Next to our sidewalk outside our house is a space filled with pretty ground cover. (Notice that mom works on it every morning to keep it trimmed and healthy.) On the day our refrigerator was to be delivered Art had to park our car on the street.
When he stepped into the ground cover he thought he felt something squishy. He assumed it was just soft dirt and got into our car, but then smelled something.
Yup. It was poop. Poor Art had to clean his shoes and the car mat.
Mom has complained before when she's encountered it and Art has dutifully removed the offensive doggie byproduct. This time, he didn't check first. We've also seen it out in the open in our driveway and lawn.
I'm recalling when we moved to our Chicago neighborhood during the winter and seeing the wonderful snow. It looked so clean and pretty.
However, when spring came we were shocked to see the sidewalk FULL of preserved dog poop! Eventually, our homeowner group did begin to strongly ask pet owners to pick up after their dogs.
I'm happy to say as the years went by, it worked and we weren't greeted by spring poop anymore.
I hope our sign works. But just in case, I'm going to be extra careful where I step.
POSTSCRIPT:
This does bring to mind one incident in Illinois where my friend, Jim got so upset with another neighbor who kept letting her dog out to poop wherever he wanted to that Jim went over and asked her to come and pick up the dog's diarrhea. She did and soon after gave her dog away.
We are not dog owners either. I think living mostly out in the country dogs do their business and their owners just ignore it. On the groomed trails the poop is to be picked up and there are signs to remind folks. But we saw quite a bit when we snowshoed on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time, we had a dog for a short period of time. Back in those days, we didn’t seem to know enough to pickup.I remember all of the poop come spring. People are a lot better these days, but there are still some who try to avoid picking up.
ReplyDeleteYuck! I sure am sorry to read about Art's shoes, I hope that sign helps! We have so many people on my own street who are out there walking their dogs each day. I wouldn't dare walk in that grassy part between the walk & the curb, but I guess sometimes it can't be avoided.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if a sign will help with people who don't have the commonsense in the first place to realize no one wants dog's poop left on their space, but maybe it will at least signal it is not going unnoticed. People often ask me why I don't have a dog and I always say it is because I don't want to walk around with a bag of poop in my hand.
ReplyDeleteI really hope that works. Nothing more demoralizing than to step in dog poop. It is really hard to get that smell off your shoes.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, one morning i stepped in cat poop, and even though i wiped my feet good, that yucky smell followed me up the elevator an into the office. i tried spraying the carpet at my desk with perfume - but all that did was produce au de cat poop.
DeleteIf you can video the culprits, take them on Judge Judy.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I see around here, people as a whole are more conscientious of their dogs excrement, but more and more people own dogs and so the number of dog owners who are inconsiderate are growing in number despite being in the minority of dog owners.
ReplyDeleteFortunately we live on a street without sidewalks and don't get a lot of dog poop left behind but I still am surprised at the number of dog owners who will let their pet pee all over our mailbox and the flowers planted around it while I'm standing there in the yard watching.
Very annoying when people don't pick up.
ReplyDeleteSome dog owners don't want the dog to poop in their own yard, but allow it to do so in someone else's--or on the sidewalk. Those types are too selfish and lazy to own an animal. I've stepped in dog poop a number of times and it's always unpleasant to get it out of my walking shoes which have a waffle sole. Hope the sign fixes or at least helps with the problem!
ReplyDeleteThere are products that have a scent that dogs and cats don't like - so they don't poop in your space. Dogs especially have such a keen sense of smell that they like to poop where others (and they) have pooped.
ReplyDeletedogs are not allowed to run free here, although occasionally they do get out. Most dog walkers are very good about scooping their poop and parks all have bag dispensers for the purpose. It sure is better than it used to be.
ReplyDeleteYuck!
ReplyDeleteThis problem has improved here.
ReplyDeleteWe used to teach our dogs to not do that by rubbing their nose it it. We would fix a box like a litter box and taught them to use that.
ReplyDeleteWhen we took them for a walk, we would take a plastic grocery bag to pick it up.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm sorry your neighbors are leaving it behind, knowing Mom works in the garden. Even if they don't know, they are boors.
ReplyDeleteMost people pick up their dog's poop around here, but then they will leave the plastic poop bag somewhere along the trail and never pick properly dispose of it. :-(
ReplyDeleteThe "leave your address" sign is great. I've seen one that says "There is no poop fairy; please pick up after your dog." on a county park sign. My son and I had his camping tent set up in the front yard for the morning, to seal the seams, many years ago. Some jerk walking his dog on a leash, allowed the dog to pee on the tent! I definitely yelled at him. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteGood grief! That is just unbelievable!!!
DeleteI love the sign! People can be inconsiderate.
ReplyDelete