free" Christmas.

:-)

Saturday, December 10, 2011

CCTV - This Time A Dilemma

The issue of CCTV has been raised on this blog before. For an example, see here.

This example is, however, a little unusual and raises the serious question of whether or not the actions of the lady in the video were correct.

The Lady clearly understands the "bag it, bin it" message. This is clearly a good thing and we should all be grateful for that. But there is an issue regarding standing by while your dog fouls somebody's front garden. Should the dog have been better trained? Should the lady have thrust a bag under the dog before the garden was fouled? Is trespassing justified for the purpose of clearing up dog excrement?

I don't claim to have the answers. I do know that my neighbour's dog had escaped today and it came into the road to greet me. I took it home. Was I trespassing?

Lastly, I remember Nena and her 99 Red balloons. What on earth has that record got to do with dog fouling?

After you have seen the video, I will leave you to answer the questions posed above.

Devon County Council - Grass Them Up!

Councillor Rodney Cann of Devon County Council has dipped his toe into the difficult arena of dog fouling.


Councillor Cann


Councillor Cann has hit upon a great idea; through the council, he is asking residents to give details of offenders to the authorities so that action can be taken. "If anyone has any information about irresponsible owners, we want to know about it so we can hold them accountable." I think Rodney has hit the nail on the head here. I would also like to suggest a strap line for this campaign. Rodney, you are free to use it!


They Foul Up The Grass - You Grass Them Up!


Recently we were in Scotland, now we are in Devon. This is truly a problem, which affects us from end to end of the British Isles.

Full article here.

Monday, December 05, 2011

Dog Fouling 'Out of Control' in West Fife....



So reports Gary Fitzpatrick of the Dunfermline press.

Feelings are running high in Kelty. Resident Alex Rowley calls for "a war of action". He further advocates that Kelty should "use surveillance cameras to gain the evidence to take the action needed and we should be prosecuting those responsible".

As our readers and followers will be aware, we have featured CCTV on this site before. A good example can be seen here.

This has caused a reaction from MSP and West Fife villages SNP councillor Bill Walker, who agrees that dog fouling is an "appalling problem" but believes that has always been the case - even when Labour ran the council. Thus we see politics once again intertwined with the issue of dog fouling.

Strange that Danny Kushlick polled so little at the last election!

What can I say? When I see this and look at many of the posts on this blog, I form the view that Scotland seems to have dog fouling issues from coast to coast. What do you think? You can leave your views with the Dunfermline press here.

I have commented and I thank them for joining us in this ceaseless campaign for the eradication of crime!

Sunday, December 04, 2011

88horatio - A Lover of Fine Food?

88horatio appears to be new to the concept of internet campaigning but he has come straight in at the deep end!

We have often spoken out against the concept of hanging dog poo bags from trees. 88horatio shares our view. That said, he goes in what I consider to be a very strange direction. Having spotted a bag of excrement hanging from a tree he declares "stinking stuff.........you might as well eat it...."

I can't really get my head around that concept. I have published a picture on this blog that I took in my home village here. It shows bags of poo hanging around an overflowing bin. While I experienced disgust (and no small gag reflex!), I felt no desire to consume the various items! It just goes to show how the whole issue of dog fouling can affect your reasoning process.

Thank goodness I have remained stable!

Friday, December 02, 2011

Liam Boss - 8 Year Old Campaigner!



Liam is 8 and is fed up with finding dog excrement in playing fields. He has a solution - ban dogs from all children's parks!

Liam puts dog excrement forward as the reason why England can no longer produce football players, who are good enough to win the world cup.

He has even produced a video to this effect!



We are truly lucky that Liam has neither overreacted nor overstated his case!

Read his full argument (and listen to his radio broadcast!) here.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Denny Johnston Sings Our Tune!

Music as a medium has frequently featured here.

There's not much I can really say about this song.

I can only say that all of us who have ever trodden in a pile and then got into a car can relate to this.

I can tell you now, I have experienced this very event!

Enjoy the song!

Friday, November 25, 2011

Emma Horrell - We Salute You!



The Freedom of Information Act(FOIA) has registered here before. Previously, it was about red rubber bands, see here and here.

Now, it rears its head in the guise of an enquiry re dog fouling. Just as things had gone a little quiet and it looked as if the national, nay worldwide, campaign might be faltering, Emma Horrell in Scotland restores our faith in this bitter fight.

Emma made an FOIA request of the council as follows:

Dear Highland Council,

Would the most recent data collected about dog fouling complaints in Highland Council indicate that dog fouling falls into the top 5 or top 10 areas complained about to Highland Council?

Yours faithfully,

Emma Horrell

The request can be seen here.

The response is difficult to interpret. The council reply can be seen here. As the response indicates, of the 2,354 complaints received in a 12 month period, dog fouling does not feature (unless it is one of the 8 "anti-social behaviour" complaints but I fear it is not).

