Dog Poo-Bag Dispensers!

You know, I wondered what they were! And so timely too, since it seems like everyone is complaining about the mess on the pavements these days, and not just the pavements, on the green, in the park, on the paths to and from the Primary School . . . some owners are just leaving their dog(s)’ mess for toddlers to skid into, and it’s both a nuisance and a health hazard.

Had you heard about toxocariasis? It’s just about the most nasty thing kids can catch from dogs, being a roundworm that burrows into their eyes, or infects them viscerally in their major organs. We know how toddlers experience the world with their fingers. Well. That’s how they get infected from the dog faeces, which so often, unbeknownst to their owners, are themselves infected with roundworms looking for a nice warm host to crawl into.

The complaints about dog mess, over at Allendale area notices, have been reaching a fever pitch lately, so the Allen Valleys Beavers’ efforts are really very much appreciated! Now, as someone mentioned, if they could just teach the adults to dump the poo bags in an appropriate bin!

But seriously, it is a problem here in our patch; perhaps part of the problem is that dog owners simply won’t believe that it’s a problem! And the ones who are that oblivious are not gonna read anything that might inform them, to be frank. So then what: you can’t really safely accost them, can you? A scene on the path is one thing, but the potential for physical violence between an affronted dog owner and an outraged mother with toddlers in tow is yet another. I suppose, like cats on their daily routines, the two different groups don’t usually meet up; walkers tend to be very early in the day, while mothers and toddlers are rushing to meet the school bell. Wouldn’t it be nice, though, if the zeitgeist were to shift as dramatically against dog mess as it has against public smoking? I wonder if a ‘name and shame’ game would be effective, or rather, a ‘snap and show’, but again, you might be risking life and limb snapping a dog walker ambling away from a steaming little pile.

Maybe the more this matter enters the public consciousness, the better informed all dog owners will be, and gradually the problem will dissipate. Until then: watch your step!