dodging the dog mess

A reworking of my original dog mess blog piece that became my first piece published in the medway messenger -

  Monday morning 8.30, I’m on the school run but what’s this, why is the person in front of me doing the ministry of silly walks?

Oh no, my mistake , the world hasn’t suddenly gone “pythonesque “ ,  it’s just that while they should be admiring the beautiful colours of summer they’ve fallen foul of a pavement that’s fifty shades of brown.

Time after time short walks to the shops/park/school involve me having  to shout ' look out ' to make sure my boys don't step in various piles of dog mess en route just because someone can’t be bothered to take responsibility for what their canine is leaving in its wake.  Sometimes the deposits are just mere yards apart as if the dog and owner are laying a trail to find their way back home in a bizarre ' Hansel and Gretel ' parody.

Then of course we also have the 'part time' responsible dog owner, yeah you know who I'm talking about. The ones who think they are being good because they've bagged it up but when there's no bin in sight chuck it on the ground or even worse up in a tree or bush like some twisted and macabre Christmas decoration.  

It’s not a difficult task to perform but it seems to be one littered (if you pardon the pun) with excuses. From the common “ i didn’t have a bag “ to  “ you don’t have to pick it up if it’s on grassland only when it’s on the pavement “ which a friend of mine got told recently , they all seem a bit lame when you consider the health risks involved .

I don’t want my kids to suffer nausea , headaches , stomach pains or serious eye disorders because they’ve ingested the parasite that causes Toxocariasis  through someone else’s sheer selfishness.

When caught out and shamed by someone as to why they aren’t picking up their dog litter offenders are often heard to utter “  the council will clear it up” but do they realise that the money the council have to spend on picking up their dog mess could actually pay to train up 700 N.H.S nurses or mend 300 potholes .They want to try remembering that when they are next in hospital complaining about the lack of staff or moaning about the state of our roads.

What people need to realise is that if they choose to have a dog then they choose to take on the responsibility it involves there’s no flouting the rules just because you can’t be bothered.

Where i live there is a man who walks his dog regularly even though he’s lost both his legs and is confined to a wheelchair.  Despite this he always makes sure he cleans up after his four legged friend regardless of how much of an operation it might entail. So if he can do it no other excuse is valid.