This raises some serious questions. Has Highland Council implemented measures, which have eradicated dog fouling? If this is the case, then their good practice should be shared across the nation (or even the world!).

Is it that dog owners in Highland Council area have adopted some of the measures suggested on this blog (e.g. have they all fitted their dogs with pootraps?), or is it that Highland Council area is so awash that everyone has given up complaining?

I cannot answer this but Emma can. Therefore, Emma, please post here and tell us what prompted your enquiry? Have you any videos or pictures, which we could use on this blog?

I must also observe that Emma hasn't confined her efforts to one council, she has hit a good number with her invasive approach to fighting this menace. Other councils have responded and dog fouling is much higher in, for example, West Dumbartonshire, where it is in the top 5.

I urge everyone to have a good look through Emma's requests and the replies here.

Emma, we are with you! We have waited so long to meet someone like you, who has our campaign at heart! We await your early contact!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Thieving Piece of Excrement (In All Senses!)

Firstly, my thanks go to one of our followers, whom I will identify as "Paul", for alerting me to this event.

It appears that a new anti-theft device has inadvertently been discovered by a pensioner in Worthing. As we know, Worthing has a large, elder population. This could, therefore, catch on as a tactic.

It would appear that an elderly lady was walking her dog when a youth rode past on his bike and snatched the bag, which she was carrying. What the youth had failed to realise was that the lady is a responsible citizen and was carrying a bag of dog poo to the nearest bin.

The thieving piece of excrement did no more than thieve a piece of excrement! Divine justice!

Our thanks go to The Argus for this article.

Thinking of divine retribution got me looking around for related topics. I was interested to find the following article in the Guardian. It appears that some Franciscan friars in Tuscany at the 15th century church of San Salvatore al Monte are fed up with crime. It all went too far when a rare and expensive bible disappeared from the lectern. They discovered a unique solution.

They have offered prayers for the thief to be visited with a bout of diarrhoea (although they use a different word, such is their anger!).

When thinking of the thief in Worthing I can only observe "amen to that!" Article here.

Sunday, November 06, 2011

Bourkest1 - Has Dog Fouling Affected Your Life?

Bourkest1 has featured on this site before, see here.

While we here at Dog Fouling and Red Rubber Bands HQ salute this kindred campaigner, we have to ask if, perhaps, dog fouling has had a seriously adverse effect on the life of Bourkest1?

I don't know but certainly pay tribute to him (or her?) for the following, hard hitting videos!






Sunday, October 30, 2011

Dog Excrement - Would You Eat Lunch Off It?

Well, that's exactly what they are doing in Central Park, New York! This TV report suggests that the policy of "bag it and bin it" does have a downside. Let's face it, when a dog decides to leave a steaming pile on the grass, it would not be possible to pick up every last trace of it.

This is the very point of this report by "My Fox New York". After all, in a city, which had 536 murders in 2010, it is only logical that cameras should focus on where a dog has paid a visit!

Is this kind of reality TV a good thing? Well, in a democracy, we could argue that we should all be given as much information as possible about all things. In principle, I might agree with this. That said, on this topic, I would prefer ignorance. After all, if I'd just consumed a lunch laced with bacteria from dog faeces, I might prefer not to know! Enjoy the spectacle!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Buenos Aires - The Problem Continues

Our avid and long time followers will remember that Argentina featured on this blog well over two years ago. If you cannot remember, have a look here.

Clearly the problem hasn't gone away. Here, we see a resident in a Buenos Aires street remonstrating with a young man, who has allowed his dog to foul the pavement and has walked on without making any attempt to clean up.

All things being equal, I probably wouldn't have troubled you with this information. After all, what is unusual about an argument over dog fouling? While we all would answer "nothing", there is an aggravating factor to this incident.

If somebody remonstrated with a visitor, who allowed his dog to foul my street, I would thank him. I certainly wouldn't throw a bucket of water over him. What is this world coming to?

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Clint Cora - A Dog Training Visionary!

This is simplicity itself!

Don't worry about picking up, get the dog to use a bag in the first instance!

I can't really say much more other than to wonder how this might work with a great dane!


Saturday, October 08, 2011

Super Vaclav - Going Viral from the Czech Republic!



As we have seen many times on this site, dog fouling is an international problem. Clearly, the parks and streets of the Czech Republic are flowing with dog waste. What can be done about the problem? Well, the answer appears to be "Super Václav". This masked superhero has decided to clean up his country, and who would be critical of him for that?

Václav is, in fact, a fellow blogger. Albeit that his blog is in his native language, you will find that "Google translator" helps us to see his world. Step into that world here.

I am particularly impressed at his planing, he has two views of his activity, one from a witness and one from a headcam. This gives a unique and valuable perspective, particularly for the dog walker, upon whom he smeared dog faeces. Unfortunately, there is no account of how the chase ends. I assume he got away. Let's hope so! In real life, there are no superheroes, who are immune from injury!


