blasted dog poo nazis.

StormWarrior

Am I the only one getting sick of the fascism surrounding dog poo now? I don't know if it's the same in Ireland, but in the UK it's becoming ridiculous. In the newspaper the other day was a story of a woman walking her dog. The dog pooed, she went over and cleaned it up. Suddenly some council officials pounced on her, and told her she'd cleaned up the wrong poo. So she cleaned up the one they said was hers too. But they still fined her.

My cousin was walking her dog and keeping a close eye on it. The field she was walking in already had some dog mess. A dog warden sprang out of the bushes and accused her of some of the dog mess belonging to her dog. She disputed this, as her dog hadn't done it. The dog warden said that someone had been letting their dog foul the area, and the poo was the right size to belong to her dog, so she fined her! My cousin of course could have disputed this, but she would have had to go to court and risked being fined alot more, so she just paid up.

Just now I was walking my dogs when a random woman came out of her house and very rudely demanded to know whether I had bags with me to clean up after them. They had not pooed or anything and I was keeping a close eye on them. Even though I did have bags with me, I was so annoyed that I refused to show them. She followed me as I walked away, repeatedly demanding that I show her the bags. Now I'm paranoid that I'll be accused of something and hunted down and fined even though my dogs did not foul.

Am I the only one who thinks that this is getting out of control? Dog wardens can fine anyone they like, even innocent people, because no-one will risk going to court and getting fined more, as the court will side with the warden. The old hag who accosted me was so concerned about people clearing up after their dogs, yet her own garden and the public ground outside her garden was full of rubbish, an old matress, wood chippings and overflowing garbage bags. The dog wardens in my town are always out on patrol, driving slowly along the road staring at people, slowing down as they pass someone as if to intimidate them. Everyone is guilty if the dog warden says so and there is no way to prove yourself innocent.

HOWEVER when a dog warden would genuinely be useful, such as the time my chihuahua was attacked by a massive dog, or the time me and my dogs were attacked by a dog who was totally loose with no owner anywhere, oh then the dog wardens are too busy and can't be bothered to do anything at all about it!

Kalahari

I didn't realise they could fine without proof, is there anything that can be done in that situation? There is a big wooded green in our town where I bring my dogs for a walk and it is covered with crap since dogs are often let off to run loose there. I always pick up after my own, but the warden could come up to me and blame me for the other crap and fine me?? That is a very flawed system. I get that it is hard to catch dogs in the very act but there's surely a better way to manage the problem. More bins would be a good start, there's only 1 in our whole estate so it is littered with dog crap.

biko

Seems to be another case "there's never a cop around when you need one".

Owen

I'd a stand off argument with a guy in the park where I walk my dog twice a day. I always always always pick up her poo, but she's had a sore tummy recently, and it's been more liquid than solid. The only day she decided to have a runny poo, I brought her to the edge of the park, tucked into the corner where no one goes, and let her do the deed - wasn't like she could hold it any longer - and it was pretty much just water coing out. This lunatic jogger came over shouting all about not picking it up. I asked him what he'd like me to pick it up with ... a straw? Explained I always pick it up, and that she's just sick and because it's liquid it's impossible to pick up, and the guy kept shouting and wanted to report me.

Seriously, some people have bugger all else to do. It's not like I'm not a responsible dog owner!!

morganafay

That would never happen in my town, there's dog poo everywhere! I've never heard of anyone being fined, and a good few dogs wander around town.

I admit I don't like to pick up dog poo, (people look at you weirdly and there's no bins so you have to walk around with it) but I'm on the edge of town and just walk them out towards the countryside, instead of into the town. I know you should still pick it up I guess, but if it's just on grass on the side of the road, then I don't think it's as bad as on the pavement. People might give out to me for this, but I don't see the need in the countryside with no houses around anyway. It's not like there'll be kids walking on their own picking it up, and I always make the dogs go in as far as they can on the side of the road where there's lots of weeds anyway.

And usually I walk them in the fields, I really doubt the farmer would mind? and I don't think walking on the road is great for them because it hurts the oldest dog's joints. Anyway most of their poop is in my garden, even though they're out of the garden loads :rolleyes:

I have dog poo bags though, in case I decide to take them to the park or if we walk to the shops or something.

iguana

Yeah, I got screamed at by a guy for not picking up poo while I stood next to my pooing dog with a bright yellow bag over my hand waiting for him to finish. When I asked him what he thought I was doing with the bag he started screaming obscenities at me and yelling liar, liar, like a crazy person.

