After last week’s installment regarding dogs not being off-lead in public parks and spaces, I received a very nicely worded email that asked if I could remind dog owners to clean up their dogs’ poop when out on walks. I could not agree more that there is no quicker way to ruin a relationship with your community and neighbors than to not clean up after your dog when they poop outside of your own personal property. Again, I wanted to remind dog owners that you are not actually entitled to walk your dogs in any public space and let them roam or do as they please.
As a dog owner, my personal pet peeve is people who walk their dogs at the Egg Harbor Township Nature Reserve who do not clean up their dogs’ poop. I can not tell you how annoyed I was recently when I stepped to the side of a trail to let a bike pass, and I stepped in a huge pile of it. I cannot understand why or how people think it is OK to not clean up after their dogs, but it seems to be a problem in our public parks and areas. People may wrongfully assume that, since they are in the woods, it is OK to not clean up after their dogs, and nature will take its course.
However, I would like to remind dog owners that they do have a responsibility to adhere to rules and regulations regarding their dog being out in the community. Not cleaning up after a dog, in my opinion, should be a first-degree crime! No one, including this writer who very much loves dogs, wants to have to stop their walk and try to figure out how to clean dog poop out of their shoes. This also applies to walks at the beach, where people are most likely barefoot, and, I would venture to think, really do not want to step in your dog’s poop.
Aside from the fact that no one else should have to clean up after your dog, canine poop is a natural contaminant that contains an excess of nitrogen and phosphorus that does not break down if it enters waterway systems, causing a chemical imbalance that can lead to an excess of algae and weeds. Aside from that, it can contain parasites like giardia or worms that some owners do not even know their dogs have. It also could contain harmful bacteria like salmonella. None of these elements needs to enter public water systems. Dog owners leaving poop in public spaces can easily spread disease and parasites.
I again remind dog owners that our dogs being allowed to go to public parks and areas is a privilege, not a right. Being irresponsible and allowing your dogs to use trails, beaches, and neighbors’ lawns as their personal toilet is socially unacceptable! There is zero excuse for you not to leave the house with poop bags if you are going to walk your dog beyond your property. Be a good person and clean up after your dogs!
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