Anyway, sit back and enjoy the chase from both angles!


Wednesday, October 05, 2011

If Music be the Food of Love....

.....Play On!

Shakespeare could not possibly have envisaged that music could ever be linked to dog fouling. Indeed, in old Willie's day, the streets were flowing with human waste. How I envy those people! I frequently feel the urge to rip my toilet off the wall and pour the contents into the street. I regard this as a viable alternative to flushing and it saves water! That said, this blog is not here to enable me to talk about my personal feelings, even though I really cannot control my desire to write about damage and toilets (sorry, went there again!).

Returning to the music theme, I can do no more than express my admiration for bourkest1, who has produced a veritable feast of musical enlightenment and all in the cause of combating the menace of dog fouling. Clearly, Australia has not escaped this plague of excrement!

As I played these videos I wept as I'm sure many have done when touched by a powerful combination of music and emotion!

Watch these videos and try to control yourselves!




Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Bag It and Bin It in Medway



Medway council has joined the video age, as have so many others, to combat dog fouling.

There's not a lot I can say about this. I am blown away by the assertion that "your dog can't do it but you can".

It's always interesting to see new techniques being developed. Here, we see an attempt to make the film look old. I have to ask "why"? What has the age of the film got to do with it? I also feel that a serious, veterinary issue has been ignored. If my dog made that kind of noise when defecating, I would seek urgent, medical assistance!

Please enjoy!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Anger Management

Yes, it makes us all angry. How do you manage your anger?

Well, this kindred spirit manages it by producing a cartoon video related to this most concerning of subjects.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Talking Dog Poo

If only dog poop could talk to us, just like in this video - just think of all the interesting things they could tell us.

Enjoy :-)

Sunday, September 04, 2011

Dog Fouling - Exploding The Myths of Ancient Egypt!

The ancient Egyptians had some amazing views of the cosmos and creation in general. It appears that their priests were able to enter an alternative world. Indeed, this led to the compilation of the Book of the Dead. The negative confession from the Book of the Dead is even argued to be the prototype for the Ten Commandments - remember, the Israelites came out of Egypt!

As you can tell, I am fascinated by all of this. One of the most striking beliefs of the ancient Egyptians was that, which relates to the scarab (or dung) beetle. The scarab was linked to Khepri ("he who has come into being"), the god of the rising sun. The ancient Egyptians believed that the dung beetle was only male in gender and reproduced by depositing semen into a dung ball. The supposed self-creation of the beetle resembles that of Khepri, who creates himself out of nothing. Moreover, the dung ball rolled by a dung beetle resembles the sun. The ancient Egyptians believed that Khepri renewed the sun every day before rolling it above the horizon, then carried it through the other world after sunset, only to renew it, again, the next day.

How sad then that all this should be shattered by a single dung beetle in modern times. This allegedly strong and capable creature fails miserably to transport a lump of dog poo home.

What is the point of being a dung beetle if you can't transport dung? Frankly, if this beetle worked for me, it would get a written warning!

Thursday, September 01, 2011

Do You Do The Lottery?

Can I suggest that you take your dog to Taiwan! It would appear that the streets of the capital, Taipei City, are awash. The government appears to be somewhat enlightened as it has opted for the "persuade" rather than "compel" option.

It's really simple. Bin that dog poo and get a free lottery ticket! I spend £1 per week (at least) on the lottery. Quite frankly, I am prepared to divert my toilet into the street if it means that, by clearing it up, I will save £52 (or more) per year. Imagine winning and being "flushed" with success!

Monday, August 29, 2011

Bexley Try Again!

Back in 2009, we reported on the efforts of Bexley council to combat dog fouling by incorporating an anti-fouling message on their street signs. See here.

Put simply, it didn't work. All that expenditure for nothing!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Police Above The Law????

We live in a liberal democracy, which is why the recent riots were all the more shocking to us. We saw scenes, which do not belong in our society.

Once the dust settled, we moved on, as a society, and began to look at wider philosophical issues. One of those issues has to be to examine whether or not the police are beyond the law.

I see it like this. If a police officer had joined in the looting, would he/she have been above the law? I think not!

Therefore, why is it that a police dog can be allowed to foul the middle of Peckham without the handler being required to pick up?

Perhaps the IPCC should be loking at this serious violation of the law rather than wasting its time on trivia! That said, the IPCC would actually have difficulty detecting excrement if it were standing in it so we might as well carry on as normal!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Merry Xmas

I'm useless at keeping secrets, especially about gifts I have got for friends and family...

I was going to keep this and give it to you at Christmas but I just can't hold on - consider this an early present to all our faithful readers.

Enjoy and Merry Xmas :-)




Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Please Enjoy This Slideshow

Here at Dog Fouling and Red Rubber Bands, we have used many images regarding the fouling of our streets and parks.