I snapped a bit and grabbed the poo with the bag and stormed over to him with it in my hand to show him what the bag was for when he ran away. This was a professional looking guy in a suit with a briefcase, it was all very surreal.

convert

Wow, those are some really extreme reactions, both from the wardens and the 'concerned public'.

Just wondering, is it possible to have some kind of testing done on the dog poo to prove it is/isn't belonging to your dog? Extreme lengths to go to, I know, but just wondering if it's possible.

Fish Bloke

StormWarrior wrote: »

My cousin was walking her dog and keeping a close eye on it. The field she was walking in already had some dog mess. A dog warden sprang out of the bushes and accused her of some of the dog mess belonging to her dog. She disputed this, as her dog hadn't done it. The dog warden said that someone had been letting their dog foul the area, and the poo was the right size to belong to her dog, so she fined her! My cousin of course could have disputed this, but she would have had to go to court and risked being fined alot more, so she just paid up.

That sound a bit sus to me, tbh. He sprang out of the bushes? Did your cousin ask for ID from that "dog warden"?

In my area there have been reports of "dog wardens" stopping people out walking their dogs, pulling up in a van beside them, and asking for their licence. When the owner can't produce it, these people insist upon taking the dog with them. They say the owner can pick it up at the pound within 7 days. These people are really just con artists, taking nice looking dogs to sell on at markets, breed from, etc.

Nothing's to stop me popping on a high vis jacket, stopping a dog walker and asking for their licence. If I demanded an on the spot fine and the dog owner thought they might have to go to court if it wasn't paid, they'd cough up quick smart.

I suggest asking anyone who stops you on the street and demands personal info or MONEY from you for ID before you hand over a thing.

StormWarrior

Fish Bloke wrote: »

That sound a bit sus to me, tbh. He sprang out of the bushes? Did your cousin ask for ID from that "dog warden"?

In my area there have been reports of "dog wardens" stopping people out walking their dogs, pulling up in a van beside them, and asking for their licence. When the owner can't produce it, these people insist upon taking the dog with them. They say the owner can pick it up at the pound within 7 days. These people are really just con artists, taking nice looking dogs to sell on at markets, breed from, etc.

Nothing's to stop me popping on a high vis jacket, stopping a dog walker and asking for their licence. If I demanded an on the spot fine and the dog owner thought they might have to go to court if it wasn't paid, they'd cough up quick smart.

I suggest asking anyone who stops you on the street and demands personal info or MONEY from you for ID before you hand over a thing.

The dog warden was wearing the official uniform, and of course my cousin didn't pay up on the spot. She was given a ticket at the time, and she had a certain number of days to go down to the council place to pay up. There aren't any on the spot fines here, people don't walk around with huge wads of cash on them when they're walking their dogs. The ticket said that if she didn't pay (within 7 days I think) she'd be taken to court and fined even more, I think if it went to court she'd be fined about £1000. Who would risk that, it's the dog warden's word against hers. I guess you could try having the poo DNA tested, but god knows how much it would cost, and if they'd even believe you. They'd probably say you swapped it for a different poo. There have been so many tales of dog wardens hiding in bushes spying on people and basically jumping out at them and accusing them of things. The victims never have to pay on the spot, they're always given tickets.

seamus

Can't say I've ever encountered anyone who had a go at me about dog poo or who even made a comment. Indeed, I've gotten odd looks from people for actually picking it up.

There seems to be a lot of it around our estate though, I'm expecting someone to have a go at me someday for it, even though I appear to be the only person who actually does pick it up.

If someone does saying anything to you, the best defence is to look at them blankly, say nothing and walk away. The kind of people who'll accost you when you haven't even done anything are looking for an argument and have no desire to see reason.

Fish Bloke wrote: »

I suggest asking anyone who stops you on the street and demands personal info or MONEY from you for ID before you hand over a thing.

What I always say - if anyone claims to be a warden and wants you to do or handover anything, then tell them to meet you at your home with a Garda and refuse to engage with them any further.
Get some form of ID before you give out your home address - they could be getting your address to scope out your house before taking the dog.

