PICKING UP AFTER YOUR PET

My favourite  daily rant  is "Why don't people pick up when their dog has done a poo on the pavement, in the park or anywhere that is an open space?"  They come to a park, they can see children playing and groups of people sitting on the grass enjoying the open air and still they will walk away from picking up their dog's mess.

Every day I start my day by getting iritated at my many smartly dressed neighbours  near my home, walking their dogs named Augusta and Titus (oh! sorry, thats the names of their children), on the pavements every day and every single time they will look around  furtively and then leave the steaming pile and walk on.  On many occasions I have said "Here, take a bag," pulling one out of my pocket and  handing it to them. You know full well that they will wait for you to turn the corner and then leave it where it, is or worse, hang it on the park railings. And these are supposedly middle class, well brought up, educated people who would be highly offended if you called them  anything else. When challenged they look at you in an astonished way as if to say "You mean I have to pick THAT up? That's what we pay road sweepers for isnt it?"

The situation is even worse in the many open spaces and London parks. You will see all these smart cars disgorging dogs of all sizes who are set free to run around. Of course the first instinct for any dog is to do a dump. What does the owner do? There they stand,  eyes glazed, bellowing into a mobile phone clamped to their ear, totally ignoring the fact that the dog has done its business. And when you interrupt them to point out what the dog is doing or has done, they glare at you for stopping them from having that all important call that had to be made the moment they stepped out of their car. Yes! Im talking about you, the women who shout loudly into their phones or the Range Rover man who is far too posh to pick up, let alone greet his fellow dog owners.  The joggers are the worst, they leave their big dogs running behind, totally oblivious  to the steaming pile they have left for others to tread in.

Listen up Peeps! its not rocket science to come to the  realisation that if you have a dog, it makes good sense to always have a poo bag somewhere on your person. Bins  to dispose of the mess are plentiful. So what is stopping you?  Its no good saying "Well! I always have every good intention but ....."  That's not a good enough reason for being idle and inconsiderate. If you can't afford to buy a bag of dog poo bags, then grab a handful of supermarket bags. They are free and perfect as a means of picking up after your pet.

There is nothing more irritating than to arrive at a beautiful park on a bright, sunny day ready to enjoy a soothing walk with your happy dog and then to step in a pile of doggy poo left by some inconsiderate idiot, too lazy to pick it up and drop it in the bin.

I am not alone in my rant since all responsible dog owners ask the same question "Why don't they ever pick up after them?"

I have now become one of those fearless women who bellow through cupped hands "Oy You, pick up your dog mess. You! yes, you."  They turn around looking incredulous and say "Was that my dog? Oh sorry!" Pretty soon habitual offenders will get fed up of being challenged and will decide to visit the park in the  dead of night or go elsewhere! Good!

There is a rumour that many of the Greater London open spaces will have a new ruling that will give them powers to issue on-the-spot fines to anyone who allows their dog to make a mess if they are caught and reported. No longer can a culprit who is challenged by another dog owner, sarcastically respond with "You just go ahead and take care of your own dog," or "Prove that it was my dog."
The Dog Stasi will have a field day! We will all have our cameras at the ready for catching the persistent offenders. I cant wait!

Of course the maddening thing about all those non-poop- picker -uppers is that they will spoil it for the rest of us who are responsible and considerate. The authorities will get so fed up of complaints that  they will bring in legislation insisting that all dogs have to be on leads.  No longer will it be possible to let your dog have a free range range run.  And for that we can thank the army of bone idle, inconsiderate, selfish oiks who inhabit this earth.

It  would be a  great shame if that were to happen.


And  now for something completely different to make you chuckle, here's a clip that proves you should never jump to conclusions!

            

Have a good week and enjoy any warm days that may come along.

                                                                      Dawn ("")