What better, then, than to have a compilation slideshow?

I hope you enjoy this trip/slide down memory lane!

Friday, July 29, 2011

Gwynedd Council Sends Dog Fouling Bilingual!




Gwynedd council has taken dog fouling to a new level, that of bilingual opposition! I don't really know what to say about this campaign. It is fronted by Peter Simpson, Streetscene Manager.

I get the impression that Peter's first language is actually English. That said, these are truly impressive and dynamic presentations. After listening to the English version, I was reaching for my scooper and plastic bags. Once I had heard the Welsh version, I was reduced to tears. If only Peter understood how to unlock his full potential as regards delivering motivational addresses!

English



Welsh

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Dog Poo or Young People? Ask Melissa!

Here on this blog, we have frequently mused on how dog fouling is the primary concern, which blights the lives of citizens the world over.

This theme has not been lost on Melissa Knight. Melissa is a youth worker in Sydenham and Forest Hill in the London Borough of Lewisham. She has spotted that crime and a lack of opportunities for young people do not make it onto the agenda. She observes that she speaks to adults in an attempt to encourage them to donate £2 per month to help to create opportunities for young people yet all adults talk about on the street or at meetings is dog poo.

By way of protest, Melissa eats dog poo in the middle of Mayo Park. Somehow, I feel this is a spoof but it still causes that slight twitch in the throat as the gag reflex takes over.

Thank you, Melissa, you've once again brought to our attention the fact that dog fouling is foremost on the minds of British adults! Well done, Melissa, next time take it further, let's see you in swimwear smeared from head to foot!




News Shopper report here.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Red Rubber Bands - They Haven't Gone Away!




This site has campaigned long and hard to eliminate littering with red rubber bands -the true and insidious crime, which haunts our society. So far, however, it is clear our efforts have gone unrewarded. That said, there is a glimmer of hope as society fights back.

The Telegraph has kept the fires of the campaign burning reporting that "Royal Mail has spent £5 million in the past five years on the red rubber bands that often litter Britain's pavements". According to the Telegraph, Royal mail spends £2,840 per day on these elasticated embodiments of evil! See their report here.

Now, enter brothers Thomas and Jack Dillon and all their little friends.



The Mail sums it up as follows: "A New children’s craze is saving Britain’s pavements from the blight of rubber bands discarded by careless postmen.Youngsters have taken to stretching the discarded red bands around their scooter T-bars – to the delight of anti-litter campaigners, who say they are a danger to wildlife".

This could be seen as an opportunity for children to learn about keeping the environment clean as well as some healthy competition re who collects the most.

As usual, however, I can see a negative. As the article reports; "Television presenter Kirstie Allsopp, 39, whose children do the school run on their scooters, said: ‘The journey to school takes 20 minutes longer than it should, thanks to the endless search for red rubber bands". Not only is the environment affected but now there is a knock on effect as regards the education system.

Is it any wonder some young people become anti-social?

Recently, for a joke, I gathered up about 200 red rubber bands and put them through my neighbour's letter box for no good reason. Why aren't the authorities protecting people against that kind of behaviour?

Article here.

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

DNA - From Israel To The World!

Our loyal readers and followers will remember that, some two years ago, this site highlighted an initiative in Israel, which involved the use of DNA to analyse dog poo. Refresh your memories here.

It has taken time but this idea has now spread to Australia and the following news article says it all.

Before looking at that, however, I suggest a quick read of the Public Relations Institute of Australia's Submission for Victoria State Awards for Excellence 2000. This is now an ancient document but shows that the dog fouling issue has long been high on the Australian list of priorities. I was mightily impressed with the initiative described here. It takes us back to nature and puts us at one with the world; I quote: "The second leg of the campaign was the release of dung beetles into Port Phillip - a first for Victoria - with the message that it was not an excuse for dog owners to get sloppy in their habits". It leads to a serious moral dilemma. If we clear up dog waste, we will be starving the dung beetles. This would not be acceptable.

Please enjoy the following news report.


Saturday, July 02, 2011

Dog Doogity - I Think This Is Hip Hop.......

.....but I'm not sure. I don't know much about music but I do know that this is a very catchy routine.

Puget (US) and Plymouth (UK) are two places where you can remain totally silent yet see the sound.

The Puget Sound region is an inland area of the Pacific Northwest in Washington(State), which appears to have a dog fouling problem.

Martin Luther and Lola care about the environment. They care so much that they have produced a Hip Hop song and dance routine. As you will see, the dance required a focused rehearsal.

If you go to Martin's site here, you can even order a free scoop bag!


I don't think I can really add much more, I'll let the music sing for itself!



Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Dog Fouling, Racism and Religious Prejudice

As all our regular and avid readers will be aware, here at Dog Fouling and Red Rubber Bands HQ we oppose any type of bad behaviour. In particular, we have no time for prejudice of any kind, racial, religious or otherwise.