DePurpereWolf

This is not in Ireland, from living in Cork, I seem to be the only one picking up poo.

Mind you, I don't pick it up in places where there are no kids playing, like in the grass on the side of a busy road.

You can definitely teach your dog where to poop.

In other countries you might even get fined if your dog wees in an inappropriate spot

Discodog

convert wrote: »

Wow, those are some really extreme reactions, both from the wardens and the 'concerned public'.

Just wondering, is it possible to have some kind of testing done on the dog poo to prove it is/isn't belonging to your dog? Extreme lengths to go to, I know, but just wondering if it's possible.

Yep it is possible by using DNA testing however they would need a Court order if you refused to allow a vet to take a DNA sample from your dog. It would also be expensive.

There was a story about a city in Israel doing it. The threat could be used as a way of scaring dog owners.

convert

Discodog wrote: »

Yep it is possible by using DNA testing however they would need a Court order if you refused to allow a vet to take a DNA sample from your dog. It would also be expensive.

There was a story about a city in Israel doing it. The threat could be used as a way of scaring dog owners.

I was actually wondering if there was a chance owners could take to having these tests done so as to avoid a fine, though like all these tests, they're probably more costly than the actual fine!

morganafay

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

This is not in Ireland, from living in Cork, I seem to be the only one picking up poo.

Mind you, I don't pick it up in places where there are no kids playing, like in the grass on the side of a busy road.

You can definitely teach your dog where to poop.

In other countries you might even get fined if your dog wees in an inappropriate spot

I'm living in Cork too and nobody picks up poo! You just have to learn to watch where you step!

doctor evil

morganafay wrote: »

That would never happen in my town, there's dog poo everywhere! I've never heard of anyone being fined, and a good few dogs wander around town.

I admit I don't like to pick up dog poo, (people look at you weirdly and there's no bins so you have to walk around with it) but I'm on the edge of town and just walk them out towards the countryside, instead of into the town. I know you should still pick it up I guess, but if it's just on grass on the side of the road, then I don't think it's as bad as on the pavement. People might give out to me for this, but I don't see the need in the countryside with no houses around anyway. It's not like there'll be kids walking on their own picking it up, and I always make the dogs go in as far as they can on the side of the road where there's lots of weeds anyway.

And usually I walk them in the fields, I really doubt the farmer would mind? and I don't think walking on the road is great for them because it hurts the oldest dog's joints. Anyway most of their poop is in my garden, even though they're out of the garden loads :rolleyes:

I have dog poo bags though, in case I decide to take them to the park or if we walk to the shops or something.

Do you have the farmers permission to walk in his/her fields? If the field of grass is for silage making than it being contaminated with dog poo can cause a pregnant cow to abort.

I know most roads in the country don't have pavements beside them so I would be wary of letting them mess in the grass. Not much fun if you have to walk on the verge (particularly if its a narrow road) and dog poo ends up under foot/wheels/hooves.

December

Tbh I'm of the mind that if the council or whomever dont provide the dog bins (like they have in many other forward thinking european countries) to dispose of this waste after picking it up then they have no right to fine anyone... cause really what are they doing with all this fine money?! Theyre certainly not using the money to help the situation or providing healthy and clean dog pounds!

Wisco

I also get funny looks when I pick up dog poo here in Ireland. Regrettably I seem to be one of the few in my area who bothers. Last place I lived was drowing in dog poo- I never saw anyone pick up and also were loads of dogs running free. I personally find it mind boggling (and disgusting).

Fish Bloke

December wrote: »

Tbh I'm of the mind that if the council or whomever dont provide the dog bins (like they have in many other forward thinking european countries) to dispose of this waste after picking it up then they have no right to fine anyone... cause really what are they doing with all this fine money?! Theyre certainly not using the money to help the situation or providing healthy and clean dog pounds!

A huge section of the lakelands and walk areas where I live have been outfitted with tonnes of free to use dog poo bags on poles. There are bins every few hundred yards too. That's where at least some of the money is going.

Yet you still find abandoned dog poo right next to the bags and bins. They couldn't make in any easier, but some people would still "rather not"! Another thing I don't get - some people go to the effort of bagging the dogs poo, yet they dump it on the path all the same. Why bother? At least the dog poo will biodegrade quickly on its own!

iguana

December wrote: »

Tbh I'm of the mind that if the council or whomever dont provide the dog bins (like they have in many other forward thinking european countries) to dispose of this waste after picking it up then they have no right to fine anyone...