That is why we were so shocked at the content of the video shown below. Dog fouling in itself is little more than a manifestation of evil, potentially heralding the end of civilisation as we know it! That said, the prejudicial comments made by both parties in this video stunned us.

I was also very taken with the discussion regarding whether or not the creator of this work of art was taking pictures.

This is further evidence that dog fouling is not only vile but has the potential to divide communities. Either that or the two people in this video need to go to their local supermarket and buy a life each, possibly getting a discount for a bulk purchase.

I hope that nobody needs counselling after viewing this work of art.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Ska - "Pick Up The Dog Shit"

According to Wikipedia:"Ska is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae.Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. It is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the upbeat. In the early 1960s, ska was the dominant music genre of Jamaica and was popular with British mods. Later it became popular with many skinheads."

Amazing then that a music type with such a history and following should now be used to advise people to do as the title of this post suggests. I can do no more than advise that you watch the video.


Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Stirling Council Invites Us To "Have A Look At How Granny and Thistle The Dog Do It"!


Now I wouldn't blame anyone for thinking that this title heralded an excursion into the world of pornography of the vilest kind! Thankfully, this is not the case. It merely lets us know that Stirling Council has launched a full on attack against the menace of dog fouling!

A theme emerging of late is the use of music as an educational medium. This post is no exception. Here, we have background music accompanying the activities of a very unconvincing grandmother and her Scottie (well, it is Stirling and, therefore, appropriate to use a Scottie dog).

It is heartening to learn from the article that, in Stirling, you can put dog excrement in your own bin. Personally, I would do all I could to fill mine every fortnight!

The highlight of this blog entry must be the way "Granny" uses the dog to fire excrement at the bin as a child might use a catapult. A truly innovative, visual reminder of the need to clear up.

Read the article here and don't forget to watch the video!

Monday, June 20, 2011

More Than Just A Mother

Although this post is a little old, I feel that we should acknowledge it.

Emily Carlisle runs what she refers to as an "extreme parenting blog". A fellow blogger has hit upon one of our pet subjects.

She gives an account of how she attempted to complain about red rubber bands at what I assume to be a sorting office.

My fellow blogger and I have experience of dealing with aggrieved members of the public.

If only we had been on the same training course as the fellow referred to by Emily.

Read all about it here.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Megan Becomes A Pop Star

I'm sure you've all read the post below this one.

Since I put that article together, things have moved on apace. Megan, the labrador, has become the star of an anti-fouling musical extravaganza.

I sincerely hope that neither of the humans in this video has any hope of a career in any kind of show business aspect of life as the video has killed any chance either might have had.

I challenge you to watch this video without feeling sympathy for those involved (except Megan, who clearly couldn't give a biscuit!).


Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Children Come On Board In Cardiff




WalesOnline.co.uk has been waging a war on dog fouling.

They realise that the way forward is to educate the young. Clearly an educated youth today means a clean pavement tomorrow!

As a consequence of their campaign, the following idea evolved.

Charity "People Around Here" toured seven primary schools with Labrador Megan, the star of the anti-dog fouling campaign, where they conducted interactive assemblies. The pupils were then asked to draw a comic strip, starring Megan, and the winners would be printed on a leaflet delivering the message to hundreds of homes around Adamsdown.

As ten-year-old Brandon Hadley, from Adamsdown Primary, said: “Many of the places I’ve been have dogs’ mess over the pavement and it’s not very nice.

People who have dogs should try and help by picking it up, but they can’t be bothered. If I had a dog I would pick it up.”

The end result is a series of cartoons highlighting the problem. Having looked at the cartoons, I am reassured that the problem is coming to an end. Just as "Neighbourhood Watch" stickers prevent burglary, so will these cartoons make dog owners more responsible!

I am, however, worried by the closing observation in the article, which reads as follows:"Waste management officers who catch dog owners walking away from their dog’s deposit will face an on-the-spot fine of £75". This is rather harsh on the waste management officers and is hardly an incentive for anyone to take on the job!

Article and cartoons here.

Thursday, June 09, 2011

It All Kicked Off in 2009!

Many of you will remember the vile act of vandalism shown on this board in November 2009. It can be seen here.

Although I didn't realise at the time, it was clearly all kicking off in 2009!

The disgusting act of vandalism shown on the above link took place at night. As the year wore on, however, the acts of vandalism became more brazen. The following film from 2009 shows an act of daylight destruction. I don't think this kind of behaviour is funny!


Notwithstanding that vandalism isn't funny, for every Ying there is a Yang. These childish acts of destruction created employment and inflated the economy. I don't know if these featured films took place in Surrey but I do know that Bagshot Field in Surrey took a right pasting at the end of 2009. As the report says:

"Four bins on the School Lane field have been wrecked in the past few weeks after having high-power fireworks set off in them in an attempt to shower the area with dog excrement.

As well as creating a steaming mess for the groundsmen to clean up, the explosions have also forced Windlesham Parish Council, which runs the field, to remove all its bins".

As Assistant Parish Clerk, Philip Cottell, puts it: "When you have to take apart the damaged bins which are full of dog mess after a firework has gone off in it, it's not the nicest job in the world".

Therefore, the council ordered the removal of all dog waste bins from the field and commissioned the manufacture of a blast proof model. As Kevin Clegg, the managing director of Earth Anchors, said, the new bins would have a mesh bottom fitted. If a firework were let off in the new bins it would blow the mesh and faeces out of the bottom but leave the bin’s structure intact. Once again, necessity has proved to be the mother of invention.


The above picture shows council worker Steve Knott with blown up dog waste bins. Read the article here.

While we are on the subject of white dog shit ...

White dog shit is obviously something our readers feel strongly about. Less than 24 hours after Peter had posted White Dog Poo - A Reprise  and our inbox was full of emails from readers thanking us for reminding them about their childhood and the "good old days" of white dog shit.

Brendan Smyth - Marion, Alabama, USA; "Our school was so poor that the teachers used to use hard white dog poop as chalk in lessons."

Sally Onepenny - Shieldfield, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; "Standing in white dog shit never made a mess of your shoes like this modern day stuff."

But a big thank you goes out to Adam Nussbaum - Feces de Abaixo, Spain who sent in this truly magical clip from Step Brothers which shows what fun kids can make with white dog shit lying around in their playground.


Wednesday, June 08, 2011

White Dog Poo - A Reprise

As avid readers of this blog, you will be aware that we have featured white dog poo on this blog before.

There is a link to extremist politics here,

There was also a musical video. The video has gone but the article is here.

Time to have a look at the latest version of the song. Enjoy this moment of nostalgia!

Friday, June 03, 2011

dGrade - A UK Company Working For You!



As we are aware, dog fouling is an issue worldwide but nowhere more so than in the UK. Therefore it is particularly pleasing to find a UK based company selling a UK, biodegradable product; in this instance poo bags!


dGrade is a company working for you! These dog poop bag holders are available from the company to host your biodegradable bags and their heaving contents:


Their site says it all. They have starch based biodegradable bags and economy bags. 2,000 starch based bags will cost you £70. This works out at 3.5 pence per bag.

Now a roll of toilet paper costs about 50p for 100 sheets. On a visit by visit basis, the poo bags clearly represent good value.

I hope that this small bit of advertising will result in at least one sale of bags this year.

This is a UK company. Use them and keep Britain Great!

Website here.

Thursday, June 02, 2011

Dorset Dog Fouling - A Reprise.

Many of our avid readers will remember our article last August, which focused on leaving a steamer at Steamer Point, article here.

Things have got no better in Dorset. My friend has been on holiday there this week. He sent me a very distressing picture. With all the efforts, which have been made by the authorities in the county, he found the following steaming pile on a footpath!


He is staying in a country area, many open fields with, I am sure, hundreds of dung beetles looking for work but somebody allowed his/her dog to foul the footpath.


His picture says it all!


Tuesday, May 31, 2011

A Meaningful Article If Ever I Read One!

The Bangor and Anglesey Mail knows a powerful story when it sees one! Under the title "Dog fouling snub to Holyhead" it delivers a serious report.

The article is so complex that I will reproduce it in full:

HOLYHEAD Town Councillors were extremely annoyed last week when a visitor failed to turn up to a meeting.

At last week’s finance and general purposes committee, councillors were supposed to meet Mr D Peacock, Anglesey County Council’s dog warden and pest control supervisor to discuss dog fouling issues in the town.

After being invited to the meeting at the end of March, Mr Peacock had told the Council that he was “more than willing” to come.


Well done, Mr Peacock, you've really got them on the run!

Article here.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Wenatchee Apple Blossom Youth Parade - Washington State

I have never met the YouTube poster called "JLHetterle" but I already like him/her (must be a he, surely?).

The Wenatchee Apple Blossom Youth Parade in Washington State is a significant local event. There is a lot to see and do and much to record on video.

But JLHetterle sees the world as we do. He/She ignores the parade and focuses on a pile of dog faeces on the parade route. The camera records passing feet until the inevitable happens and some shoes are plastered in it.

There is little else to say except, perhaps, to acknowledge the emergence of yet another kindred spirit.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Gotcha!!!!

Many of the posts we put on the site include video footage that has come from CCTV or from amateur film buffs.

This is a cracking bit of footage, that includes commentary, of a neighbour who dumped bags of dog poop in the same spot in his neighbours garden everyday. CCTV eventually identified who was responsible - but listen to the voice over comments. How the "victim" stays so calm about everything is beyond me.