Or even regular bins. I moved back to Dublin from London last month and the lack of bins is astonishing. There are no bins on my regular walk here, on my regular London walk there were 13 bins that I can remember off the top of my head. And the walk I take here is covers at least 3 times more ground than the London walk as I used to go around the London park 4 or 5 times per walk, whereas here I have a selection of paths that I take on different days and only cover a small area twice as I walk to and from my house.

I either have to wait to walk until my dogs have gone to the toilet in the garden, which they really dislike doing. Hang around on the green in front of my house until they go so I can bring it back to my own bin. Break our walk off in the middle and lead up the dogs so I can use the bin on the busy main road. Or sneak into the park near where we walk so I can use the one bin I've seen there, even though if it's after 11am we are breaking the rules. I have no problem whatsoever with picking up my dogs' poo, but I'll be damned if I'm going to carry it around with me for over an hour because the council(s) refuse to supply bins in an area that is used by many hundreds* of dog walkers.

*No exaggeration I live in what appears to be Dublin's dog land.

ISDW

December wrote: »

Tbh I'm of the mind that if the council or whomever dont provide the dog bins (like they have in many other forward thinking european countries) to dispose of this waste after picking it up then they have no right to fine anyone... cause really what are they doing with all this fine money?! Theyre certainly not using the money to help the situation or providing healthy and clean dog pounds!

Agree with that, our local beach has one dog poo bin, but as there are no litter bins, it is full very early in the day during the summer, not with dog poo, and doesn't get emptied every day.

However, I do believe in picking up after your dog, even while out mushing:D

morganafay

doctor evil wrote: »

Do you have the farmers permission to walk in his/her fields? If the field of grass is for silage making than it being contaminated with dog poo can cause a pregnant cow to abort.

I know most roads in the country don't have pavements beside them so I would be wary of letting them mess in the grass. Not much fun if you have to walk on the verge (particularly if its a narrow road) and dog poo ends up under foot/wheels/hooves.

It's not really a field, see the farmer sold the field to build houses (one of which is mind) so there's just a bit of the field left, where there isn't anything growing and no cows or anything. It's just rushes and earth and weeds, and junk that the neighbours throw down there :rolleyes: so I don't think it's a problem. It joins up two other fields, so the farmer will occasionally drive a tractor past, but that's all. I don't have the farmer's permission, but they've seen me there and never said anything, a few other people walk there too from time to time. And the farmer with his dogs too.

Someone told me that if the farmer hasn't said that nobody can walk there, and if you're not causing any harm, then you can walk in fields, but I don't know how true that is? If he says anything then I'd just stop. I know one of the neighbour's has walked his dog there for literally decades with no permission.

Oh and if they're going to poo at the side of a country road, I pull them right over to the side, where nobody would walk, just in a ditch or some weeds or mud and stuff, not just on grass. I think it's probably ok.

They mostly seem to poo in the yard at night though, and not on their walks!

crotalus667

morganafay wrote: »

Oh and if they're going to poo at the side of a country road, I pull them right over to the side, where nobody would walk, just in a ditch or some weeds or mud and stuff, not just on grass. I think it's probably ok.

It is not ok , the law does not say "unless you pull them right over to the side, where nobody would walk, just in a ditch or some weeds or mud and stuff" there are very good reasons why you MUST pick up after your dogs ,

Whispered

iguana wrote: »

grabbed the poo with the bag and stormed over to him with it in my hand

It sounds hilarious when you take out the whole story! I can just imagine you storming over to him with a pile of poo in your hand.

I have to say where we are living there is rarely any dog poo. People seem to clean up after their dogs. I think it only takes one or two people in a small community to do it before others feel like they should too.

morganafay

crotalus667 wrote: »

It is not ok , the law does not say "unless you pull them right over to the side, where nobody would walk, just in a ditch or some weeds or mud and stuff" there are very good reasons why you MUST pick up after your dogs ,

I've never thought of any other reasons other than people standing in it or children touching it. It's just never really crossed my mind. I mean wild animals would be pooing there, so I didn't think it'd be a problem, and the poo has to go to somewhere even if we throw it away. And nobody would walk in it or anything. It's in the middle of the countryside. What other reasons, like being bad for the environment or what? I'm just confused as to why it would be a problem.