I prefer the tactics of The Poop Detective who is much more "in your face" but the end result is the same.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Dog Fouling - The Funny Side

How would you react if you agreed to mind a dog for a nice looking young lady and then received a ticket for allowing it to foul the foot way?

This video just further proves the hold, which dog fouling now has on our national psyche!


Monday, May 02, 2011

The Postman Always Drags Twice (Or More)



Roderick William McCuish is an SNP councillor on Argyll and Bute council, representing Oban South and the Isles. By merit of the fact that his name appears here, you will have guessed that Roddie has entered the dog fouling arena. In so doing he has also, in a roundabout way, touched on our other main concern as he brings the postman into it.

It appears that dog owners have not been clearing up in Angus Terrace. The postman then hits the mess with his trolley and drags it around. Roddie states that postmen walk so fast that they don't always look at their feet. We believe they are focused on scattering red rubber bands around, trailing the mess about is simply a useful bit of collateral damage.

I would also make one final observation. Roddie lives in Dalintart Drive. This is one street away from Angus Terrace. Map here. Does this mean anything? I don't know but please enjoy the video, which I found to be of stunning quality and content!






Wednesday, April 27, 2011

I Love You, Man

Just watched I Love You Man with the wife and kids last night. Bloody brilliant!

There are two brilliant clips that use dog fouling to the best advantage. Both are set around the beach scene in USA - the first is on the beach and the second on the boardwalk.

Check out the different response of the star of the movie to the allegations that his dog just crapped - which way would you play it?

The pissed up "who gives a fuck" or the mad crazy "come and get some" ?

Enjoy ...





Friday, April 22, 2011

Wrexham Council Mobile Phone App 'To Speed Up Response'




The application can be accessed while out and about, the council said



Well done, Wrexham Council, it is high time technology and dog fouling became more closely aligned!

Here at Dog Fouling and Red Rubber Bands HQ we were, therefore, naturally delighted at the innovation shown by Wrexham Borough Council. It has launched a free mobile phone application to provide instant access to its services.

Wrexham residents can use the Looking Local 'app' to report litter, dog fouling, dumped rubbish, pot holes and road repairs and anti-social behaviour.

Mobile users can take a photograph to forward to the customer contact centre as supporting evidence and their location is automatically identified.

I particularly like the idea of taking pictures and forwarding them. I am, however, a little worried. We all send pictures to each other by mobile phone, computer etc. I have a picture in my mind of cyber space being filled with images passing to and fro. Now that Wrexham Council has introduced this new app, I am worried that my pictures will arrive contaminated by dog faeces, which they have rubbed up against in cyber space.

Yet another unintended consequence of noble activity!



BBC article here.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Going Undercover In Cheshire East

Undercover work has proved to be vital tool in the state's war on crime. Drug cartels have been broken, murderers captured, burglars jailed.


Now, Cheshire East Council is using the full weight of undercover work to capture those, whose dogs foul the land in contravention of the law. To be fair, they have tried warning offenders but this has failed.


Those caught by a warden will receive a fixed penalty notice of £50. Failure to pay the fine can result in the owner being prosecuted and receiving a fine of up to £1000.


Tony Potts, Cheshire East Council’s Community Safety Manager, appears to be on top of the case but I am left a little confused by the report on the council's website. It states that a number of "hotspots" have been chosen. Are we now to assume that prosecution will be based upon the temperature of the steaming deposits? If that be the case, what will the measurement process be?


We can at least be sure that Big Brother will not be arriving as "all undercover officers will carry Cheshire East Council identification cards". Thank goodness for that!

BBC. Cheshire Council.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Dog Fouling v Graffiti, "Crouch End Cupcake" Fights Back!

London has to deal with violent crime and acquisitive crime on a sometimes worrying scale. London Tonight is a regional television programme, which has the power to report upon and influence attitudes towards all social ills.


In February, Crouch End experienced 94 notifiable offences but thank goodness the producers decided to opt for a focus on dog fouling!

It appears that "Crouch End Cupcake" (Louise) decided to take the law into her own hands and engaged in a spot of anti-dog fouling graffiti. The question is whether or not two wrongs can make a right.

Interestingly, she makes a derogatory remark about "hoodies". Louise also describes the dog fouling menace as "an epidemic".

I say; "Louise, get out there and draw those cup cakes on the pavement!"

Friday, April 08, 2011

I've Become Hardened By This Blog....

But this even made me feel a bit queasy!


It is often said that what goes on behind closed doors is a private matter.

Having seen this video, I say "thank goodness!"


For me, the point here is that dog fouling isn't just an outside issue, it can ruin the ambiance of a kitchen.

I think pitbulls are lovely dogs and, therefore, must also say "hats off to these two!"

Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Pooperman Strikes in Lincoln!



Hester Lacey at Guardian UK reports on the actions of "Pooperman" in Lincoln. It appears that this shadowy figure has taken to going around putting labels on piles of dog excrement asking owners to clear up in future.

While the actions of one solitary campaigner might be of little interest, Hester's experiences speak volumes. As a young journalist, she was tasked to run articles on dog fouling. She was overwhelmed by the response. As she puts it: "I received abusive phone calls from both factions: the ones that felt we weren't doing enough (were we meant to come and pick it up ourselves?) and those who felt our snazzy laminated campaign posters, which featured a dog and a steaming heap in a red circle, were offensive in themselves. The debate raged across our letters page week after week; MPs weighed in, local radio stations got involved and an entire class of schoolchildren each prepared individual projects around the campaign and proudly sent them in".

If nothing else, this shows that our campaign is nothing new. Hester's article can be found here.

The best thing to come out of this is the finding of another campaign song. This one is somewhat more gentle than some of the others, which we have featured. I'm humming it already and will probably sing it to my wife on our next wedding anniversary.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

The US and The UK, Different Words, Same Result



In the UK, we lead with the words "Defecating dog sparks US shootout". In the US they see it from a slightly different angle, using the words: "The Mississippi Dog Shit Shootout". Either way, the end result is the same. Dog fouling has led to a violent confrontation involving the use of firearms.

Here in the UK, we have a very sedate image of the rural US, especially the Deep South. That image has been shattered by an argument over dog fouling on private land. A Mr Tehnet was angry because he thought A Mr Blasingame's dog had defecated on his lawn. In the UK, there might be an argument, which could lead to civil litigation. In the US, it seems equally as logical that the parties involved in the dispute should repair to the levee and resolve the issue through the use of firearms.

Although the shootout didn't happen at the levee, it certainly took place in the neighbourhood. Mr Blasingame allegedly shot first and Mr Tehnet appears to have received multiple shotgun wounds. Mr Blasingame was charged with aggravated assault. Charges are also possible for Mr Tehnet.

The only positive aspect to this it that at least the environment has benefited from the fact that a non-biodegradable poo bag was not used.

Washington County Chief Deputy Sheriff Billy Barber really hits the nail on the head by advising as follows: "Homeowners and property owners need to respect each other's property... If a dog did that in your yard, call the law. Don't take matters into your own hands."

Clearly the gentleman in the video three posts below should listen to the advice regarding not taking the matter into your own hands!

UK version here.
US version here.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

The Dog Poo Stinky Shoe Showdown

At last a use has been found for "the stinky poo" we see on our streets.

Those clever Japanese have managed to combine their love of gambling, entertainment & suspense with that of a fresh dog turd and created their very own form of Russian Roulette, or The Dog Poo Stinky Shoe Showdown as they call it.

Remember to "place your bets" when instructed. No cheating now ...



In Your Own Yard.......

My colleague, Stamp It Out, has been focusing on angry people and rightly so!

Therefore, when dog fouling is so bad that it really gets to us, what should we do? Well, an age old method of calming has been to compose and recite poetry.

Rather than rage against those, who leave dog mess everywhere, why not take the opportunity to create some poetry and look at solving many of the world's more serious issue?

Our kindred spirit, Sean, has done just this. I wish that I had the ability to crystallise my thoughts in this way. Some people bottle it up. I think we need to take a lead from Sean and get that poetry flowing.

Who knows, perhaps this could become the next romantic means of impressing a potential partner?

Shakespeare eat your heart out!

Friday, March 25, 2011

More angry people.

Staying with the whole "people getting angry at dog shit" theme - here's a great little clip from Polish TV.

This dog turd was obviously the one that broke the camel's back for this old man! You can really sense his anger & frustration - why else would he pick up freshly laid dog shit with his hands?

But the best bit is when the old lady/the criminal slips on her own dog's faeces at the end.

Now she knows how the rest of us feel...

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Angry people.

Imagine you are a photographer - fresh out of college after completing your photographic course and keen to impress your new boss with what you can do for the local paper.

Thinking you will be sent undercover to do some investigative journalism/photography - maybe attend crime scenes, accidents, demonstrations etc - you bring your best camera to work.

Your editor send you on your first (of many repetitive jobs) - "Get me a picture of people looking angry about dog shit!".

And so your life as a photographer on a local paper is mapped out for the rest of your career. No matter how much you try to put your expertise into practice, you can't make your photo's look any different from all the rest.

Here are just a few of the best ...


Guess where the dog shit is?
 

I'm angry cause I got a fine for not picking up my dog's shit!


Still life shot.
 


That's not chocolate dear.

 


Stop your dog shitting outside my house.

 


Where's the dog shit dad?



What's that funny smell?


Angry old man with an unhealthy interest in watching his neighbours on CCTV.


Spare a thought for the photographer on your local paper, without them this blog would struggle for images of miserable people pointing at dog turds!

 
Home | About | Link | Link
Simple Proff Blogger Template Created By Herro | Inspiring By Busy Bee Woo Themes