Graces7

The only dog poo bin I have ever seen in Ireland is in Buncrana; they have a glorious shore walk there where everyone walks their dogs; and that is where the bins are.

morganafay

I've only seen dog poo bins is in Cobh, they have loads. I might steal some and stick them up around here

crotalus667

morganafay wrote: »

I'm just confused as to why it would be a problem.

A number of parasites are passed threw poo , and if the poo is binned it goes to landfill which means little to no chance of people or other dogs coming into contact with it ,iirc dog poo bins have to be dealt with as animal waste and sent for incineration

Graces7 wrote: »

The only dog poo bin I have ever seen in Ireland is in Buncrana; they have a glorious shore walk there where everyone walks their dogs; and that is where the bins are.

morganafay wrote: »

I've only seen dog poo bins is in Cobh, they have loads. I might steal some and stick them up around here

There are dog poo bins in skerries , (dublin) I have been told that there is a bit on them that holds free poo bags , (i have only seen one when passing in a car and tbh it looked vandalised) tbh my prob with the free bags is A. Poo bags are pretty cheap for a few months suply and even cheaper if you by the nappy bags out of the 2 euro shop (150 per box) and B. all it takes is one or two kids or drunken idiots and there are bags every where for months

barbiegirl

When we got a dog it was with the strict understanding that we pick up ALL her poo, whether it be in our garden or out walking and I am very strict with it. It's called being a responsible owner. There is nothing worse that walking on dog poo or it coming in on a buggy, bicycle etc., opps yes there is making a child sick because of your embarrasment. You own the dog you own the poo and if I have to walk for another 45 minutes to get home before I see a bin to dump the bag then so be it.
If all owners don't take a similar attitude then can you blame people for being heated when they see yours pooing. Even though yes you are responsible and picking up, they view all dogs as the same and all dog owners as the same, so either we police ourselves or we will end up with UK style Nazi dog wardens.

morganafay

crotalus667 wrote: »

A number of parasites are passed threw poo , and if the poo is binned it goes to landfill which means little to no chance of people or other dogs coming into contact with it ,iirc dog poo bins have to be dealt with as animal waste and sent for incineration

Yeah, I think there is very little chance of people and dogs coming into contact with my dogs' poo. And I'm sure there are a lot more parasites in wild animal poo than my dogs' poo too.

I definitely don't think people should let their dogs poo and not pick it up if there are going to be people around, so don't get me wrong there.

ngoyvaerts

morganafay wrote: »

Yeah, I think there is very little chance of people and dogs coming into contact with my dogs' poo. And I'm sure there are a lot more parasites in wild animal poo than my dogs' poo too.

I definitely don't think people should let their dogs poo and not pick it up if there are going to be people around, so don't get me wrong there.

Couldn't agree with you more! Sure have you ever seen a someone riding a horse or a garda get of there horse and clean up the poo it leaves behind? I'm sure one of those many of pounds of poo has a alot more parasites than a doggies, not that they'll kill ya unless you start playing with it. =/ Like you find it in the middle of a road, beach, path, field. Manky aye?

But if a dog does poo in the bog arse of no where or in a bush, why bother? It's healthy for the environment! Sure where does our poo go? Or used to go. >< Don't wanna even think about that one! Paths and places people would be though, then it's understandable.

doctor evil

ngoyvaerts wrote: »

Couldn't agree with you more! Sure have you ever seen a someone riding a horse or a garda get of there horse and clean up the poo it leaves behind? I'm sure one of those many of pounds of poo has a alot more parasites than a doggies, not that they'll kill ya unless you start playing with it. =/ Like you find it in the middle of a road, beach, path, field. Manky aye?

But if a dog does poo in the bog arse of no where or in a bush, why bother? It's healthy for the environment! Sure where does our poo go? Or used to go. >< Don't wanna even think about that one! Paths and places people would be though, then it's understandable.

Children don't stick to paths, in plenty of places there are no paths or they are of low standard/too narrow.

Horses are herbivores, all their poo consists of is recycled grass. You *could* catch salmonella from it but you can also catch it from sticking your finger in the cake mix bowl (eggs). Dogs are carnivores and produce a very different much more dangerous poo.